Brandy Bonanza
Lookie, lookie! A big boat of brandy just landed in Oakland, filled with all kinds of goodies for the boys and girls out there who enjoy a glass of brown booze in the evening. We've got some of our greatest hits back in stock, and delicious brandies of all flavors, styles, and price points. There's truly something for everyone here. Check it out:
From Pellehaut (click here if you need a Pellehaut reminder):
1973 Chateau Pellehaut 40 Year Old K&L Exclusive Tenareze Vintage Armagnac $149.99 - This is the last of the 1973, so grab a bottle while they're here. While Bas-Armagnac gets all the press, and the Haut-Armagnac gets completely ignored, the Tenareze region of Armagnac is quietly producing some of the best brandies in the world. Much like the Borderies region in Cognac, the Tenareze brandies seem to have more fruit and a bit more life than the more classic Armagnac style. We visited Chateau Pellehaut on our first day in Armagnac last January and were completely overwelmed by the quality of spirit. Using only new or first fill barrels for the beginning years of maturation, the Armagnacs have richness, weight, and spice. While Pellehaut has since switched to entirely Folle Blanche grape varietals, the 1973 vintage is composed of 90% Ugni Blanc. The palate opens with loads of caramel and a creamy richness the spreads quickly. The aromas are quite Bourbon-esque, with hints of soft vanilla and charred oak drifting out of the glass. The complexity of the brandy is astounding - candied fruit, stewed prunes, toasted almond, baking spices, and earthy warehouse notes, all swirling around at the same time. For an Armagnac of this quality, at an age of more than 40 years old, the price we negotiated is amazing. I'm expecting this to be one of our best selling Armagnacs ever and I expect it to really put Pellehaut on the map stateside.
2000 Chateau de Pellehaut 14 Year Old K&L Exclusive Folle Blanche Vintage Tenareze Armagnac $49.99 - The 2000 vintage still showcases plenty of fruit despite the 14 years of age. It's lighter on its feet than the 96 or 94 vintages we also carry, with bits of pencil shavings and wood spice, balanced by the fruit of the Folle Blanche. A fantastic value that melds old world flavor with the freshness of a new world spirit.
From Baraillon (click here if you need a Baraillon reminder):
Domaine de Baraillon 10 Year Old K&L Exclusive Armagnac $52.99 - After so much success with the older vintage Armagnacs from Domaine de Baraillon, we thought it was time to introduce you to their younger selections. This 10 year old marriage of brandies was created specifically for K&L and offers the richer, rounder mouthfeel, but without the big burst of caramel. It's more vinous, more oily, more earthy in style and rounder on the finish. Compared to our other selections this one is far more gentle. It's a great entry level foray into country Armagnac as it's entirely unpolished in style. This tastes like it was made on a farm in the middle of the country by a rustic family who might also have chickens and pigs. And guess what: it was!!
Domaine de Baraillon 20 Year Old K&L Exclusive Armagnac $69.99 - We've been carrying the Baraillon Armagnacs for three years now and it's been a match made in heaven for K&L, the Claverie family, and our customers—we're their biggest account and their biggest fans. There's something special about walking into the tasting room at Baraillon, which is really just a little hut next to their home with plastic furniture and humble offerings (like fresh fois gros straight from the farm next door). Mr. Baraillon will come in from feeding the pigs wearing rubber boots, while his daughter Laurence stands by quietly, yet does most of the talking. It's as "real" of a rustic French experience as I think exists, in that there's absolutely no romantic marketing or salesmanship going on in the room. You're simply stopping by a small farm in the Bas-Armagnac that sells meat, preserves, and also happens to have a little reserve Armagnac in the chai outside--some amazingly-delicious Armagnac, no less. If you like big, bold, chewy, meaty, mouth-filling spirits, then this 20 year old Baraillon is for you. It's a big, teeth-gripping Armagnac that packs caramel and fruit into one monstrous mouthfeel.
From Ognoas (click here if you need an Ognoas reminder):
Domaine d' Ognoas K&L Exclusive XO Armagnac $49.99 - We're back with another new release from one of our favorite French producers from whom we buy spirits directly! The seigneury of Ognoas dates back to the 11th century. For more than seven hundred years it was occupied by various lords and viscountesses until 1847, when the last remaining heir donated the property to the church. In 1905, the Domaine was passed over to the regional government and today the 565 hectare estate is run by the Conseul General des Landes and is operated as an agricultural school. The distillery at Ognoas is considered the oldest in Gascony and has been in operation since 1780. The estate has baco, ugni blanc, and folle blanche planted on site. Perhaps the coolest part of the operation is that Ognoas uses its own trees (from the 300 hectares of forest on the property) to make their own oak casks for maturation. A local cooper does all the work at the Domaine and selects the trees himself. Rather than another vintage selection, this year we opted for an XO marriage of vintages that brought heaps of rich flavor at a very affordable price point. Softer fruit and rich woody flavors permeate the intial sip, and the accents of spice and dark caramel carry through to the finish. There's no better deal in the $50 range.
