Inheriting a long tradition of patience and expertise, we distil our eaux-de-vie to perfection for the love of a job well done. The tradition of distilling we owe essentially to Alsace. Our region has the benefit of fine soil and a good climate. Protected from the prevailing westerly winds by the Vosges mountains, the Alsace valley has hot summers with little rainfall. The granite and volcanic sub-strata covered by very fertile alluvial soil is ideal for growing fruit trees. Around Uberach, our village, nature is abundant and it is just a matter of choosing the right time to bring in the Williams Pears, Raspberries, Cherries, Quetsch and Mirabelle plums and all the others into our cellars. All of them scented fruit, ripe to perfection which, through the alchemy of the still, will giving birth to wonderful eaux-de-vie. For us, tradition is a benchmark, it sets the spirit that guides everything we do in seeking the best. But tradition should not preclude change. You will find side-by-side in our cellars golden chestnut wood barrels, oak casks with the patina of age and ultra-modern tanks shiny as new euros. They all have a part to play, the tanks will enable slow fermentation of the fruit at a controlled temperature under ideally hygienic conditions. The barrels and casks ensure the slow ageing necessary for our eaux-de-vie. Breathing through the wood will prolong the vigour of their youth to exalt the strength of their character.

But let's go back to the elaboration of our eaux-de-vie. The greatest dash and vivacity reigns in the distillery in summertime. The stills are at rest after the winter campaign, whereas men are on the alert, for every day hundreds of kilos fruit are brought in and severely checked. Only the fresh and ripest fruit will be pressed and put into tanks, where under their own weight they will quickly form a sugary, scented mass in which the yeasts begin to act. The yeasts convert the natural fruit sugars into alcohol. This vital stage is monitored closely by the Cellar Master because over a few days the quality of the final product is decided. After fermentation, the fruit pulps rest for several months. In this living environment, flavours will be created, develop and blend to give the future scents to our eaux-de-vie. Then in winter, our fermented fruit is put to trial by fire - Distillation. The fruit is put into the still, spotless, all its copper agleam. The flame gently volatilises the spirit from the fruit, concentrates its aromas and very slowly enables a clear, rich eau-de-vie to flow, already bursting with a thousand flavours. The first and last fractions from the batch, heavier and less fine are eliminated. We only keep the heart of the batch, pure, fine, refined which alone is worthy of the Bertrand name. The eau-de-vie is born, powerful, rich with the generosity that the fruit has given it. Did you know, for example, that it takes 12 kg of Williams pears to get one litre of pear eau-de-vie? Next comes a long phase of mellowing.     In the cool of the cellar, constantly cared for, regularly tasted, the eau-de-vie will develop with the benefits of time. The vigour of youth will slowly give way to the harmony of age. The eau-de-vie matures and it is only when the flower and freshness of the fruit are at their highest level that our eau-de-vie will be worthy to be put into our precious bottles. This ongoing quest for quality distinguishes us as one of the best distillers in France.. If you are ever in Alsace, come right on in, we will be delighted to show you our distillery and rare eaux-de-vie.   What is pleasure if it is not shared!