fbpx

Grapes & Grains

Grapes

All wines made for distilling into brandy are made in the winery, and are specially made just for our spirits. These dry wines tend to be lower in alcohol and higher in acidity than traditional table wine.
The grapes or other fruit are harvested, crushed and pressed, and the resulting juice is fermented for several weeks which releases the fruits’ aromas while converting sugar into alcohol. Once the wines complete fermentation, they are left to settle and then journey to one of our Traditional Pot Stills or to our Vendome Still for distillation.

Grains

Our grains come from local farmers who custom-grow corn, rye and wheat. The grain is pulverized in a traditional hammer mill and the fresh ground flour is dropped into the cooker where the mash begins. The grain is cooked, and its starch becomes sugar. The mash is cooled and transferred to the fermentors where carefully selected yeast is added. Yeast transforms the mash’s sugars into alcohol, releasing unique flavors in the process. When fermentation is complete the mash is loaded into the large Vendome Still for distillation.