Other (than cognac and armagnac) Grape Brandies Brandy de Jerez intro • just one Spanish DO brandy = DO Brandy de Jerez; other good brandies made in non-DOs eg Penedes by Miguel Torres, in Malaga and La Mancha • grapes grown and base wine produced in La Mancha ⁃ predominantly from airen (hot climate - so lower in acidity and higher in alcohol (12-14%) than base wines used in cognac/armagnac), with about 5% palomino (low acidity, low alcohol, low aromatics). • most distillation in La Mancha, (brandy 1/3 volume of fermented liquid, so cost effective transport-wise); some in Jerez • maturation must be done in Jerez region, in solera system • quality of brandy dependent on … ⁃base wine quality ⁃cask size ⁃time in wood ⁃proportions of three spirit styles, from low to high strength, in final blend • commercialised spirit 36-45% abv distillation • pot and column stills • 3 styles - enabling wide variety of blends ⁃holandes - column, or single/double pot - distilled typically 40-65%; max 70% abv ⁃holandes better in pot than column, as spirit retains more character ⁃aguardientes (column) - distilled to 70-86% abv ⁃destilados (column) - distilled >= 86% abv • Brandy de Jerez must contain 50% of spirits distilled to min 86%. maturation - solera • must be aged in Jerez region, in Jerez de la Frontera, Sanlucar de Barameda or El Puerto de Santa Maria ⁃ must be aged in solera system with casks max cap 1000 litres ⁃each spirit style, holandes, aguardientes or destilados aged in own solera • must use sherry casks used to age sherry for at least 3 years - their use for brandy affects hue, taste and aroma … ⁃no oak aromatics since negated by sherry use ⁃fino sherry cask produces paler brandy, with notes of grilled nuts ⁃oloroso or amontillado cask produces darker brandy, with notes of walnut, plum and figs ⁃px cask produces even darker brandy, with a sweet element, note of raisin • solera designed to produce repeatable product, does this by ⁃only spirit of same type and quality fed into system ⁃once spirit taken from one criadera, blended before moving into next one ⁃only small amount taken from solera at any one time ⁃small pull through means that when spirit moved to new criadera, it takes on the character of spirit already in it. • this simple system of mixing old and new spirit creates a very consistent and homogeneous product. The Spanish say that the older, high quality wine or brandy "teaches" the younger, newer wine or brandy. styles/labelling terms • unlike statically aged brandies, solera brandies require less ageing, but are nonetheless generally aged much longer than the minimum legal period ⁃Brandy de Jerez Solera - aged min 6 months, has fruity taste (70% production) ⁃Brandy de Jerez Solera Reserva - ages min 1 years (25% production) ⁃Brandy de Jerez Solera Gran Reserva - aged min 3 years (5% production) blending and finishing • some brandy product of just one solera ⁃others from blend of 2 or more - don’t forget holandes, aguardientes or destilados aged in own solera • either way - at least 50% of blend must be distilled to less than 86% • key to flavour intensity is holandes % used in blend, for Solera Gran Reserva often reaches 100% • small adjustments permitted ⁃spirit caramel ⁃sweetening with flavoured syrups, oft ~15g/l ⁃many low end brandies sweetened ⁃in better brandies colour and sweetness achieved through choice of sherry butts and ageing. • commercialised spirit 36-45% abv markets • 95% brandy produced in Spain is DO Brandy de Jerez • production 50m botts (2006), of which 40% exported • major producers include Gonzalez Byass, Osborne, Domecq and Williams &Humbert ————————————————————————————————————— Pisco (aka ‘white’ brandy) intro • takes name from Incan, pisku, means flying bird • first made 17 century by immediate descendants of conquistadors • Chile and Peru claim the ‘pisco’ name, this is unresolved • Peru has port named Pisco, from which once shipped, which may lend its argument some legal advantage common factors Peru/Chile • pisco is grape brandy • oft use high percentage of aromatic varieties eg muscat family, albilla, italia (muscat of alexandria) • give spirit a marked perfumed and floral character - distinct from other brandies • copper pot still distillation Peruvian production • intense unadulterated spirit expressing grape character • 8 approved varieties, aromatic and non-aromatic • some macerate juice on skins pre-ferment, to enhance flavour precursors • copper pot still, distill to low strength 38-48% abv • rest min 3 months in stainless steel • no wood ageing, no water dilution •then bottle • 3 categories (styles) i. Pisco puro - single grape variety, on label ii. Pisco mosto verde - made from wine where ferment halted before all sugars converted to alcohol iii. Pisco acholado - made from blend of