Charbay Distiller's Notes

The night before Thanksgiving

2010-11-24T17:21:00.000-08:00

Brrrr - It's so cold out that we've strung extra lights on the citrus trees to keep them warm. Everyone that visited today hurried into the Still House - It's the first real winter cold snap and port always tastes better with friends in a cozy distillery.

John poured the wines, ports & aperitifs. I labeled more Brandy N0.83. I keep hearing from my team, "those bottles are a lot of work..." so I don't mind labeling, tying on the medallions and wrapping them while visiting with visitors. John & Marko already waxed them.

FYI - The Brandy has a bartop closure. To open the wax seal, serrate around the bottle 1/4" below the top and you'll break the wax seal so you can snap it open.

If you're coming up on Friday, remember our new driveway is the second driveway after Terra Valentine here on Spring Mountain. I think we'll have the outside fire going. Don't be stumped for a gift for someone who has everything: Charbay wines & ports are the gifts that never get set aside.
And if you're trying to think of something that really says you care: Charbay Brandy N0.83 is as much an honor to receive as to give. A small release. Only available here at the Still House or in town at a couple shops... and an absolute pleasure to sip. I know. I've been doing the research.
Happy Thanksgiving and Happy Holidays.

A new way to find 'things' -

2010-11-17T18:21:00.000-08:00

Benchmark Release!
We've launched Charbay Brandy N0.83. at a mere 27 years old!
This has been talked about it since 1983 - and now it's bottled and ready for you to pour into a snifter and sit down with. Look for toasty richness, caramel, blood orange and a mellow center that lingers and lingers. It's a small release. This is the beginning of our Brandy program that we've been distilling and aging for all these years. Marko and Miles are working on the next release in case you can't get a hold of a bottle of this Premiere Release.

I've just come across a site that is a blend of Expedia and Consumers Reports when it comes to finding what's available and what wines go with what!
Check out FindTheBest - sit down with a glass of Charbay Brandy or Port and start exploring. I was surprised how many different things I started to compare!

We have a new Master Distiller at Charbay

2010-01-21T17:56:00.000-08:00

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.

Updates from the Still on the HIll

2009-07-03T17:30:00.000-07:00

I haven't written for a while because we shifted to writing updates on our monthly newsletters (are you on our mailing list?) We have such good news to share. The Charbay Tequila Story is becoming real.

For two years of Miles & Marko have been traveling back & forth to Arandas, Mexico. On June 29th Marko packed up 5 big boxes of Charbay Tequila Blanco labels and got on the midnight flight to Guadalajaro, caught a cab to Arandas and headed to the Distillery where they were set up to bottle the Charbay Tequila Blanco.

Miles & Marko distilled the Tequila... here's the rest of the story:

Opp's.... Miles needs the Tequila label approvals from the US government Right Now... I'll be back, Susan

May Journal Notes

2008-05-15T15:39:00.000-07:00

Posted by: Susan Karakasevic, Charbay's GM and co-owner (a.k.a. Mom to several of us!)

These are exciting times at Charbay. We're celebrating our 25^th year of winemaking & distilling in California.

Not only do we have new releases ready for you, but Miles & Marko are working on the next exciting releases. You know Miles & Marko: they don’t slow down. We figure we’re leading a revolution.

Here come 2 originals - the ‘next new thing’…

Charbay Whiskey Release II is bottled, numbered and tagged with the authentic Charbay medallion. It is ready. Call us at 707.963.9327 to find out what will work best to get it to you.

What’s revolutionary? Ingredients. Whiskey, basically, is distilled from beer. Marko is a distiller that talks about wanting to taste, even drink, the beer that his whiskey is distilled from. Is Marko starting a revolution? Will the ingredients of the whiskey start to shift? Will others follow? Will you start to see distillers brag about the sipping quality of the base of their whiskey?

Here are the facts:

In 1999 Miles & Marko distilled a 22 barrel batch of Whiskey from a fine Pilsner beer. While they were distilling, as the story goes, they decided to release this Whiskey in three lots so you can follow how a spirit evolves. That Premiere Release is a collector’s item now –we’re sold out.(Call us for 2 stores that have 1 or 2 bottles in their un-advertised stash).

For Release II, they selected 5 barrels to be the center of the series. It’s now 9 years old and aged 7 years in American oak barrels, charred to “Gator Skin.”

At 110 Proof, you can taste the nutty, rich mellow flavors as well as the unique hops flavors that distinguish it.

For your first taste: taste it neat at 110 Proof. Sit down, roll it around your mouth and close you eyes to take in all the flavors. This is multi-leveled and complex.

Then add an ice cube, sip & enjoy. It has a body & soul about it that is as complex as a fine cognac… almost as if you can taste all the care from Marko & Miles.

It’s a good time to watch the Charbay video again to remember that you know Miles & Marko & family…

We’ve set a two-bottle limit. Price is same as the first release: $325 a bottle even with the extra aging. New package – watch for the Charbay medallion that authenticates it as an artisan spirit from Charbay. We wanted the label to distinguish it as an artisan spirit to look good on your spirits tray. I designed the label.

Here’s a fun quote we have to share:

Importance: High “Holy oh my god almighty!!"

