Cognac of the provinces of France: the best brands and production secrets

2024 Author: Isabella Gilson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:14

Now when buying alcohol, you should not rely only on the price. Many manufacturers deliberately inflate the cost of their products just to increase profits. To navigate in alcohol, you need to know the classification and regions of production. For example, real cognac is made only in France, in the province of Cognac.

Even if the drink was prepared strictly following the technology, but in another country or even in any other French area, it can only be called "grape brandy".

Classification of alcohol from the province of Cognac is a different story.

Excerpt

Here the designations are very different from ours. The marking was developed by the National Interprofessional Cognac Bureau. They do not put asterisks here, and the shutter speed is indicated in Latin letters. But it practically does not change the essence. The alcohol age countdown starts from the first of April of the following year.

And the age of the cognac itself is determined bythe youngest distillate in the blend.

Exposure Marking

• V. S. (Very Special) - such a drink has a minimum age of two years. With the addition of Superior - three years.
• V. S. O. P. (Very Superior Old Pel) is a cognac that is at least four years old.
• V. V. S. O. P. (Very-Very Superior Old Pel) - a five-year-old drink.
• X. O. (Extra Old) - the minimum alcohol in the blend is 6 years.

French legislation prohibits the classification of cognacs older than six years. But this does not mean that such drinks do not exist in the province of Cognac. Such alcohol has its own names. For example Camus Jubilee.

Production region

It is also important to know in which province cognac is produced, as the Cognac region itself is divided into six sub-regions:

1. In Champagne, the soil contains a large amount of clay and metals. Once upon a time, this place was the sea. This region makes mid-priced drinks.
2. Grand Champagne. Actually, this is a sub-region of Champagne. And this is the best area for the production of a noble drink. Here you can make a distillate that has a huge potential for aging (from twenty years).
3. Petit Champagne, second sub-region. Here the conditions are slightly different. Drinks are dense and have a persistent fruity aroma. They have a aging potential of no more than twenty years.



4. Borderies is the province of Cognac, where the drink has a mild taste with violet aroma. The age of spirits reaches fifteen years.
5. Fen Bois –the largest province in Cognac. Here, too, soft alcohol is obtained, in the taste of which freshly squeezed grapes are clearly audible.
6. Bon Bois - there is a very difficult climate for the production of cognac. Most often, alcohols from this zone complement the blend.
7. Bois Ordinaire is the most difficult micro-zone, as vineyards are located along the coast here. Drinks from this region are very recognizable, they have a special taste. Here spirits are kept for about five years.

Now you can often hear the question: “What cognac is from the province of Languedoc?” In view of what was said above, it is worth noting that such a drink is not produced in this region. Yes, this is a French province, but it has nothing to do with Cognac.

Champagne cognacs

Many brands of noble drinks have come out of the Grande Champagne region. There is really a huge range.

Below are the most famous brands and their brightest representatives.

Cognac "Courvoisier"

One of the four famous French cognac houses. The products of this company are known all over the world. It is especially popular in Asia and England. It is here that Napoleon is very much loved, which the gourmets of these regions personify with constancy and excellent quality. In 2016, Courvoisier took fifth place in the ranking of the best-selling cognacs in the world. The company is now owned by the Suntory holding, which is the world's third largest producer of elite spirits.

Courvoisier Napoleon

This drink was created by great masters. In order that the friendship of the House of Courvoisier with the Emperor of Francehas been immortalized. The drink belongs to the Fin Champagne category, as it contains spirits from Petit and Grand Champagne.

The drink has been aged for many years, which is why sandalwood, dried apricots and orange blossoms are so clearly heard in its aroma.

The taste is very bright, rich, with hints of prunes, licorice and dark chocolate. Its individual traits can be felt not only as a digestif, but also mixed with tonic or ice.

Frapin Cognac House

This enterprise has a very long history and ancient traditions. But at the same time, technological innovations are quite successfully used here. Most of all, Europeans love the drinks of this house. Moreover, a very large share (about ten percent) remains in France.

For comparison, this figure is three to four times the average for the region. All products of this house are made exclusively from spirits of Grande Champagne.

Frapin V. S. O. P. Grande Champagne

This drink is made exclusively from berries picked in our own vineyards. In the aroma, woody-balsamic tones are clearly audible. The second plan is honey, dried fruits, vanilla and jasmine.

Bitter chocolate, sandalwood and hazelnut cake are heard in the soft buttery taste.

Chateau de Montifaut

This drink has been produced since 1837. For its production only grapes from Grand and Petit Champagne are used. All cognacs of this house are distinguished by their bright color and rich fruity aftertaste.

New cognac is always tasted by representatives of three generations of the Valle family. The brand owners are strict in ensuring that the brand's essential characteristics are always preserved.

Views of the Chateau de Montifaut

20 Years Old has a bright golden amber color. Linden flowers, dried apricots, chocolate and prunes are heard in the aroma. The soft taste is dominated by notes of walnut.

VSOP, Fine Petite Champagne AOC. The color of the drink is fiery amber. The aroma is saturated with linden blossom, hints of dried apricots and pears are heard in the velvety taste.

VSOP Sabina. In a golden-amber drink, fiery reflections are beautifully cast. The aroma is saturated with ripe grapes and linden blossom. Pear and apricot are felt in a harmonious velvety taste.

Cognac Camus

Representative of the French province of Cognac, sub-region of the Borderies.

This cognac house ranks fifth in Cognac in terms of sales. If we take into account only independent family businesses, then this house will be the first. In 2015, the company's turnover amounted to 150 million euros.

Camus Borderies XO

This drink is produced in a limited edition. Alcohols are made from berries harvested exclusively on their own grape plantations. It has a complex aroma, in which dried apricots, iris, walnut and vanilla are clearly audible. Candied fruits, peach cream and fresh pastries are felt in a velvety taste.

This drink has received many awards from international competitions.

Pierre Croizet

Thisa drink from the Fen Bois region. The house honors its traditions, all production is located in an old estate. They never use modern chemicals, which is why the company's products can be considered a bio-organic drink.

Cognac has a twenty-year exposure. It has a light, golden amber color.

Violets, bluebells and chocolate are heard in a light floral aroma.

The taste is light and airy, the main tones are floral. Chocolate, prunes and an oak barrel are felt in the background.

All cognacs from this region are light and airy, and Pierre Croizet is no exception. Despite the fact that the taste is bright, floral, there is no unpleasant sweetness in the drink. It is very different from cognacs from the Champagne region. Cognac Fen Bois is famous for its femininity for a reason.

The main thing is to always remember that a noble drink should be enjoyed, not drunk.