We have a new Master Distiller at Charbay

Marko did it.
Miles approved it.
How do you become a Master Distiller?

Marko's guide lines: To become a Master Distiller, one must source and bring to market a spirit that he has distilled & packaged by himself that is equal to or better then any spirits he distilled under his Master during his apprenticeship.

Marko's thesis: D&T, Doubled & Twisted Light Whiskey. It's available now. Already in SF restaurants and top shops, I hope you'll get a chance to taste it. Light whiskey is an up & coming catagory... and Marko's is a good benchmark.

Check out the story on our website: http://www.charbay.com/category.aspx?categoryID=634

Marko has been distilling with us since 1983 when we started our Brandy distilling program.

Oh, the fruits and things we've distilled over the years. We've distilled grappa, marc, pastis, pachanga, brandy for sipping and brandy for ports & fortified wines, vodkas, rum, whiskey and they even are distilling Charbay tequila down in Mexico.

Why so many? "Many of these products were part of Marko's apprenticeship," Miles explains with a smile. But anyone who knows them knows that they love to distill.

Why, the guys down at Tra Vigne used to say, "no fruit is safe, they'll distill anything!"....

We started with brandy back in 1983. Marko would come to the distillery right after school.
Firing up the still, the roar of the direct flame... it's as close to running a Jules Vernes aparatus as you can get! Watching over it, making cuts, testing the alcohols, checking every part of the run... and pushing the standards because they can. I will always find it thrilling to turn those valves, check the alcohols and run a still. From the the start to finish, Miles would laugh, but I think it's scary & exhilerating at the same time. and not for the faint of heart to run a big Pruhlo still!

Yesterday Miles, Marko, Jenni & I talked about 2010 and the line up of new spirits... writing numbers, calculating ingredients, propane & run time, barrels yes or no, and so on. What to release when. How many cases of wine were bottled last week. When we'll release them. Some are such small amounts that they will only be for the wine club.

As we head into our 28th year, we always reflect on our fun moments. Watching people look up and say: Oh Wow when they taste our wines & spirits. We still get calls where someone's tasting Charbay for the first time and they just want to say they are loving the flavors! The best one was when someone called with all his buddies and we heard him say to a noisy background crowd: "hey, guys, I've got the family on the line!" and to me on the phone I hear a chorus: "WE LOVE Charbay!" .... that keeps us going.

Thank you for staying in touch with us. Come by next time you're in Napa Valley.
I hope you get a 'jug' of Marko's D&T (Double & Twisted)... his thesis for becoming a Master Distiller. Clean, smooth - everything Miles taught him.
We wish you a healthy, happy 2010 with time to enjoy family & friends,
Susan, Miles, Marko, Jenni, Dana, Mark W & Mark R.