I just tasted the new whiskey with Jim Pickett/NYC. All I can say is, HOLY WOW! You have really outdone yourself, this release is absolutely amazing. This seriously might be one of the best made American Whiskies I have ever laid my lips on, and just ask my liver, I have had quite a few. I can’t wait to get this for the store, but more importantly I can’t wait to get a bottle for my home collection.” - Stephen/Buyer Morrell & Company / New York City

Upcoming Charbay Event: June 11^th - Distiller’s Dinner/San Francisco – Spend the evening with Marko & most of the Charbay wines & spirits paired with foods. This includes the new Whiskey release. Log onto D&M Liquor’s website: http://www.dandm.com/ to learn more. (800)637-0292

What else is Entirely new? “Pour an aperitif, enjoy a cocktail!”

Come on up to the tasting room in Napa & taste Charbay Aperitifs (a.k.a. Ready-to-Drink Cocktails, Charbay Style!) Shaken like a martini or poured over the rocks…delicious! NOTE: no vodka inside. We can serve them here & sell them right along with your Charbay wines & ports to go.

You can serve great cocktails by pouring Charbay Aperitifs on the rocks or even shaking over ice & serving up as a martini! Pour & serve. So easy.

Organically grown Pomegranates, Specially selected Green Tea

Great Tasting Ready-To-Drink cocktails (before now there wasn’t one up to par)

Now all restaurants, bistros, cafes etc can serve a (good) cocktail over ice that any bartender would be proud of…we’re launching in California only.

Why – How? (Since that’s usually the next question) We created them for your entertaining. Miles, Marko & Lara all figured that some people just don’t feel comfortable measuring & shaking cocktails at home.

So Miles sharpened his pencil (all products have to be approved by our federal government), Lara had a label in mind and Marko did the R& D to find out what you would like to see first in this new category. They all worked on the wording for the label. This was a family project.

Charbay Pomegranate Aperitif – Captures those Pomegranate’s earthy flavors. We like to see a lemon peel/twist added when you pour it over ice in a short rocks glass. Can also be shaken & served up in a martini glass with a lemon zest or twist. Tastes as if you’d mixed a complex cocktail with several fresh ingredients… $36/750 ML

Charbay Green Tea Aperitif – Over the rocks tastes very complex with the gently Green Tea flavors and other exotics such as Papaya… comes in a 750 ML. We suggest keeping the bottle in your fridge and serving over ice. Can be shaken & served up in a martini glass. And I’m sure we’ll start hearing from you other ways to serve it. Lara likes adding Odwalla lemonade. It’s so new that you’re the first to hear about it. $36/750 ML

What gets Marko, Lara & Miles so excited is that the first cocktail you pour and the last cocktail out of the bottle will all have the same uniform ‘perfect mix’ flavors…. You’re an ace bartender while talking, entertaining or cooking & listening to your favorite music!!!!!!

What Else: There are about 20 cases of Charbay Rosé available here at the winery. Time to start thinking summer wine, again. This is the masculine rose that Miles & Marko made - a light version of our cabernet/pinot noir/cabernet franc and syrah…. Because that’s what it is. They pulled a small amount of each with a little skin contact and fermented it dry by itself. Of course it’s not pink, like I said, it’s a guy style Rosé.

We enjoy it with a couple ice cubes when we’re grilling out on the deck… perfect with the appetizers you nibble on before dinner.

Oh, yes – it’s in a twist off cap 750 ML – so take it anywhere and be spontaneous!

These aren’t on the website yet – but they can be ordered over the phone or better yet, come see us.

Visits to Charbay: We’re going to be open more in the coming months so check your calendar, gather your friends and come up to see us… we’ll be tasting outside as soon as the new tables arrive. We’re working on some fun programs, too. Vodka & caviar pairing, Port & cigars for those who like to smoke with fellow cigar lovers, Cocktails 101 and more.

Come to Napa Valley = No passports. Same currency as home. We have great restaurants, spas, the ocean is close by and there’s plenty to drink. Be a tourist – it’s fun.

‘Charbay Sundays at Tra Vigne’ Starting end of June, we invite you to come by for our ‘Charbay Sundays at Tra Vigne’. Join us for tastings of all the Charbay Spirits and great tappas. Their courtyard is one of the most beloved in the Napa Valley. Someone from the family will be there to visit with.

Where to Stay: Here’s a real find: Stay on Spring Mountain in a magical place - Mille Vigne Villa. http://www.millevigne.com/ Call Rebecca Kingsley for reservations… unadvertised homes/villas here on the mountain.

Next Month: Bartender Featured cocktail:

The ‘Andrew S’, made with Charbay Rum & Rhubarb Mint Syrup… from one of our favorite bartenders at Tra Vigne, a favorite, especially out on the patio. Reservations: 707-963-4444

***Remember: Upcoming Charbay Event June 11^th : Distiller’s Dinner in San Francisco – Spend the evening with Marko as he walks you through the Charbay wines & spirits. They’ll all be there, including the new Whiskey Release II. Might be things we don’t even know about. Bring your Dad.

Visit D&M Liquors’ website: http://www.dandm.com/ to learn more. (800)637-0292

We’re starting a remodel of our website. IF you can’t find something, give us a call… someone’s always here.

Everyone says Hello and Best Wishes,

Susan & family