The World of Cognac

Cognac is so famous that it is often used as a synonym for the genre of brandy. Learn more about this unique noble drink that fascinates connoisseurs around the world. Cognac is made by distilling wine from a specific region according to set rules. Therefore, Cognac is a brandy of a special kind.

Where does the cognac come from?

The area of origin of Cognac is located in the southwest, about 80 kilometers northeast of Bordeaux. The area is called “Charente” after the main river of the region. The name for the drink was given by the capital of the Charente, the city of Cognac. Climatically, the Charente is characterized by the relatively cool Atlantic climate.

From the grapes grown there, a wine with about eight percent by volume is produced. This is distilled over the winter months in a traditional still. Due to its special production method and the double distillation of the wine, Cognac becomes an incomparably complex, mature product of approximately 40 percent alcohol by volume.

Why is cognac worth its price?

Cognac is largely subject to set production rules. From 10 barrels of wine, you get about one barrel of cognac. Only the heart of the second brandy, the “coeur”, that is, the purest and best, is used to make cognac. Cognac must be stored for at least two and a half years in wooden barrels at the producer. Most cognacs, however, are much older, and may also contain components of over 50- or 100-year-old cognacs from the treasure trove, the “paradis”.

About four percent of the cognac evaporates in the producers’ barrels each year. This “share of the angels” (la part des anges) corresponds roughly to the amount of Cognac exported to Germany per year. The young distillate, called “eau-de-vie,” is stored in wooden barrels made of “Limousin” or “Troncais” oak. This wood gives the cognac the proper breathing and tannins (tannins). Many Cognac houses today have their own barrel coopers, called “tonneliers”.

The grape varieties and the soils

In good Cognac, you can feel the fruit of the grapes. In Charente, 90 percent of the grapes planted are of the white variety “Ugni Blanc”. It is also called “St. Emilion” by the winegrowers, but corresponds to the Italian Trebbiano variety. Furthermore, the grape varieties “Colombard” and “Folle Blanc” are used.

However, good Cognac does not only taste like wine, it has a brilliant, expressive fullness with a champagne-like finesse, which it gets especially from the chalk soils. The classification of Cognac by origin is based on the chalk content of the topsoil. There is the following classification of quality:

  • (1) Grande Champagne: about 35 percent chalk content.

  • (2) Petite Champagne: circa 25 percent chalk content.

  • (3) Borderies: circa 15 percent chalk content

  • (4) Fins Bois

  • (5) Bons Bois

  • (6) Bois Ordinaires

“Fine Champagne” means that at least 50 percent comes from the “Grande Champagne”, the remaining part from the “Petite Champagne”. The areas of origin are partly ring-shaped around the “Grande Champagne”. The further away the wine is grown from this core, the faster it usually matures and the more fruity the Cognac turns out.

The stages of age in cognac

The age of cognac at production is officially classified according to the following:

  • “V.S.” (Very Special, 3 stars): at least two and a half years of barrel aging.
  • “V.S.O.P.” (Very Superioir Old Pale, “VO”, 5 stars): at least four and a half years of barrel maturity.
  • “X.O.” (Extra Old, Napoleon, “Vielle Reserve”): at least six and a half years of barrel aging.

Cognacs are often stored longer than the minimum legal storage requirements. The quality designation of a cognac always refers to the youngest distillate in the compilation.

Cognac enjoyment

Cognac can be stored almost indefinitely. Drink it at room temperature. At 18 to 20 degrees Celsius, it best develops its fragrance and flavor. Be sure to use tulip-shaped cognac glasses. Enjoy cognac, for example, as a digestif or while reading the newspaper or a good book.