© Germain-Robin
Wine maker E & J Gallo has acquired luxury Californian brandy producer Germain-Robin for an undisclosed sum.
Ukiah, California-based Germain-Robin was founded in 1982, making brandies from premium wine grapes and gaining increasing attention during the 1990s.
Gallo’s acquisition includes the Germain-Robin brand, the inventory of aged and ageing brandies, and all finished goods. The ‘unique’ inventories include brandy lots that are over 30 years old, crafted from a broad range of traditional cognac and armagnac grape varietals as well as non-traditional varietals such as pinot noir and zinfandel.
Ernest J Gallo, general manager of Gallo’s spirits business, said: “It is a privilege to be entrusted with the stewardship of Germain-Robin’s California brandy legacy. We are fortunate to have [founder] Ansley Coale and Joseph Corley, [co-founder] Hubert Germain-Robin’s apprentice and current Germain-Robin distiller and cellar-master, remain involved as part of the acquisition.
“We are pleased to continue delivering remarkable and unique California brandies that will appeal to whiskey and bourbon drinkers and other connoisseurs of brown spirits around the world.”
The addition complements Gallo’s existing E&J brandy, which is available in original as well as apple and peach variants.
And Germain-Robin co-founder Ansley Coale added: “For decades, Germain-Robin has struggled to place brandy distilled from California wine where it belongs: a category, long overlooked, in fact worthy of inclusion at all levels among the world’s finest spirits. We hope — indeed intend — that our unique knowledge and capabilities, supported and augmented by and carefully integrated into Gallo’s deep experience and powerful resources in both production and marketing, will help bring brandy from California wine the recognition it so richly deserves.”
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