"You need to give it up Had about enough It's not hard to see The boy is mine" Brandy (& don’t forget Monica) 1998
So, we all know the history & roots of the US Songstress Brandy Norwood but do you know your Moesha from your Trebbiano Toscano? Don’t worry we can help*
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t goes without saying that brandy traces its routes to the Dutch word brandewijn meaning “burnt wine”. Back in the 12th century, the Dutch utilizing a newly indoctrinated form of distillation would distill wine in the hopes of preserving it for the long journey it took in the company of the merchants responsible for its transportation abroad. But do you think that all brandy is Cognac? Or that all brandy is French, made from grapes and sipped from snifters? Far from it. Brandy, for too many people, has a reputation as a spirit enjoyed by a more mature crowd. Picture an older man in a plush wingback leather armchair, next to a roaring fire with a cigar between his lips – he has a glass of brandy in his hand, right? That’s a very outdated stereotype, though. These days, brandy is enjoyed across the board as well as, of course, distinguished silver-haired gents with suits and cigars.
SO WHAT IS BRANDY? Technically, brandy is any spirit distilled from fruit juice that has been fermented to form alcohol – but most of the commercial brandies we drink start life as grapes. The fruit is crushed, and its juice fermented to make wine. Following this, the wine is distilled – a process of boiling the wine and then condensing its alcohol-rich vapours to enhance aromas and flavour – to create brandy. The raw spirit is clear, and in many “witblits” varieties, like peach brandy, it is left that way. However, maturation in toasted oak barrels gives traditional grape brandy its colour and adds to its flavour. The distillation process raises the alcohol content while enriching the flavour, giving brandies a strong, rich, even fiery character. Most commercial grape brandies spend at least two years in the barrel to mellow them, but further ageing is optional.
* Mo e s h a , A 1 9 9 6 s i tc o m St a r r i n g Bra n d y No r w o o d . P l a y s a Lo s A n ge l e s g i r l c o p i n g w i t h a s te p m o t h e r a s w e l l a s t h e p re s s u re s a n d d e m a n d s o f b e c o m i n g a n a d u l t . Tre b b i a n o To s c a n o ( k n o w n a s Ug n i Bl a n c i n Fra n c e) , m a ke s u p 9 8 % o f t h e re g i o n’s 1 9 6 , 0 0 0 a c re s ( 7 9 , 6 0 0 h e c t a re s – 4 x t h e s i ze o f Na p a Va l l e y ! ) a n d i s b l e n d e d o c c a s i o n a l l y w i t h Fo l l e Bl a n c h e o r Co l o m b a rd . W i n e g ro w e r s a l s o h a v e t h e p o s s i b i l i t y o f u s i n g u p to 1 0 % o f o t h e r g ra p e va r i e t i e s to o , w h i c h i n c l u d e t h e ra re va r i e t i e s o f Fo l i g n a n , Ju ra n ç o n b l a n c , Me s l i e r St- Fra n ç o i s , Mo n t i l s , o r S e m i l l o n . S e e? It’s v e r y e a s y to ge t t h e t w o c o n f u s e d !
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