Wollersheim Distillery Press House Brandy

Wollersheim Distillery Press House Brandy
Wollersheim Press House Brandy
Wollersheim Press House Brandy. Click here for tasting notes.

Wollersheim Winery is located on a scenic hillside overlooking the the Wisconsin River, across from Prairie du Sac, Wisconsin, about 30 miles northwest of Madison. In addition to the winery, the property now includes a distillery and a bistro.

Wollersheim is considered one of the more established wineries in Wisconsin, and is known for producing both wine and distilled spirits on site.

The Winery

The vineyards were first planted by Agoston Haraszthy (a Hungarian nobleman) in the 1840s. However, finding Wisconsin winters too inhospitable for what he wanted to do. Haraszthy left the state in December of 1849, and headed west. He brought close to 100,000 grapevine cuttings from Europe, (predictably, mostly vines from Hungary) to Sonoma, California, in 1852, the introduction of the first European vines and grape varieties to California. He then founded the first commercial winery in California, Buena Vista Winery,  in 1857, and went on to be known as “The father of California viticulture.”

Portrait_of_the_Hungarian_Count_Agoston_Haraszthy
Agoston Haraszthy

Following Haraszthy, German immigrant Peter Kehl took over. He planted American grape species better suited to the cold climate, and built a winery in 1876. In the late 1800s, Kehl’s son Jacob made brandy as well as wine, mostly used to fortify some of the wines, much like Port, rather than as a stand-alone spirit. But after Jacob’s death in 1899 and a difficult winter, the vineyard/winery operations ceased, and it reverted to a conventional farm.

Peter Kehl
Peter Kehl

In 1972, Robert and JoAnn Wollersheim purchased the property from a Kehl’s great-grandson, and began restoring it as a working winery. The property was added to the National Register of Historic Places as “Kehl Winery” in 1976.

Philippe Coquard, from the Beaujolais region of France, arrived at Wollersheim in 1984 as part of an agriculture exchange. A year later he became the  winemaker. He later married Julie Wollersheim, the daughter of Robert and JoAnn, and continues to co-own and operate the facility.

The Wollersheim cave. Photo: Karin Miller
The Wollersheim cave. Photo: Karin Miller

A new fermentation room and bottling storage was added in 1994 to expand capacity. The historic hillside wine cave (originally started by Haraszthy / Kehls) was renovated in 2013 into an exhibit space telling the history of the winery. The distillery was built in on site in 2015, offering a dedicated space for distilling spirits, plus more storage space of the wines destined for conversion into brandy. In 2019 a bistro was added (in the historic carriage house) with a professional kitchen and food offerings alongside wine. So, the property has layers of history — from its early mid-19th century planting, dormant decades, then revival in the 1970s, and expansion into distilling and hospitality.

Wollersheim Winery
Wollersheim Winery

Viticulture, Appellation, and Wines

Wollersheim is in the Lake Wisconsin AVA, which was formally established in 1994. In fact, the petition for the Lake Wisconsin AVA was submitted by the Wollersheims, proposing that area for viticultural designation. The soils are commonly gravel and sandy loam (glacial deposits), overlying glacial till or dolomitic bedrock. Wollersheim is unique in being the only winery whose vintages carry the Lake Wisconsin AVA appellation on labels. The climate is continental, and the growing season is relatively short (typical of the Upper Midwest). The property’s microclimate is somewhat favorable: the hillside, sun exposure, and slightly moderated temperatures help ripen grapes in an otherwise challenging climate.

Because of Wisconsin’s cold winters, the grapes are cold-hardy hybrid varieties (rather than classic European vitis vinifera species). Wollersheim grows some of their fruit on-site and sources a large proportion from other regions, but the fermentation is done entirely on site.

The Distillery

The distillery produces brandy, as well as other spirits including bourbon, whiskey, gin, and absinthe. The barrel room is engineered to use Wisconsin’s seasonal weather changes and temperature fluctuations to aid in spirit maturation and barrel aging. Like their wine operations, the distillery ferments all products on site.

Wollersheim Distillery Press House Brandy

Press House Brandy is Wollersheim’s third-tier brandy, overseen by Coquard’s son-in-law Tom Lenerz. The name “Press House” refers back to the historic winery operations. In the late 19th century, the winery on the property was commonly known as the “Press House” because it was the site of grape pressing and fermentation. There is a recorded ledger entry from September 10, 1876, showing “10 gallons Brandy – $30.00,” which served as a historical reference for the distillery.

The pot stills
The pot stills. Photo: Blake Bulman.

Press House is made from American native white grapes. After a single distillation in copper pot stills, it is aged for a minimum of two years in a mix of new and used American oak.

