The statement is just as true today as it was three decades ago. Asia is the largest importer of Cognac in the world. The French are just fine with sending 95 percent of Cognac outside the country. So, the innovative wine producers of the Cognac region began to distill the wine to sell to the sailors so that it would last on the journey home. The Dutch called the beverage Brandwijn, but at this stage it was only distilled for transportation purposes and the Dutch would add water again when consuming it.
Even though the book deals with distilling from a medical point of view, it describes the technique of distillation. At the same time, people now know that wine suffers from too long in transportation. The Dutch are already using wine in their distilleries, so the excess amounts of the Aunis wine are being distilled. The word Brandwijn leads to the word Brandy. Originally, the double distillation process was done because of lower transport costs, as it lead to less quantity and volume.
This meant more space on the ships. The brandy that had been produced in Cognac was already being transported in oak casks. This is how merchants discovered that the taste of the beverage changed when stored in barrels. As a consequence the farmers were not able to sell their wine.
Read more about the Royal status of cognac throughout history here: 6 Royal Cognacs fit for a King. They acquire eaux-de-vie to resell them to buyers in Northern Europe, Netherlands and England. The goods are shipped to Ireland and Holland. Hennessy Cognac , in the beginnings. This leads to the birth of a whole new industry: bottles and cork.
However, by the end of the 19th century the Great French Wine Blight happens: You can read more about the full history of Croizet here. Very old pale and V. Check out our informative article, detailing the full history of Courvoisier. Because of the destruction of Cognac vineyards, the Whisky market grows. Hennessy is the world market leader at this time. The production of cognac becomes more restricted and controlled. It was in this year, on May 1st, that a decree was announced for the area in which cognac the brandy could be produced.
The region includes the entire department of the Charente-Maritime, most of the department of Charente and small parts of the Deux-Sevres and Dordogne departments. It was set up thanks to a group of cognac professionals and the French government. The knowledge agreement lasts 29 years. This has become the governing body of all things cognac the drink , and over the years they have been pivotal in protecting the name.
The history and spirit of Cognac is something that is so entwined with the beverage that it even bears the same name. However, Cognac has not only given us the drink that we know and love today, but it has also been home to some magnificent and inspiring personalities, who have not only been of huge significance to the production of cognac , but to the world.
The patriarch of the famous cognac company died in Switzerland in at the grand old age of He remained an active member of the advisory board up until his death. Born into the famous Monnet Cognac family, he turned his back on formal education at the age of 16 and left Cognac for London. He remained here for 2 years, learning both English and commerce.
After serving for a brief time in the military, Jean developed the viewpoint that what would win WWI for the allies was for France and Britain to work together, and he proposed a plan to this effect. This was duly implemented, and in he was appointed Secretary General of the newly formed League of Nations. But come , disillusioned with the slow bureaucracy involved, he resigned his position and returned to head up the family cognac business which had run into troubled times.
In he left to once again concentrate on his political career, and over the following years was instrumental in many major factors in Europe, the USA and China. In he returned to the USA to advise President Franklin Roosevelt, his influence was a major reason that the US began to supply the allies with military material. In Jean became a member of the National Liberation Committee.
He took a further step towards his goal in when he founded the Action Committee for the United States of Europe. This brought European trade unions together with political parties and laid the foundations for the European Union. Monnet was presented with the Presidential Medal of Freedom in He died aged 90 in , safe in the knowledge that he had succeeded in his goal of unifying the countries of Europe.
Nicholas Faith, perhaps one of the greatest ever writers about cognac in modern times, passed away in , aged In fact, he wrote no less than 23 books in his lifetime. These were on subjects that were as varied as they were fascinating. His first book on the subject of cognac was written back in the London born, Nicholas, was a regular visitor to the Cognac region. He spoke fluent French, and was well liked and respected by those in the cognac industry.
They also awarded him an honorary fellowship. His works are considered to be the gold standard for all things cognac. Max was lucky enough to interview Nicholas in , the recording of which you can listen to here. In , the town of Cognac purchased the Hotel Otard de la Grange in order to house the Town Hall, and it remains so to this day.
Inside the hall, marble slabs display the names of all 33 Mayors since the revolution, many of whom were also involved in the famous Cognac Houses. The first is Frederick Martell who reigned as Mayor from As no first name is recorded he was referred to as Louis, but now Samuel, and it is known that he was associated with James Hennessy. He was followed by Gabriel Martell in and then Charles Albert Planat , head of the house Planat and Co, although he resigned from the position after only a year.
After his death his son Oscar, a lawyer in Paris, left the bar to head the estate and also sat as mayor in Come , George Briand , head of the house G. Paul Firino Martell sat from and again from Then there was another Martell link with Alain Filhol Raimond from , followed by Francis Hardy who was mayor until The current Mayor of Cognac, Michel Gourinchas, is not linked to the producers of eaux-de-vie, but it is only a matter of time before yet another cognac executive takes up this position.
Although the history of cognac undoubtedly resides in the hands of men, it could be said that we have women to thank for the recent revolution of the spirit. There has not been enough attention paid to the many amazing women who have made cognac, and the houses, what they are today.
