Argonaut The Claim Brandy
Argonaut The Claim Brandy is a 750mL California brandy bottled at 84 proof (42% ABV), the top of E. & J. Gallo's Argonaut range. It is blended from five Coffey-still California brandies aged 14 to 25 years — an average of about 19 years in oak — drawn from the rarest stocks in the house. It is available to order online at Del Mesa Liquor.
- ABV: 42% (84 proof)
- Size: 750mL
- Blend: Five Coffey-still brandies aged 14–25 years (average ~19 years): Grenache 14yr (37%), Cabernet Sauvignon 20yr (20%), Barbera 25yr (19%), French Colombard 23yr (16%), Zinfandel 17yr (8%)
- Recognition: 95 points and the Chairman's Trophy, 2018 Ultimate Spirits Challenge
- Origin: California (Argonaut Distilling Company, for E. & J. Gallo)
The Claim: Fourteen to Twenty-Five Years in Five Coffey-Still Brandies
Argonaut takes its name from the Gold Rush argonauts, and The Claim from Sam Brannan's famous announcement of gold in the American River — the proclamation the brand credits with catalyzing the rush west. The liquid is the range's summit: a single-grape-by-single-grape blend sheet that runs from a 14-year Grenache to a 25-year Barbera, all Coffey-still brandies, bottled with nothing young in the mix. The Ultimate Spirits Challenge gave it 95 points and its Chairman's Trophy in 2018. See the rest of the range on the Argonaut vendor page, or browse our brandy collection.
Tasting Notes
Per the brand: Bing cherry, dried red fruit, ripe Macintosh apple, dried plum, and dried apricot with tarragon and currant, clean minerality and cracked oat, and toasted vanilla with mace and nutmeg through the finish.
How to Enjoy
Pour it neat in a snifter and let it sit a few minutes — this is a brandy built for the same slow treatment as a fine Cognac. More California and imported brandies are in our brandy collection.
Frequently Asked Questions
How old is Argonaut The Claim?
It is a blend of five Coffey-still brandies aged 14 to 25 years — the youngest component is 14 years old and the weighted average is about 19 years, per the brand's blend sheet.
What grapes are in The Claim?
Grenache, Cabernet Sauvignon, Barbera, French Colombard, and Zinfandel — each distilled and aged separately, then blended.
What proof is Argonaut The Claim?
84 proof (42% ABV) in the 750mL bottling.
The top of the Argonaut range, aged like it means it — order Argonaut The Claim online from Del Mesa Liquor in San Diego, CA.