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Germain-Robin, consistently reviewed as producing the finest distilled spirits in the world, was founded in 1981 when Ansley Coale gave a ride to vacationing hitch-hiker Hubert Germain-Robin on a remote Mendocino County roadway. Hubert, whose family firm had produced cognac since 1782, was seeking to preserve 19th century hand-distillation methods which have largely disappeared in France. They installed a small antique cognac still on Ansley's ranch near Ukiah. Only 80 barrels are produced each year. In blind tastings, our brandies routinely outscore higher-priced cognacs.
SELECT BARREL XO
Robb Report named our XO as the world's best liquor. Astonishing quality in the classic XO tradition. Ten barrels/year. Based 80% on brandies from pinot noir. Complex, elegant, very smooth.
“Hubert Germain-Robin is making far better brandy than he or
his ancestors ever did in France. The depth and richness of the
XO are extraordinary” - Frank Prial
ANNO DOMINI
Exquisite product, rated absolutely the best spirit you can buy in the whole wide world by Robb Report Magazine’s “Best of the Best” experts. Blows away Remy Louis XIII. In it is our finest aged pinot noir, an astonishing mix of brilliance and softness, with a very special creamy sherry note from a palomino component.
Annual series: 300 bottles.
“Superior to Paradis and equal to the best very old single-vintage, small producer cognacs” - RW Apple, New York Times
SINGLE-BARREL BRANDIES
Single-varietal brandies chosen for their superb and distinctive quality. These brandies are unreal: cognacs of comparable quality sell for $300-400. Single-malt aficionados tend to like the focus that comes from being unblended.
PINOT NOIR
“Perfect brandy” (Paul Pacult’s Spirit Journal)
Brilliant, focused intensity, like great pinot noir wine, but concentrated by Germain-Robin’s hand-distillation. Old enough for deep complexity, young enough for lovely, lovely fruit. Amazingly pure.
COLOMBARD
Scored 97(!!!) by Wine Enthusiast.
The rich fullness is like cognacs distilled decades ago (before ugni blanc replaced the colombard grape in Cognac’s vineyards.) Ever so soft, and wonderfully rich.
OLD HAVANA
Mens’s Journal called this “one of the world’s great brandies”. Fewer than 200 cases/year. The blend originated during the cigar craze, but don’t be fooled: it surpasses XO quality, with a rich, beautiful, and distinctively Californian fruitiness. Armagnac devotees appreciate its full-bodied depth. Cigar lovers: makes the best Cuban taste even better.
SHAREHOLDERS' RESERVE
Superior to XO cognacs: the biggest bargain in the line. First blended in 1988 when we wanted to give a present to the original investors. 8 years in oak, with a substantial admix of pinot noir for a long complex finish. Ever so smooth. Rich, fragrant, lots of fruit.
“Search for and enjoy” - Spirit Journal
FINE ALAMBIC BRANDY (VSOP)
Unbelievable quality for the price. Outscored Delamain Pale and Dry, Martell Cordon Bleu, and four other great cognacs in four expert blind tastings in 1989. Lot 1 was released in 1987, Lot 18 in 2001. Wonderful fruit overtones, nice subtlety, outstanding clarity of flavor and aroma. Just plain great sipping.
“Impressive. Beautifully crafted... better than most cognacs” - Underground Wine Journal
VARIETAL GRAPPAS
We make grappas distilled from really great wine grapes. All the varietal characteristics come through, with plenty of rich deep flavor. These grappas make you understand what’s special about an old, hand-operated cognac still: elegance and softness, cognac characteristics not usually associated with grappa. Germain-Robin grappas are whole-berry: instead of just pomace, they include the juice of the grape, so that all the wonderful flowery fruit flavor is preserved.
MERLOT. The grapes came from the Ricetti Vineyards in Redwood Valley, Mendocino County. There’s lots of beautiful soft merlot fruit in an amazingly soft grappa. Nice grace notes of juniper, orange, and white pepper: just like a good Merlot. Lovely body.
SYRAH. Premium California North Coast syrah. Deep, sumptuous and richly flavored. Food & Wine Magazine's "grappa of the year" in 2003.
ZINFANDEL. An earlier version won a gold medal at Monterey. Clean, smooth, spicy. Great structure, dazzling fruit.
