From the 13th century onwards, the wines of Poitou, La Rochelle and Angoumois, produced by quality vineyards, were transported by boat to the countries of Northern Europe, delighting the English, Dutch and Scandinavians. From the 17th century onwards, they were transformed into eaux-de-vie, which were aged in oak barrels. Cognac was born. Thus began the adventure of a town that was to become the capital of a world-renowned trade.
Cognac is made according to a unique elaboration process, resulting in the finest blends. White grapes are harvested exclusively in the delimited Cognac region. Immediately after harvest, the grapes are pressed to obtain a juice which, after fermentation, transforms into an acidic wine. This wine is then distilled using the Charentais double distillation method to obtain eaux-de-vie, destined for ageing in oak barrels.
Over the long years during which the cellar master watches over them, the eaux-de-vie will improve. He relies on his senses to blend different vintages and age counts, giving birth to Cognac.
It all starts with the grape varieties (Ugni blanc for the main part, Colombard for a smaller but essential part) selected to produce white wines for Cognac. It continues with traditional harvesting, grape pressing and vinification using natural methods...
The harvest begins in late September or early October and lasts about a month. Most winegrowers use harvesting machines, while a few continue to harvest by hand.
The grapes are pressed as soon as they are harvested. The resulting juice is fermented immediately, for around a week. During this process, the sugars in the grape juice are transformed into alcohol, giving rise to a white wine of between 8 and 10% vol. In some cases, distillation is carried out on the lees, i.e. the wine is distilled with the yeast and grape pulp. The final quality of the eau-de-vie depends on pressing and fermentation, so particular attention is paid to these two stages. An oenologist's expertise is crucial to the success of a wine and, by extension, a good eau-de-vie. It depends on his judgement, and is subject to his sole authority.
The wines obtained at the end of fermentation are then ready for distillation.
Once alcoholic fermentation is complete, the white wine is distilled to make eau-de-vie. The distillation process has remained unchanged since the birth of Cognac. The Charentais alembic, known as the "repasse" still, has remained unchanged. Cognac is distilled in two stages: 1st stage: the first distillate, called "brouillis", is obtained, with a strength of around 28-32% volume. Step 2: the brouillis is put into the boiler for a second distillation, known as "la bonne chauffe".
Distillation is a very old technique already used by the Chinese 3000 BC, the East Indians 2500 BC, the Greeks 1000 BC and the Romans 200 BC. In the beginning, all these ethnic groups produced a distillate used for medicine and perfume production, which was later called alcohol by the Arabs.
In the 6th century A.D., the Arabs began to invade Europe, spreading the distillation technique in the process. Alchemists and monks gradually improved both distillation technique and equipment. In 1250, Arnaud de Villeneuve was the first to distill wine in France. He called the product of this process "eau-de-vie". He attributed to it the gift of prolonging life.
Today, the distillation apparatus used in the Cognac region is known as the Charentais alembic. Ambix" is a Greek word for a vase with a small opening. This vase represented part of the distillation equipment. Initially, the Arabs changed the word "Ambix" to "Ambic" and named the distillation equipment "Alambic".The Dutch, French, Irish, Scots and many others began producing distilled spirits around the 15th and 16th centuries. They created gin in Holland, whisky in Scotland and Ireland, armagnac in France and Cognac.
While the capacity of the still depended on the raw material to be distilled, the shape was linked to the country using the distillation equipment. In the Cognac region, around 1600, the Chevalier de la Croix Marron perfected eau-de-vie through double distillation. In France, Chaptal (1780) and Adam (1805) really improved distillation efficiency and gave the alembic its final appearance. Cognac producers, continually striving to obtain the best possible quality for their eau-de-vie, perfected both the still and double-distillation methods.
It was in North America, around 1750, that bourbon and whiskey were first produced. According to the prospectus "American Brandy Land", published by the Brandy Advisory Board of California, the San Fernando mission was producing around 2,000 barrels of brandy in 1830. Father Duran, the distiller at Santa Barbara Mission, produced double-distilled brandy. In the 1950s, most producers abandoned distillation.
The Charente double distillation of Cognac is the only method used in Cognac and the Charente region, and is based on a unique manufacturing process, so called because it is carried out in two stages
Distillation of the wine yields 3 fractions:
heads, brouillis and tails. The heads and tails are redistilled with the next batch of wine. The brouillis is used for the second distillation, also known as "bonne chauffe".
Distillation of the brouillis yields 4 fractions: heads, heart (Cognac), seconds and tails. The heads and tails are redistilled with wine, and the seconds are redistilled with brouillis. Note: the liquid remaining in the boiler after distillation is known as "vinasse". Only the heart, or 70% vol. Cognac, is destined for ageing.
Cognac is a living product. Sheltered from the cellars, it spends many years in oak barrels, mainly French oak from the Limousin region. During this time, thanks to constant contact with the ambient air, it naturally takes on what the wood has to give it to shape its final color and bouquet.
An essential stage that will gradually transform Cognac. Aging takes place in oak barrels from the Limousin or Tronçais forests. The wood from these forests is more porous, which favors oxidation, and thus the exchange of air, wood and Cognac. These woods also have more tannin, which gives Cognac an amber color. The term tannin refers to the extract that comes from the wood.
Humidity levels and cellar temperature influence Cognac maturation.
Throughout the aging process, alcoholic strength decreases and a small proportion of the eau-de-vie evaporates (3 to 4%) selectively. The more volatile, and therefore more aggressive, compounds disappear, and the Cognac becomes softer. This evaporation is known as "la Part des Anges".
It is the ageing in casks that establishes the age of the Cognac. In fact, only the years the Cognac spends in casks count towards its age. Once bottled, it stabilizes and no longer improves. As it ages in casks, the bouquet becomes smoother and more complex, and the eau-de-vie takes on a golden-yellow amber hue.
After 10 years, Cognac is mature, and its hue becomes darker and darker. The bouquet reaches its peak, and "rancio" appears. This term refers to an odor characteristic of aged wines, or of the wines themselves. It is present in Tawny Ports, but also in many spirits, such as Cognac.
Cognac is crafted by the Maître de Chai. Like the perfumer's "nose", he combines rigor, experience and intuition to create subtle blends of eaux-de-vie of different ages and crus, enabling the product to retain not only its personality, but also the loyalty of its consumers, over the years.
This is the ultimate stage in Cognac production, when the cellar master blends different crus and different age counts to find the perfect harmony. A good Cognac is the result of the subtle blending of several eaux-de-vie with different yet complementary characteristics. It is this combination of eaux-de-vie that creates a palette of varied aromas and tastes. This process is called "assemblage". There are no measuring instruments or written manuals for this delicate stage.
Only the experience, sense of smell and taste of the cellar master can ensure successful blending. His trained eye and infallible sense of smell and taste make him the undisputed master of the cellars of every Cognac house.
