What is Cognac
Cognac is a wine distillate, matured, corrected and aged for several years in oak barrels.
It will then be up to the cooper and his skill to cut and work the wood, in order to manufacture 270-450 liter barrels capable of giving the cognac the sought-after aroma. These small engineering masterpieces, without glues, nails or adhesives , they are in fact an essential element for the production of quality cognac.
Maturation
The maturation of the distillate does not always take place in the same barrel, but three distinct phases are recognized.
- The first, which lasts from 8 to 12 months, uses newly manufactured barrels; it is in this phase, in fact, that the distillate absorbs from the wood all the substances necessary to enhance its organoleptic characteristics.
- In a second moment, the distillate is decanted into aged barrels, where it is left to mature for two to five years; the slow passage of time means that the substances extracted in the first stage undergo a series of oxidative processes and mutual chemical interaction.
- In the third and possible step, the cognac is collected and stored in glass containers to avoid its decay due to excessive ripening.
Production areas
The undisputed homeland of cognac is the region that extends around the French city of the same name: the departments of Charentes and Charentes-Maritime. According to the current legislature, the "cognac" not produced in these areas must be marketed under the name of Brandy. .
Vines
The grapes used for the production of cognac are also a French prerogative; In particular, three white grape varieties are used: ugni blanc (saint-émilion), folle blanc and colombard, with the former predominating. Equally important is the micro-area of cultivation of the vines; the area of Charentes, used for their cultivation, is in fact divided into six official wine production areas, ordered below by the degree of quality of the cognac that is obtained from it:
- Grande Champagne - the climate is little influenced by the sea. It produces fine, subtle, fragrant, light and very persistent cognacs; it requires a long aging to reach full maturity.
- Petite Champagne - thanks to the influence of the oceanic climate, the cognacs produced in this area are characterized by an excellent finesse, similar to that of Grande Champagne; they also boast greater elegance but less ability to age.
- Borderies - thanks to its particular microclimate, it produces sweet and "round" spirits, of higher alcohol content and generally used in blends.
- Fins Bois - produces round and soft cognacs, with dominant aromas of fruit, which ripen very quickly (also for this reason it is the most productive region of all).
- Bons Bois - light and thin cognacs are produced, but rather rough and aggressive, as well as short-lived.
- Bois à Terroir or Bois Ordireire - located along the coast of the Atlantic Ocean, it produces cognac with a strong and robust taste, sometimes salty, used above all for fruit in alcohol.
The nobility of cognac depends not only on its origin, but also on its age (see table).
Production
How is cognac made?
Produced with the traditional method, by pressing and fermentation of the must, the wine obtained from these grapes (with high acidity and low alcohol content) is left to rest for a month, then subjected to a double distillation.
This process, which begins in November as soon as the must is fermented, and ends at the beginning of spring, takes place in the alembic charantais and it is indeed double.
Quality of cognac based on age
VS Very Special o Trois Etoiles (three stars)
The youngest brandy used for blending has an age between a minimum of two years and four years (counted from 1 April).
VSOP Very Special Old Pale - VO (Very Old) or Réserve (reserve)
The youngest brandy used for blending is older than four years and less than six years (counted from 1 April).
XO Extra Old
The youngest brandy used for blending is not less than 6 years old (counted from 1 April), often over 20 years old.
"Napoleon", "Vieux", "Extra", "Vieille Reserve", "Grande Réserve", Hors d "âge, Paradis
Terms used to indicate to the consumer superior quality cognac belonging to the Extra Old category.
From the first distillation, the wine - which originally has an alcohol content of 8-9 ° - is "transformed" into the so-called phlegm (brouillis), which has an alcohol content of around 25-30 °. During the second distillation (bonne chauffe) the "head" and the "tail" are eliminated, that is the first and the last product of the distillation; thus the heart of the distillate is preserved, a "colorless brandy with an alcohol content of about 70 °."
The brandy is then left to age for a few years in the famous oak barrels, where it acquires the sought-after organoleptic characteristics and undergoes a slight decrease in alcohol content (about one degree per year of aging). If an even longer conservation is foreseen, after for many years the cognac is no longer stored in wooden barrels (where it would degrade), but in glass bowls collected in carefully selected cellars.
The color of the cognac thus obtained varies from golden yellow to deep brown; eventually, a small amount of caramel (not less than 0.5%) can be added to the weaker spirits.
The best cognacs are obtained from blends of brandies from different vintages and origins (the so-called assemblage or assembly, third production phase that follows the maturation and the previous distillation). The delicate task of blending cognac from different vintages and vineyards, in order to obtain the highest quality, is up to the maitre de chai (cellar master), who decides the aging time of each single cognac. All cognacs have an average alcohol content of around 40 ° (from 38 ° to 42 °). Consequently, in the blending phase, dilution with spring or distilled water is also foreseen, in order to reduce the alcohol content up to about 40 ° C. The cognac is then bottled and distributed in shops all over the world (the Japanese are great admirers).
Consumption
Cognac is sipped in large balloon-shaped glasses, strictly smooth and at room temperature (20-22 ° C). To better perceive the aroma, the glass should be held in the palm of the hand for a long time, heating it with the heat of the same in order to release all its unique and unmistakable aromas. Cognac is also used in the production of numerous cocktails (see cockatail based on cognac) and two typical wines, the Grand marnier and the Pineau des Charentes, produced in the same regions by mixing wine and cognac.
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