Charbay: Handcrafted spirits from Northern California

American Wines is pleased to announce the statewide distribution of the Charbay family of distilled spirits. The brand features small, handcrafted releases of vodka, rum, pastis and whiskey. Charbay’s flagship fruit-infused vodkas taste just like the real fruit. Rind, pulp, juices – it’s all there.

A family business

The Charbay distillery is owned and operated by the Karakasevic family. Miles, a European-trained master winemaker and master distiller, traces his family tradition back more than 250 years to 1751 in former-Yugoslavia. He has been involved with winemaking and distilling since he was a child.

Marko, following a classical European apprenticeship with his father, is the family’s 13th generation to carry on the tradition of winemaking and distilling. Marko’s vision was the catalyst for Charbay Vodka and Charbay Whiskey.

The Napa-based family is committed to exceptional quality ingredients and fermenting/distilling techniques. The main production still, a classic Alambic Charentais Pot Still, is an hour north in Mendocino County.

Charbay Clear Vodka

Distilled four-times from a blend of corn, wheat and rye; barely filtered to preserve body and mouth-feel. Winner of Food & Wine’s Vodka of the Year, as well as Spirit Journal’s No. 1 Vodka two years in a row.

Blood Orange Vodka

Deep-red color, with all the aromas and spicy sweetness of this Sicilian-native fruit. Fruit source: Porterville, California. Cocktail example: Blood Orange Cosmo or Blood Orange Drop.

Meyer Lemon Vodka NEW BATCH AVAILABLE IN JANUARY!

A rare crop; considered the sweetest variety of lemon. Fruit source: Porterville, California. Cocktail example: Meyer Lemon Drop or Meyer Lemon Bloody Mary.

With an earthy, floral and spicy flavor from the Wonderful variety. Fruit source: Visalia, California. Cocktail example: Pomegranate Cosmopolitan.

Ruby Red Grapefruit Vodka

Juicy, sweet … instantly familiar. Fruit source: Texas Rio Star. Cocktail example: Ruby Red Grapefruit Vodka Tonic.

Raspberry Vodka

Flavored with whole raspberries from Oregon. Cocktail example: On the rocks.

Green Tea Vodka

Flavored with four extractions of whole-leaf green teas. Cocktail example: On the rocks.

Pastis

Anisette aperitif. Pour over ice and the aromas of Star Anise, Licorice Root, and complex herbs will lure you to taste. An amazing, proprietary blend of more than 15 herbs and spices. Enjoy with fragrant olives or nuts before sitting down to dinner.

Tahitian Vanilla Bean Rum

Bittersweet with cocoa bean nuances. Suffused with vanilla but not cloyingly sweet. Luscious sugar cane taste. “A must-have for serious rum fanatics” (Wine Enthusiast Best of Year 2004).

Whiskey

From Two-Row European barley grown in British Columbia. Double-distilled and aged in new American oak. Bottled at full-barrel strength and not filtered.

Black Walnut Liqueur

Black, English and Carpathian walnuts infuse a toasty, barrel-aged brandy. Features easy-sipping nut flavors and a long-complex finish. Serving suggestion: Blended into whipped cream for a coffee drink, on pumpkin pie or a nut tort.