So please allow us to do the honors:. You can read about these amazing women in more depth here. To this day, Pierrette Trichet must be the most influential woman in Cognac, having been the first and last for the time being woman to hold the position of cellar master at one of the large houses.
Although she retired from her role in , her talent and opinion are still highly respected. She has done an incredible job at establishing the brand internationally. She was only 23 when she took over this incredible challenge. In , Elodie was recognised by the organization SensationnElles at an event honoring women working in the field of gastronomy, wine, and spirits. She has developed beautiful ranges of cognac for all three brands, repositioning them internationally.
We have a lot of respect for her commitment and motivation to make cognac accessible to a younger audience. Her product design and blending very much takes the taste of women into consideration. The cognac was aged for 10 years. Cognac Meukow was one of the earliest to bring a woman master blender on board. To guarantee the Meukow style, Anne uses mainly Grande Champagne and Petite Champagne eaux-de-vie for the richness and complexity of their floral notes, as well as Fins Bois, Bons Bois, and Borderies for their fruity aromas and the woody hints.
Anne has the wonderful job of merging the tradition of the house with the challenge of creating contemporary cognac that appeals to a younger audience.
Meukow is a favorite among bartenders around the globe. The famous emblem of the panther is perfect for a cognac house with a woman master blender. We love a radical! She is the second woman to become part of this exclusive circle. Mathilde will be learning in silence for a period of 10 years. Only then will she be invited to share her thoughts on the aromas she is tasting. Amy is a native to the United States, but has been living in the Cognac region for thirteen years now.
Check out Jean-Luc Pasquet in our shop. Cognac needs people like this who understand how to communicate beyond the Cognac region. She is part of the team behind the independent Cognac house Bertrand.
The Cognac house appears as a vibrant and young brand with a solid range of products, including cognac as well as Pineau and even a sparkling grape juice. Fanny runs the family estate in the fourth generation. Until she arrived, the house would mainly sell their stock to the large houses, but Fanny was passionate about starting her own brand.
The first bottle was sealed in , and Cognac Fanny Fougerat has come a long way since. She works with 30 hectares of vineyards in the Borderies, the smallest, and perhaps most characteristic growth area. The cognacs are all named after plants or trees, to reflect the character of the blends. The final marriage of the blend happens in special charred barrels to result in extra smoothness.
The entire procedure happens on the property, from growing the vines to distilling to bottling. This lady knows how to create a buzz around a product. Buy a bottle of their Bourgoin XO 22 Years. Much admired in the Cognac world, Annie Ragnaud Sabourin is in her eighties and still going strong. Her benchmark when it comes to her cognac house, Ragnaud Sabourin, is her very personal sense of quality and style.
She has never catered to trends or demands from the market, which is why the house is so respected for its authentic artisanal Cognacs. The former lawyer has made Cognac Ragnaud Sabourin an internationally renowned specialty cognac brand, which is enjoyed by connoisseurs around the globe. We are honored to pay our respects and give recognition to the influential men and women of Cognac and cognac.
Of course, there are countless more who have been of great significance both in the past and the present, and as time goes on and cognac continues to flourish there will be infinitely more. Only grapes grown in this region can be used to make cognac. Cognac is a town in the Charente department within the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region of Southwestern France. Cognac has a vast array of activities, attractions and experiences available to all, whether you are a cognac drinker or not.
The region makes a wonderful holiday destination for friends, families and couples to enjoy culture, physical activities, dining and events. We recommend flying into Paris or Bordeaux airport. From Paris airport you can continue your journey by express train TGV to Angouleme and finish the route by local train or car.
It was a move that much of the alcohol market and businesses in general did not bother making, especially then, due to the pillars of systemic racism and marginalization of many American communities. Like Champagne or Burgundy, Cognac is tied to one specific French locale. There are four major classifications within Cognac , which basically dictate and describe how the spirit is aged.
This title takes it an extra step, as you may have guessed, with 14 being the magic age for minimum brandy aging time. Often, these Cognacs have been aged several decades. What are the ingredients of Cognac? This grape, also called Trebbiano, is the most widely planted white variety in France.
The juice ferments, per wine, then is distilled in copper stills. It drinks like a delicious, more intense version of wine. Today, brandy is made worldwide. However, only brandy made in the Cognac region of France under the strictest guidelines can be crowned cognac. So what are those strict guidelines that differentiate Cognac from all of the other brandies in the world?
Short answer: yes. Long answer: yes. Well, sort of. All Cognac is brandy but all brandy is not Cognac. Similar to how all Champagne is sparkling wine but all sparkling wine is not Champagne. Are we seeing a trend with our French friends?! It is believed that the Cognac region has a superior terroir, which means it makes a superior brandy. This is the biggest difference between brandy and cognac — brandy can be made anywhere in the world.
So, where does Cognac come from? Cognac can only be made in Cognac. Additionally, there are other subtle yet important differences that elevate Cognac above its brandy brethren. So brandy as a whole is a distilled spirit made from the fermented juice of grapes. Any grapes at all. Red, white, syrah, viognier, you name it.
For example, apple brandy.
0コメント