The Tasting Panel magazine

July 2017

Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/844641

Contents of this Issue

Navigation

Page 84 of 133

july 2017  /  the tasting panel  /  83 ers accepted. By joining in a category discussion group with spirits experts, media and trade representatives at the Summit, perhaps ideas would emerge that would benefit them all. Twenty gleaming copper pot stills inside the historic McCall Distillery near Fresno set the stage April 24 for the first day of the inaugural California Brandy Summit. On the dais with E. & J. Gallo's Master Distiller, David Warter, were three of America's preeminent spirits experts: moderator Paul Pacult, dubbed "America's foremost spirits authority" by Forbes.com; Doug Frost, one of four people in the world to simultaneously hold MW and MS titles and a leading wine and spirits educator; and David Wondrich, senior drinks columnist for The Daily Beast. Among the brandy producers in attendance were Ansley Coale, founder and principal of Germain-Robin; Dr. Dave Farber, founder and distiller of Osocalis Distillery; Marko Karakasevic, 13th-generation distiller at his fam- ily's Charbay Distillery; and Paul Ahvenainen, Director of Winemaking and Master Distiller at F. Korbel & Bros. Ahvenainen underscored the novelty of such an assemblage. "I've been doing this for 32 years, and I've never sat in a room with other brandy producers talking about what we can do to elevate the brandy category." The big reveal concerning the American market came early on. As Pacult got down to brass tacks with category statistics reported by the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States, intriguing evidence came to light: to wit, the luxury price point isn't the obstacle. There is consumer demand for brandy—just not for high- end American brandy. U.S. consumers are willing to shell out at the super-pre- mium level for Cognac but don't seem to regard American brandy as having the same cachet. As Frost pointed out, "Consumer perception of American brandy as a commodity is a major obstacle blocking the path. In restau- rants, brandy is either in the well or in the kitchen. In retail, it's on the bottom shelf. Consumers associate Cognac as a luxury product but don't necessarily know that Cognac is brandy." Pacult laid it out with hard numbers. "The statistics show that the U.S. consumer is ready, willing and able to spend on high-end brandy," he said. "Between 2002 and 2016, the reports show phenomenal growth in the U.S. brandy/Cognac premium market . . . more important, the growth in the super-premium segment is nothing short of staggering. That segment increased 279 percent by volume and 354 percent by revenue." The Tenaya Lodge's location just outside Yosemite Valley was the ideal location for Gallo's introduction to Argonaut. "It was here in the surround- ing area that the entrepreneurial gold miners known as Argonauts paved the way for modern California," explained James Pelligrini, Manager of Spirits Brand Development, at the Argonaut unveiling and tasting. A "spirited" team cocktail competition and a trip to the national park topped the afternoon. At the closing dinner, Ernest Gallo expressed his gratitude. "I really appreciate the time the other producers and everyone involved put into the Summit," he said. "It's been an great experience. I believe the California premium brandy category is on the verge of a renaissance." PHOTO COURTESY OF E&J GALLO PHOTO COURTESY OF E&J GALLO David Wondrich, Daily Beast spirits columnist, signs the brandy declara- tion as Doug Frost, MW, MS, looks on. The Brandy Summit Argonaut cocktail competition team from left to right: Tyler Hudgens, Troy Clarke, Paul Pacult, Jon Santer and Paul Clarke.

Articles in this issue

Links on this page

Archives of this issue

view archives of The Tasting Panel magazine - July 2017