Champagne Poire William in Port Cask

Champagne Baked Pear aged in Port Wine Casks – Pear Brandy from Manufaktur Jörg Geiger

The Manufaktur Jörg Geiger Champagne Baked Pear aged in Port Wine Casks is a fruit brandy aged in wooden barrels, made from pears of the old Champagne Baked Pear variety from the Swabian Alb. The soft and sweet aromas of the port wine cask give the fragrant, delicate pear balanced, spicy notes in the finish. Taste-wise, it is long-lasting in the middle with a light sweetness in the aftertaste. A little more than three years of aging in a 500l barrel are sufficient for this pear brandy to preserve the interplay between the barrel and the pear. This spirit, in its high-quality gift packaging, makes an elegant gift for fruit brandy drinkers.

How the Geiger Champagne Baked Pear in Port Wine Casks is made

For this specialty, Jörg Geiger only selects pears of the Champagne Baked Pear variety. This variety has been known for sparkling wine production since 1760 and received its special name in 1797. The top-grade wine pears are first allowed to "sweat" according to an old recipe to develop their full aroma and fragrance. Only then are they gently pressed.

After pressing the fully ripe pears, moist pomace remains. A Swabian cannot leave such a thing unattended - so Jörg Geiger dries and ferments this pomace. Only after 1-2 weeks is it finally distilled, knowing that this means sacrificing some alcohol, but fixing the abundance of fruit aromas.

One reason why we love this Champagne Baked Pear brandy so much is its excellent ability to ripen and develop further after years of storage. Jörg Geiger explains it this way: "We consciously take the time to age our brandies in wooden barrels. For example, in summer temperatures, the rather youthful, harsh components are gently carried away from the brandy by the "angels." In winter, a gentle air exchange takes place again due to the open porosity of the wooden barrel. A gentle, natural way of aging. The loss, also called "Angels' Share," which occurs through the use of a wooden barrel, averages almost 6% per year at Manufaktur Jörg Geiger. Only up to 4% are tax-recognized. Nevertheless, from our point of view, if one thinks long-term, the increase in value of the brandy through storage is significantly higher. Therefore, we have decided to also let the Champagne Baked Pear ripen in barrels."

Manufaktur Jörg Geiger – Brandies from Wild Fruit

Manufaktur Jörg Geiger is located in the small community of Schlat, eight kilometers southeast of Göppingen, in the middle of the Swabian Alb. Here, in this unique cultural landscape, characterized by mountainous forests, juniper heaths, and traditional orchards with fruit trees some over 100 years old, is the home of Jörg Geiger and his manufactory.

The youthful-looking Jörg Geiger grew up in his parents' restaurant, the over 300-year-old Gasthof Lamm. In addition to the well-running restaurant, his father operated a small distillery. There, he produced single-varietal distillates, such as the Stuttgarter Gaishirtle – a true rarity from an old pear variety. The passion for distilling and the preservation of old varieties was passed from father to son. Since 1994, Jörg Geiger has continued to run the inn and the fruit distillery. Even though he has become known for his sparkling wine from the Champagne Baked Pear and his non-alcoholic Prisecco, his fruit brandies should also be noted. Like these special sweet wines made from fruit from Swabian traditional orchards, self-distilled fruit brandies, and plenty of rest and time to mature in old wooden barrels.