COGNAC

Cognac (pronounced /knjk/), named after the town of Cognac in France,

is the most famous variety of brandy, produced in the wine-growing region
surrounding the town from which it takes its name, in the French
Departments of Charente and Charente-Maritime. The town of Cognac is
one of only three officially demarcated brandy regions in Europe; the others
are the French town of Armagnac and the Spanish town of Jerez.
According to French Law, in order to bear the name, Cognac must meet
strenuous legal requirements, ensuring that the 300-year old production
process remains unchanged. It must be made from at least 90% Ugni Blanc,
Folle Blanche, or Colombard grapes, although Ugni Blanc, specifically
Saint-Emilion grapes, are today virtually the exclusive variety used. The
remainder may consist of the grape varieties Folignan, Juranon blanc,
Meslier St-Franois (also called Blanc Ram), Slect, Montils, and
Smillon, It must be distilled twice in copper pot stills and aged at least two
years in French oak barrels, most commonly from oak shipped from all
over Europe but passing through the town of Limoges and for that reason
called 'limousin' oak.

Regions of cognac
The region authorised to produce cognac is divided up into six zones,
including five crus (singular cru), broadly covers the department of
Charente-Maritime, a large part of the department of Charente and a few
areas in Deux-Svres and the Dordogne. The six zones are, in order of
decreasing appreciation of the cognacs coming from them: Grande
Champagne, Petite Champagne, Borderies, Fins Bois, Bon Bois and
finally Bois Ordinaire.

REGIONS
Map of the Cognac region

PRODUCTION OF COGNAC

Cognac is made from eaux-de-vie (literally, "waters of life") produced by doubly

distilling the white wines produced in any of the growth areas. The wine is a very dry,
acidic, thin wine, not really suitable for drinking, but excellent for distillation. It may
only be made from a strict list of grape varieties. Distillation takes place in traditionally
shaped Charentais copper stills, also known as an alembic, the design and dimensions of
which are also legally controlled. Two distillations must be carried out; the resulting eaude-vie is a colourless spirit of about 70% alcohol.
Cognac may not be sold to the public, or indeed called 'Cognac', until it has been aged for
at least two years, counting from the end of the period of distillation (1 April following
the year the grapes were harvested).
The final product is usually diluted to 40% alcohol content (80 proof) with pure and
distilled water. Major manufacturers add a small proportion of caramel to colour their
cognacs (at least the less expensive qualities it is claimed that this does not affect the
flavour.
The age of the cognac is calculated as that of the youngest eau-de-vie used in the blend.
The blend is usually of different ages and (in the case of the larger and more commercial
producers) from different local areas. This blending, or marriage, of different eaux-de-vie
is important to obtain a complexity of flavours absent from an eau-de-vie from a single
distillery or vineyard. Each cognac house has a master taster (matre de chai) who is
responsible for creating this delicate blend of spirits, so that the cognac produced by a
company today will taste almost exactly the same as a cognac produced by that same
company 50 years ago, or in 50 years' time. In this respect it may be seen to be similar to
a blended whisky or non-vintage Champagne, which also rely on blending to achieve a
consistent brand flavour.
Hundreds of vineyards in the Cognac AOC region sell their own cognac. These are
likewise blended from the eaux-de-vie of different years, but they are single-vineyard
cognacs, varying slightly from year to year and according to the taste of the producer,
hence lacking some of the predictability of the better-known commercial products.
Depending on their success in marketing, small producers may sell a larger or smaller
proportion of their product to individual buyers, wine dealers, bars and restaurants, the
remainder being acquired by larger cognac houses for blending. The success of artisanal
cognacs (and of single malt whiskies) has compelled some larger producers to market
single-vineyard cognacs from vineyards that they own. A recent example of this is the
cognac house Hennessy, who released Izambard, Le Peu and Camp Romain, being three
of their distilleries, in 1999.

Grades

Martell VS (Very Special) cognac.

The official quality grades of cognac are, according to the BNIC (Bureau National
Interprofessionnel du Cognac):

VS Very Special, or *** (three stars) where the youngest brandy is stored at least
two years in cask.
VSOP Very Superior Old Pale, where the youngest brandy is stored at least four
years in cask, but the average wood age is much older.
XO Extra Old, where the youngest brandy is stored at least six, but average
upwards of 20 years.

In addition can be mentioned:

Napoleon Although the BNIC states this grade is equal to XO in terms of

minimum age, it is generally marketed in-between VSOP and XO in the product
range offered by the producers.
Extra A minimum of 6 years of age, this grade is usually older than a Napoleon
or an XO.
Vieux Is another grade between the official grades of VSOP and XO.
Vieille Rserve Is like the Hors dAge a grade beyond XO.
Hors d'age The BNIC states that also this grade is equal to XO, but in practice
the term is used by producers to market a high quality product beyond the official
age scale. Hence the name "Hors d'age" (ageless).

It is important to notice, that no house of cognac produces all the above mentioned
grades/qualities.
The crus where the grapes were grown can also be used to define the cognac, and give a
guide to some of the flavour characteristics of the cognac