This brandy pours a medium golden amber in the glass.  The accessible nose offers aromas of leather and cedar. The mouthfeel is crisp and very dry, with flavors of herbs and straw.  Oak extraction is restrained. But this might be the most interesting take-away: in my observation, there are whiskey drinkers and there are brandy drinkers, and the two almost never overlap.  In both flavor and character, this is a brandy for whiskey drinkers; I think in a blind taste test most sippers would call this out as a whiskey, not a brandy.  There’s nothing wrong with that, it is just highly unusual.  For me, this spirit is more suitable for use in a classic brandy old-fashioned, rather than drinking neat.  The ABV is 40.0%.

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Kelt Tour du Monde Rare VSOP Cognac

Kelt Rare VSOP
For tasting notes, click here.

First, let’s talk about brandy vs. cognac. Brandy is a liquor distilled from wine and aged in wood. (Brandy can be made from fruits other than grapes as well, but that’s a story for another time.) Cognac is brandy that specifically comes from the town of Cognac and the delimited surrounding areas in western France. (The one which has the most favorable soil and geographical conditions is Grande Champagne.) So, all cognacs are brandy, but not all brandies are cognac. For more detail on cognac, click here.

Until the early 1900s cognac was shipped in barrels. The long sea voyages had a profound effect on the quality of the cognac. When cognac started to be shipped in bottles, many felt something had been lost. Hoping to recapture that quality, Estonian-born Swedish entrepreneur Olev Keltes established the Kelt Cognac company in 1988. He began his career with the study of the distillation of cognacs as well as madeira, rum, and aquavit. It was this study that led him to rediscover the lost secret that quality improved in spirits that were aged in barrels on a long trip at sea . It is this maturation at sea that sets Kelt apart from other cognac houses.
Continue reading “Kelt Tour du Monde Rare VSOP Cognac”

A Good Cheap Brandy

If you want a good cheap brandy, For best results, blend your own.

Obviously, I enjoy wine, but I’m a fan of liquor too, especially brandy.  Brandy is distilled from wine and aged in wood to give it its characteristic flavor and color.  The word brandy comes from the Dutch brandewijin, meaning  “burned (distilled) wine.”  It is usually made from grape wine, but can be distilled from other fruit wines, most often apple, in which case it is called apple brandy or applejack generically and Calvados in France.  Cognac is brandy that specifically comes from the town of Cognac and the delimited surrounding areas in western France.  So, all cognacs are brandy, but not all brandies are cognac.  For more detail on cognac, click here.

My favorite brandy of all time is Kelt VSOP Tour du Monde.   Just a few years ago, it was selling for $40 a bottle; now it’s $60.   Brands like Martell, Hennessy, Courvoisier, and Hardy have suffered similar inflation.  Capitalism at its finest.  Regardless, all of them are too expensive for me to drink on a regular basis.  For that, I turn to bottles under $20.  American producers include Paul Masson, Christian Brothers, Korbel, and E&J Gallo.  And there are readily-available European offerings such as St. Remy from France, Hartley from Italy, Pedro Domecq from Mexico, and Veterano from Spain. Continue reading “A Good Cheap Brandy”

Dunill XO French Brandy

Dunill XO French Brandy
Dunill XO French Brandy

 

Is is possible to get a quality XO brandy for $20?  If this Dunill XO is any indication, the answer is no.  (For just one comparison, Courvoisier XO costs $170.  Most XOs cost at least $100, and go up from there.)

First off, this is Dunill brandy, no doubt named to confuse buyers with the Alfred Dunhill luxury goods company of London.  The bottle, with its extravagant design to mimic crystal (it isn’t, of course), and its gold braid around the neck is further intended to convey quality.  But, the faux “aged bronze” seal in the center of the bottle even popped off two days after I got it home.

Sadly, the quality just isn’t there.  This is what the producer claims, “Produced in the South of France, out of the best grapes, and handcrafted in small batches. Distilled in the pure tradition of the region. The cellar master has extracted the most subtle aromas of the brandy through a very slow distillation and aging for 10 years in French oak barrels, to give the taste of an exceptional brandy. Deep amber color.”

Continue reading “Dunill XO French Brandy”

Riedel Brandy Glasses

Riedel of Austria, famous for its varietal-specific stemware, makes both of these glasses, and both are intended for use with brandy and its variants Cognac, and Armagnac.  How is this possible? They could hardly be more different.

L: Riedel Brandy Snifter  /  R: Riedel Cognac Hennessey Glass

The glass on the left is the iconic brandy snifter, as instantly recognizable as a martini glass.  Its large balloon bowl is intended to display as much of a brandy’s aroma as possible.  And the wide bottom is intended for cradling in the palm of your hand, warming the brandy to further enhance the nose.

The glass on the right, although named by Riedel specifically for Hennessey Cognac, is suited for any brandy, Cognac, or Armagnac, and is the one preferred by connoisseurs and professionals.  The bowl still allows for appreciating the aroma, without accelerating the evaporation like a snifter can, and the tulip shape concentrates it.  A similarly-sized and -shaped wine glass can work nearly as well.

