About Cognac
Cognac
History
Regions
Grapes
Distillation
Storage
Blending
Quality designations
Cognac is a grape brandy bearing the AOC (Appellation d’Origine Controllé – Controlled Appellation of Origin) hallmark of quality and distilled from white wine primarily harvested in the Charente and Charente-Maritime regions and some limited areas in the Deux-Sèvres and Dordogne regions. The cognac district has been geographically delimited since 1909 and is divided into 6 areas. This grape brandy, which is called eau de vie, must be stored for a minimum of 2 years before it can be called cognac.
La Rochelle was an important port for the salt trade throughout the Middle Ages. Charente salt was known as the ultimate preservative. During the Hanseatic era, sailors carried some barrels of the local wine with them on their salt ships. The Dutch were in control of the most important aspects of trading in Charente and they were also responsible for bringing the art of distillation to Cognac.
During the 1500s the Dutch arrived in the region to purchase highly regarded French wines from the Champagne and Borderies areas. These wines, which were highly acidic and had a low alcohol content, were often ruined during the voyage, so they started distilling the wine upon arrival. They called the distillate branwijn – burnt wine – and this is what we know today as brandy. In order to recreate the original product, water was subsequently added to the liquor. After a while they started distilling the wine before transporting it back on their ships. Smaller quantities resulted in lower costs in the form of reduced labour and storage space. The name gradually changed to eau de vie de Charente and subsequently to cognac.
Double distillation was first practiced as the beginning of the 1600s. Major discoveries often occur as the result of a set of circumstances. Oak casks containing the grape brandy were often left lying in the port of La Rochelle. It was discovered by accident that the grape brandy tasted much better after it had been left in the barrel for a while and that it was then possible to drink it neat straight from the barrel.
In order to meet demand at the end of the 1600s and the beginning of the 1700s, comptoirs – trading houses – were set up to collect cognac and supply it to trading partners in Holland, England and northern Europe, and subsequently also to American and Asia. This boost in trading activities attracted the most important players in today’s cognac market to Cognac. Jean Martell came from Jersey in 1715, James Delamain from Dorset in 1759, Richard Henessy from Ireland in 1765, Thomas Hine from Dorset in 1782 and Jean Antoine Otard in 1799. The British were followed by the Scandinavians, Germans and Russians.
During the 1800s the trading houses started exporting cognac in bottles rather than in barrels. In 1875 Charente suffered an attack by the grapevine pest phylloxera. In 1893 this pest destroyed substantial areas of the vineyards, reducing the areas under cultivation from 280,000 hectares to 40,000 hectares. Slowly but surely the ravaged vineyards were restored by using resistant American vines as grafts. During this process the traditional Colombard and Folle Blanche grapes were replaced with the more resistant Ugni Blanc strain which is currently responsible for as much as 90% of the total crop.
The Cognac region is located just to the north of Bordeaux, and is divided into 6 sub-regions according to the variations in the soil and its general quality.
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Cognac is only made from white grapes and the recommended varieties are Ugni Blanc, Folle Blanche and Columbard. These grapes mature late, are resistant to disease and produce wine with a high acid and low alcohol content that is eminently suitable for distillation. The vineyards in Cognac cover a total of 79,000 hectares and there are 6,200 growers producing wine for the production of cognac. |
Cognac is made from wine produced from white grapes. The grapes are pressed and fermented to produce a wine that contains 7-11% alcohol by volume. The wine is mainly fermented in steel tanks where it is stored until it is ready for distillation.
Distillation is carried out during the winter months, and by law it is supposed to take place by no later than 31 March of the year following the previous autumn’s grape harvest. Distillation involves the use of a piece of equipment called an Alambic Charentais. The wine is heated in a copper pot that should by law be heated over an open flame. The alcohol vapours rise to the top of the pot, pass through a tube called the swan’s neck and then proceed to a spiral that runs through a cooling chamber where they are condensed to form a liquid. Cognac is distilled twice. The first distillation is called the broullis and produces alcohol with a strength of between 28% and 32% volume. The second distillation, called la bonne chauffe, produces eau de vie with a strength of 72% volume.
The ”head”, which is the first part of the distillate, and the ”tail”, which is the residue of the distillate, are separated out, leaving behind the ”heart” that becomes cognac.
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The distillate, or eau de vie, is tapped into casks, and the liquor can only be called cognac once it has been stored in the casks for two years. Storage takes place in casks made from oak from the Limousin forest or from Tronçais. Oak from Limousin and Tronçais is extremely strong and is eminently suitable for holding liquid. The aroma of the casks resembles the smell of vanilla, caramel, cocoa and other spices. The casks made from Limousin oak are said to breathe better than those from Tronçais. Limousin oak lends more tannin to the cognac, while Tronçais oak produces a sweeter bouquet of vanilla. New casks produce different qualities to old ones. New casks are often used until the desired effect has been achieved before transferring the liquor old casks. |
The environment in which the casks are stored is vitally important for the development of the cognac. Wooden casks allow a certain amount of oxidation and evaporation to occur. The greatest amount of evaporation occurs during the first year. Around 1-3% of the liquid evaporates each year. This is known as the Angels’ Share. The alcohol vapours attract a special type of fungus called torula compniacensis which grows on the walls and ceilings where cognac is stored and forms a black coating that resembles soot. In damp cellars where the air humidity is high, evaporation takes place slowly, while the strength of the alcohol is reduced rapidly. This produces a round, mellow type of cognac. On the other hand, a dry cellar causes rapid evaporation and a slower rate of reduction in alcoholic strength, something that produces a more acrid, stronger type of cognac.
The most important contributor to the cognac production process is the cellar master who provides the cognac with the unique characteristics that reflect the personal styles of the individual cognac houses. Cognac is traditionally a blend of various distillates, preferably from different areas and with different ages and styles. It is also possible to have unblended cognacs. An unblended cognac will to a greater extent reflect natural variations in vineyards, regions and vintages.
Prior to bottling the cognac it is generally diluted to 40% alcohol content, ready for sale.
It is legal to adjust cognac by using additives such as sugar, caramel and wood extract (boisé). Most cognac houses employ such methods to varying degrees. Caramel is added in order to obtain a stable colour in a product that is ready for sale. Sugar provides a slightly rounder taste that moderates the alcohol. Boisé lends the cognac an oak aroma without having to resort to expensive storage in casks, and it also adds a lot of tannin and a deeper colour.
All cognac should be stored for a minimum of 2.5 years from 1 October of the year in which the grapes were harvested. The youngest eau de vie used in a blend decides the quality designation of the individual cognacs.
VS – minimum age 2.5 years
VSOP (very superior old pale) – minimum age 4.5 years
XO – minimum age 6.5 years
These are statutory designations which apply up to 6.5 years, after which any name can be used, preferably ones that indicate that we are talking about a good, old product. For example, Vieux, Très Vieus and Hors d’Age.
Generally speaking older eaux-de-vie are used than is necessary for the individual statutory designations.
Fine Champagne is cognac made from the Grande Champagne (minimum 50%) and Petite Champagne regions.
Grande Champagne – 100% cognac from Grande Champagne
Petite Champagne – 100% cognac from Petite Champagne
Borderies – 100% Cognac from Borderies
Single Estate – cognac from an individual estate.
Single Cask – cognac from a single cask.
Cask Strength – cognac that has not been diluted with water before bottling, but which has been produced as a result of natural reduction during long-term storage.