aromatic and non-aromatic varieties. Chilean production • 11 approved varieties, mainly aromatic • copper pot still, distill to high strength, 73% max • rest min 6 month ⁃vessels can be oak ⁃or rauli, a local wood ⁃some mature 12 months or more • then water dilution •botting • 4 styles ⁃Corriente/Traditional min 30% abv ⁃Especial min 35% ⁃Reservado min 40% ⁃Gran Pisco min 43% Nicholas Faith comments … see references • all pisco water white, except gran pisco which picks up a little colour from the wood • nose and palate plummy with hint of bitter almonds ⁃gran pisco has slight overtone of oak from longer maturation in small casks • always dry ————————————————————————————————————— — Grappa (type of brandy) intro • Italy’s oldest spirit, from 14C • grappa’s historic home is Bassano del Grappa, 30km N of Vicenza in the Veneto Region • late 20C grappa production shifted from small scale fairy crude country spirit, to a mass-production characterless product • early 21C resurgent traditional artisanal production, now of better quality, developed wider recognition and prestige, with price to match • > 200 producers across Italy, ⁃some are winemakers who do as a sideline, some top names Antinori, Tignanello, Banfi .. ⁃others dedicated solely to grappa, buying in pomace from winemakers • grappa made from grape pomace, BUT some not exclusively so … eg Candolini Bianca Grappa, made from 85% free-run grape juice as well as pips and stems, ref http://www.nicks.com.au/candolini-bianca- grappa-700ml • huge range of styles produced of all qualities and price points • made from wide range grape varieties, black and/or white, sometimes varietal • most unaged, few wood matured, a few flavoured with herbs and spices • bottled strength 38-50% abv seen, about half 40-45% the rest 50% abv production • pomace = spent grape skins, seeds and stems at the end of vinification ⁃pomace from ~ 100kg of grapes to make 3 bottles of grappa ⁃pomace contains ~ 3.5% abv or equivalent sugars as potential alcohol ⁃quality and freshness of pomace crucial to producing good quality grappa. ⁃residual flavour precursors in skins, extracted by distillation • best grappa expressive of grape variety ⁃esp aromatic muscat and gewurztraminer - contribute fragrant fruity and floral notes ⁃also heavier varieties merlot, c.sauvignon, and nebbiolo - add a dark fruitiness, sweetness, spice and dryness ⁃also seen chardonnay, dolcetto, glera … • 2 types pomace ⁃white grape ⁃skins discarded before fermentation, so pomace has no alcohol ⁃pomace is wet, includes juice and grape flesh containing residual sugar, and flavour precursors (congeners) ⁃dilute pomace with water, add yeast and ferment to produce alcoholic liquid ⁃distill ⁃black grape ⁃when wine ferment complete, skins pressed ⁃pomace is wet and includes alcohol and flavour congeners ⁃distill ⁃distillation ⁃pot (batch) and column (continuous) ⁃problem for both is high level of solids ⁃normal still design no good, difficult to heat semi-liquid mass evenly, would burn solids, so need special adaptations ⁃pot (batch) distillation ⁃used for premium quality grappa ⁃traditional very small scale ARTISANAL method is bain marie, hot water circulated through tubes inside pot or around outside of pot - reduces burn risk ⁃distributed heating ensured by stirring mechanism, or pomace loaded into perforated baskets ⁃vapour condensed and redistilled ⁃final spirit cuts for heads, heart and tails ⁃ NOW most artisanal use batch steam injection distillation ⁃used for premium quality grappa ⁃for detailed operation animation see http://www.grappa.com/eng/artisan- distillation-of-grappa.php ⁃complete cycle ~ 3 hours ⁃400kg pomace into still in 4 vertically stacked baskets with perforated bottoms ⁃can be a number of stills operating simultaneously, feeding one rectfication column ⁃steam injected into base of still ⁃steam passes through pomace evaporating alcohol and congeners ⁃steam and alcoholic vapour at ~ 25% abv, pass to rectification column with 9 bubble cap plates ⁃spirit taken off at ~ 75% abv ⁃max 86% abv ⁃continuous single distillation ⁃used for lower quality more industrial- scale production ⁃majority grappa made this way ⁃uses steam injection ⁃mechanism slowly moves pomace through still, volatile elements stripped by steam ⁃alcoholic vapour passes to rectifier ⁃spirit taken off at 65-85% abv (max 86% abv) maturation and finishing • grappa best known as unaged spirit, as pure grape expression ⁃some premium examples barrel aged ⁃wood unspecified, eg oak, ash, chestnut, cherry, almond • spirit is reduced with distilled water to 37.5-60% abv, strength must be balanced by other volatiles without too much burning and obscuring of aroma • chill filtered to -10C •bottled • some niche spirits flavoured, post distillation, by infusion with herbal extracts,