Disclaimer: Estate Wine Brokers is not licensed to sell spirits, but we have several industry connections and can assist in the location of rare and investment-grade bottles. Contact us today for details.

Brandy

Brandy is the distilled product of finished wine, as opposed to spirits made from pomace or eau de vie made from any fruit other than grapes. Brandy is often characterized as a more feminine counterpart to whiskey, with high quality versions showing delicate floral, fruit, and spice notes. The name comes from the Dutch brandewijn or “burned wine,” which refers to 16th Century Dutch traders who distilled wine to its “essence” so that it could survive the journey from France or Spain back to Holland and be reconstituted with water upon arrival. In practice, the time spent in wooden casks during its voyage at sea gave the spirit a mellow character that came to be appreciated in its own right. Today, brandy is produced in most major viticultural areas, but two delimited subregions of southwest France - Cognac and Armagnac - have historically produced the world’s best brandies.

Cognac

The region of Cognac surrounds a town of the same name located in the Charente department about 100 miles northeast of Bordeaux. Cognac has a maritime climate with cool temperatures and persistent moisture, ideal conditions for grapes cultivated for distillation.

Subregions of Cognac

Grande Champagne - The core subregion, this area is home to chalk soils that produce elegant, subtle, floral styles of Cognac. Here, the word “Champagne” does not indicate the production of sparkling wine; rather, it is a reflection of the word’s etymological origin (a Latin word for “plain”) and a similarity in soil type.

Petite Champagne - The area surrounding Grande Champagne which also has chalk soils. Petite Champagne and Grande Champagne are generally considered equal in terms of quality, and blending of the two is permitted.

Borderies - The smallest subregion of Cognac, this area has more limestone and clay soils that produce firmer spirits.

Fins Bois - A large area with mixed soils that include limestone and sand.

Bons Bois - An area with predominantly sandy soils that produce Cognacs that are quick to mature.

Bois Ordinaires - Also known as Bois à Terroirs, this area is also home to sandy soils.

Grape Varietals

Two factors make a grape ideal for distillation: high acidity and low potential alcohol. Acidity lends freshness to a spirit and prevents it from tasting flabby, while a low alcohol level (usually 7-9% ABV) is important because a high alcohol wine would yield an extremely strong spirit that would require a great deal of dilution to reach bottling strength. Ugni Blanc (known as Trebbiano in Italy) has both of these qualities and is highly productive, so it comprises 98% of the vineyards in Cognac. Folle Blanche (also known as Piquepoul) was originally dominant in Cognac, but it is prone to disease and was largely replaced by Ugni Blanc after phylloxera. Colombard is permitted but rarely used.