While I enjoy stemware like this, as always my advice is to use whatever you like.  As far as I’m concerned, if you don’t have to slurp your beverage directly off the counter you’re good to go.

Find out more about brandy by listening to the Winervana Podcast Episode 10 – Brandy, Cognac, and Armagnac.

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North Wisconsin Brandy

North Wisconsin BrandySteeerike Three! Yer Out!

Major League Baseball’s 2020 season was supposed to open today. As of this writing, that’s been pushed out to at least mid-May due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Once the season does begin though, at Milwaukees’ Miller Park, home of the Brewers, the official brandy served at the ballpark will be Central Standard distillery’s North Wisconsin Brandy. Your opening-day celebrations can include an iconic Wisconsin-style brandy Old Fashioned made with a spirit produced right there in town.

North is the first-ever brandy produced by a Milwaukee company. Made at Central Standard’s Clybourn Street distillery, the small-batch brandy is aged and finished in their bourbon barrels.  (By the way, North Wisconsin debuted as North 40, but was quietly rebranded shortly thereafter.)

“North is a recipe we’ve been working to perfect since we opened our doors more than four years ago,” notes Central Standard Craft Distillery co-founder Pat McQuillan.

Photo: J Matt

Photo: Mitchell Metcalf

Photo: Mitchell Metcalf

All well and good, and more than 40,000 people will be potential customers for North Wisconsin every game day. Unfortunately, the brandy is mediocre at best.  It is pale amber in the glass, perhaps a sign of not enough time in those bourbon barrels (a quirky choice on its own).  There are distinct whiffs of acetone on the nose, often indicative of a lower distillation temperature.  The taste is hot and one-dimensional.  And at about $20 a bottle, there are a number of better values out there, often at about half the price, including Korbel.

“Wisconsin is our number one state,” says Margie Healy, director of public relations for the California-based Korbel. “We export 385,000 cases a year, and 139,000 go directly to Wisconsin. That’s one-third of our total production.”

But perhaps a classic Wisconsin Old Fashioned will mask enough of those flaws for you to give it a try.  Here are three recipes:

Old Fashioned Sweet

1 orange slice (never an orange twist)
1 maraschino cherry
1-1/2 ounces maraschino cherry juice
1 teaspoon bitters
1/4 to 1/3 cup ice cubes
1-1/2 ounces brandy
2 teaspoons water
1 teaspoon orange juice
3 ounces lemon-lime soda

In a rocks glass, muddle orange slice, cherry, cherry juice and bitters. Add ice. Pour in the brandy, water, orange juice and soda.

Old Fashioned Sour

1 orange slice
2 cherries and their juices
1-1/2 ounces brandy (or about one shot)
dash of bitters (1 dropper full – 10 drops)
1 teaspoon of sugar
Collins mix, or 50/50 or Squirt soda
ice cubes

In a cocktail glass muddle sugar, orange slice, cherries and bitters, add shot of brandy and stir. Add ice to fill the glass, then top it off with Collins mix, 50/50 or Squirt soda.

Old Fashioned Press

Press is short for Presbyterian, and refers to finishing the drink with club soda.  So for a Press, simply substitute club soda for the sweet soda in either of the recipes above.

Listen to my podcast about brandy, Cognac, and Armagnac here.

https://thecentralstandard.com/spirits/our-spirits
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Kelt Commodore Cognac

Kelt Cognac
For tasting notes, click here.

First, let’s talk about brandy vs. cognac. Brandy is a liquor distilled from wine and aged in wood. (Brandy can be made from fruits other than grapes as well, but that’s a story for another time.) Cognac is brandy that specifically comes from the town of Cognac and the delimited surrounding areas in western France. (The one which has the most favorable soil and geographical conditions is Grande Champagne.) So, all cognacs are brandy, but not all brandies are cognac. For more detail on cognac, click here.

Until the early 1900s cognac was shipped in barrels. The long sea voyages had a profound effect on the quality of the cognac. When cognac started to be shipped in bottles, many felt something had been was lost. Hoping to recapture that quality, Estonian-born Swedish entrepreneur Olev Keltes established the Kelt Cognac company in 1987. He began his career with the study of the distillation of cognacs as well as madeira, rum, and aquavit. It was this study that led him to rediscover the lost secret that quality improved in spirits that were aged in barrels on a long trip at sea . It is this maturation at sea that sets Kelt apart from other cognac houses.

Kelt continued to expand on this idea, and sent his cognac on its first sea voyage in 1990. The cognac world looked on, many with skeptical eyes. After the voyage, a tasting session was arranged with some of the top names in the cognac industry, and it was with some surprise that the experiment was hailed a great success.

Subsequently, an optimum route around the world was established, and one which all Kelt cognac now follows. The aim of this travel around the world (tour du monde) is to produce cognacs similar to those of the past, where many cognacs and eaux-de-vie were subjected to this epic oceanic journey.

Continue reading “Kelt Commodore Cognac”