Cognac e Armagnac

Cognac & Armagnac

French spirits distilled from wine

Technically, Cognac and Armagnac are nothing more than French Brandies, i.e. spirits distilled from wine made in France. French culture has attributed great importance to territory, so both wines and spirits take the name of their territory of origin. Cognac is a brandy made in the Charente region, close to the city of Cognac; Armagnac is a brandy produced in the Armagnac region of Gascony. Both have designations of origin protected by law.

Characteristics of Cognac

Cognac is a type of brandy produced from distilled white wine, grown in calcareous soils. The following grape varieties are used: Ugni Blanc (i.e. Trebbiano), Folle Blanche and Colombard. It undergoes a double - and hence discontinuous - distillation process in copper Charentais stills. The result, known as bonne chauffe, usually amounts to 10% of the initial wine, and ageing in 350-litre oak casks for at least 30 months is mandatory. During ageing, it acquires aromas and tannins, and its colour changes to amber. It can only be called Cognac if it has been entirely produced and aged within the delimited area, subdivided into 6 zones in order of excellence: Grande Champagne, Petite Champange, Borderies, Fins Bois, Bons Bois and Bois Ordinaires.

Characteristics of Armagnac

Armagnac is the oldest spirit in France. It is distilled from wine obtained from the same white grapes used for Cognac, plus some other local varieties, cultivated in silicon-rich soils of Gascony, the land of the Three Musketeers. Distillation is mostly continuous and a column still of the Armagnais type is used. Armagnac is aged in 400-litre oak casks for at least a year. The label may display one of the 3 production subzones: Bas-Armagnac, Haut-Armagnac and Ténarèze.