Maturation & Aging

Traditionally, Chacha sees almost no aging—it's bottled clear and colorless. A few weeks resting in a neutral glass or stainless steel vessel take the edge off the fresh spirit, and that's all the classic farmhouse spirit needs. Before bottling, the distillate is cut with water down to drinking strength, since it comes out of the still at a much higher proof than what ends up in the bottle. The same holds true for Brandy.

But there's also wood-aged Chacha. Some houses age it in oak barrels, where it picks up color, vanilla, and light toasted notes. Such bottlings resemble Brandy but remain pomace brandy, not wine brandy.

For Brandy, wood aging is mandatory for sale in the EU. Under EU spirits regulations, a Brandy or wine spirit must mature for at least one year in oak vessels of a thousand liters or more, or at least six months in smaller oak barrels. Many things happen at once in the barrel: the wood imparts color and spice notes, oxygen slowly seeps in and softens the sharp edges, and a small portion of the alcohol evaporates through the staves.

Some houses go well beyond the minimum. The Kakhuri Traditional Winery in Kakheti, which produces wine, sparkling wine, and Chacha alongside Brandy, bottles Brandy under the Old Kakheti label with stated ages ranging from three to seventeen years, according to merchants.

Within the EU, an age statement on the label always refers to the youngest component in the blend. A Brandy labeled seven years therefore contains no younger spirit, though older components may be blended in. Whoever waits seventeen years ends up with less Brandy than was originally put into the barrel, since a portion evaporates through the wood every year.