Pomegranates, they're coming from everywhere. Charbay's Pomegranate 'Port-like' Dessert Wine is made from the same California organically grown pomegranates they use in their vodkas & ready to drink cocktails. The earthy flavor, so typical of fresh pomegranates, is captured in the deep red wine. The natural sweetness is balanced with the fruit's own crisp acidity. Made just like the Charbay Ruby Port, it is viscous in the glass, smooth and easy to sip. A little glass with some freshly roasted chestnuts makes a perfect ending to any dinner.
"We source organic California fresh pomegranates for our vodka & aperitifs so we brought in extra to make a port-like dessert wine," says Marko Karakasevic, winemaker & distiller. "We arrested the fermentation with an Eau di Vie we distilled. This is the same way we make our ports. We caught all the spiciness of the pomegranates -- it's there in the glass."
Francois Harris, of the Calistoga Ranch, serves it by the glass. "My guests love the delicate flavors and its port like finish, he says. "For someone like me, that can only drink one glass of dessert wine or port, I can not get enough of the Charbay Pomegranate dessert wine." Calistoga Ranch, close by to Charbay Winery & Distillery, is the first restaurant to serve it.
Enjoy with roasted chestnuts, as a reduction sauce over ice cream or with cigars.
Charbay Pomegranate Dessert Wine is available for tastings at the Charbay Still House in St. Helena. They are open Monday -- Saturday, 10-5. Call 707-963-9327 for directions.
It retails for $38 per 750 ML & $25 per 375 ML Presently available for sale at the winery only.
Charbay Winery & Distillery was founded in 1983 by Miles & Susan Karakasevic and family. Miles is a 12th generation Master Distiller/Winemaker from Yugoslavia. The family is known for their fresh fruit vodkas, rums, whiskeys and black walnut liqueur. The ports & wines are now being discovered as the family has opened its Spring Mountain Winery & Distillery Still House to the public. They sponsor various events there through the year. Marko is apprenticing to be generation 13 in the family's long line of winemakers & distillers. It's all about capturing and sharing the perfumes of the fruits, vegetables & roots that they lovingly ferment and distill.
We fermented fresh pomegranates and then arrested the fermenting wine with Pinot Noir Eau di Vie to 19%. It's a port, but since a port legally can only be made with grapes, we call it a dessert wine. We can say 'Port-like' to make it easier to understand. The wine has a rich body and full mouth feel. The acidity is unlike a grape based port. We accent the earthiness and spiciness of fresh pomegranates. The finish lingers on balanced and clean.
It can be poured at room temp, chilled, even on the rocks when it's hot out. It can be used in a reduction sauce for pouring over ice cream or used in a saute of pork medallions and chocolate desserts work well with it.
Calistoga Ranch loves it. This is a one of a kind product produced nowhere else on this planet.
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