Historie

Domaine Charbay is a family-owned wine and distillery estate in Napa Valley, located on Spring Mountain just a 15-minute drive from St Helena. Since 1993 they have been known for producing Domaine Charbay's small lots of wines, California Port and aged Brandies, and they do everything in-house – winemaking, distillation and fortification – to create smoothness and balance in every sip. The family is described as 13 generations deeply rooted in the craft, and Marko Karakasevic is Master Distiller and generation 13.

The history begins in Europe in 1751; the Karakasevic family has roots here, before Miles Karakasevic emigrated to America in 1962 to carry the family's tradition forward. In Napa Valley he worked as winemaster at Beringer in 1972, and in 1993 he opened Domaine Charbay in St. Helena as an artisanal wine and distillery company with his wife Susan. Miles' experience and family history were later carried on by Marko, generation 13, who today is Master Distiller. According to Charbay, their approach is to build each product layer by layer – port, brandy and wines – and not compromise, which yields products with depth and balance.

Charbay's portfolio includes older brandies: Brandy No. 83, distilled in 1983 from 100% Folle Blanche and aged in new French oak for many years (27 years), and Brandy No. 89, a blend distilled in 1989 of 74% Pinot Noir and 26% Sauvignon Blanc, double-distilled in a Charentais pot still and aged in French oak for 24 years, bottled at a higher proof than normal (92 proof).

Fortification and style: The ports are fortified with brandy from Charbay's own archive, which gives an extra dimension of flavor and body. 2006 Distillers’ Port and 2006 Still House Port are examples of Californian Port wines, combining the wine's character with aged brandy for a rich and balanced finish. The 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon hails from the Stags Leap District and is described as elegant and balanced with dark berries, cassis and soft leather; the palate offers fruit-forwardness supported by tannins and a hint of acidity.

Produktion / Fremstilling

Domaine Charbay does it all in-house: winemaking, distillation and fortification. Their approach combines the traditional Cognac method for brandy (especially Brandy No. 83) with Californian craftsmanship, and the brandies mature in French oak. The ports are fortified with brandy from their own stock and aged further to achieve the characteristic richness. For Still House Port, a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel and Syrah is used, delivering a medium body with a semi-dry finish, and the port is further rounded by using 4-year Charbay Syrah Brandy, aged in used French oak for 7 years.

From the 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon notes: aromas of dark berries, cassis and soft leather, with a mouthfeel of fruit balanced by tannins and a hint of acidity.

Produkter / Whisky-serien

Charbay Ports: 2006 Distillers’ Port and 2006 Still House Port. Charbay Brandy: Brandy No. 83 and Brandy No. 89. Charbay Wines: 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa Valley. All products are presented and described in their Collection section, where it states that Brandy No. 83 and No. 89 represent California's long-standing distillation and aging in French oak.

Besøg / Oplevelser

Hidden away on Spring Mountain, a short drive from St Helena, you’ll find Domaine Charbay – a family-owned winery and distillery and one of the original Napa Valley distilleries. Note that visits are temporarily closed.

Filosofi

Charbay emphasizes that they fortify the Port with their own aged brandy and therefore achieve depth and richness in flavor. They speak of building each port, brandy and wine layer by layer, slowly and without compromise, and claim that their heritage and craftsmanship give the products a distinctive character and innovation.