From Laballe (click here if you need a Laballe reminder):
Chateau de Laballe K&L Exclusive VS Armagnac $34.99 - Armagnac has been distilled at Domaine de Laballe since Jean-Dominique Laudet returned from the Caribbean to his native Gascony and purchased the estate in Parleboscq. It was Noel Laudet, however, who modernized the operation in the 1970s when he left his position as director at famed Bordeaux producer Chateau Beycheville in St. Julien and returned home to expand his family's estate into wine production, as well as Armagnac. After Noel, however, production at Laballe stopped until the 8th generation came back to take the reins. Today, Cyril Laudet and his wife Julie have restarted operations at the Domaine and have recommitted to the tradition of their ancestors. The VS is going to be a fan favorite -- it has all the varietal flavor of the fruit, but enough richness to round out the palate and give the wooded spirits fans their dessert. It's spicy and dry on the finish, making it perfect for rocks drinks or cocktails.
From Ragnaud-Sabourin (click here if you need a Ragnaud-Sabourin reminder):
Ragnaud Sabourin K&L Exclusive Reserve Speciale #20 Cognac $89.99 - The vineyards of Ragnaud-Sabourin stretch far over the hills in Grand Champage. 33 hectares of Ugni Blanc with a bit of Folle Blanche as far as the eye can see. This estate is known throughout France for having the goods and we couldn't have been more impressed after visiting the property this past Spring. Today the estate is run by Annie Sabourin, who is the daughter of the late Marcel Ragnaud, and she makes sure every drop lives up to the property's reputation. The collection of Ragnaud-Sabourin selections we tasted were spellbinding, easily one of the most polished portfolios we've ever come across. The Reserve Speciale No. 20 is a 20 year old expression with supreme delicacy and elegance. The fruit is dainty, but never faint or flat, while the vanilla and caramel provide the backbone of the brandy's structure. It's simply delightful Cognac, but never overly rich or sumptuous. It's not decadent, but yet it's memorable and haunting. I think it perfectly represents the quality for which Ragnaud-Sabourin is widely recognized.
Ragnaud Sabourin K&L Exclusive Fontevieille #35 Cognac $169.99 - The No. 35 is a 35 year old Cognac of immense quality and seamless character. It's named after a special property (Fontevielle) from where the fruit is sourced. Locals in the area say "the Cognac is perfect" and we couldn't agree more. It's rich, supple-fruited, and textural, almost luxuriously so, and the caramel comes in on the finish to warm your mouth. It goes on forever. I think it's easy to say that this is the one of the best Cognacs we've found from this year's trip and it should make many aficionados very happy. All it takes is one sip to realize why Ragnaud-Sabourin is widely respected throughout Grande Champagne. We couldn't be more pleased to represent them here stateside.
From Giboin (if you need a Giboin reminder click here):
1996 Giboin K&L Exclusive Fins Bois Vintage Cognac $54.99 - It's one thing to have heard that Grand Champagne fruit makes for "better" Cognac, but it's an entirely different thing to actually know that through your own tasting experiences. If Grand Champagne is the best then why bother with anything else, right? But how do you know it's the best? Have you ever tasted Petit Champagne or Borderies expressions? When's the last time you even saw a Cognac from the Borderies at your local shop? And what about the other three satellite regions: the Bon Bois, Fins Bois, and Bois Ordinaires? Have you ever tasted anything from those inferior terrains to compare against the pre-ordained superiority of Grand Champagne Cognac? Giboin's estate is a classic Cognac millieu: gigantic country house, scattered papers and books, that smell that reminds you of your grandparents, and wooden antique furniture. It's the romantic ideal and a helluva place to go Cognac spelunking. The fact that we were so far outside the realm of "normal" Cognac producers sent an adventurous tingle through our spines. We found a lovely 1996 vintage expression that went down almost too easily. A simple, easy, to-the-point Cognac with lovely richness, but with a less-refined and more robust "Fins Bois" character. There's a weight and a boldness that the Grand Champagne brandies lack, but that's what makes the Giboin so interesting. We definitely need to spend more time in these outer satellites, searching for Cognac like this.
-David Driscoll