Cognac is a special brandy from the French town of Cognac and its surrounding wine-growing regions. Limited grape varieties, defined distillation times and special storage conditions are required for this exclusive spirit.
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By definition, noble brandies are called pure distillates from wine or from such raw materials which, due to their components, are themselves suitable for the extraction of alcohol. They give their respective distillate a characteristic taste and a special fragrance, as you will notice when buying cognac, among other things. The noble brandies include rum, arrack and the various fruit brandies. If you buy genuine French cognac, it is commonly considered a special highlight among the noble brandies. Quite a few stories from the annals of Cognac refer to events during the 16th century. However, the beginnings go back much further.
These beginnings lie namely in gray prehistoric times. Long before we were able to buy cognac, even before the beginning of our era, the Chinese were distilling a spirit from rice wine. In eastern India, an original form of the arrack we know today is said to have been made from rice and cane sugar as early as 800 B.C., and distilling stills were also known in ancient Egypt - at least according to surviving relief depictions.
The paths along which the nowadays earth-spanning art of distilling began its journey around the world and through which we can buy our popular cognac today lie in the mists of history. That is why there are also ideas according to which it could have developed in the most different points of our planet just without any models. Especially when we hear that the discoverers of hitherto completely unknown Pacific islands found that the people on the spot were already quite familiar with the manufacturing processes of distilled beverages.
In our latitudes, the path of development can then be seen more clearly: The oldest records of wine distilling date back to the early Middle Ages. They can be found in the fire book "Liber ad ignium comburendos hostes" by the 8th century alchemist Marcus Graecus. But already Aristotle had described a distillation of sea water and Cicero mentions an aromatic rose liqueur - however, this is not sufficient proof that the distillation of alcoholic essences was already common at that time. But when did it come to the point that we can buy our cognac today?
It was not until after the year 1000 that the corresponding testimonies began to accumulate: In the middle of the 11th century, for example, the famous medical school Schola Medica Salernitana in Salerno in southern Italy boasted the discovery of an "aqua vita," a "water of life." A term we still hear today when we buy cognac. The philosopher and Franciscan priest Ramon Llull, who had spent many years of his life in the Mallorcan monastery Santuari de Cura on Mount Randa, described the distillation process in his writings. Even before that, the Irish and Scottish Celts called their grain brandy "uisgebeatha" - and that was probably the forefather of whiskey. There are also recipes for making liqueurs in French cookbooks dating back to 1290, but it was not until the 14th century that spirits began to gain importance as a stimulant with the introduction of various spirits from Italy.
Schnapps was now distilled everywhere, the "water of life" had completed its triumphal march - and also soon became a "water of death". For nowhere did people first pay attention to harmful components of the distillates when buying cognac. Thus, alcohol abuse at that time may often have led directly to the infirmary. Even Theophrasus Bombastus Paracelsus, the on the one hand so praised and on the other hand much reviled doctor and swarm spirit, moved in the 16th century teaching and healing through the countryside. He had introduced the word alcohol for the word wine spirit and stated in addition (quote): "All things are poison and nothing is without poison and only the dose makes a thing not a poison".
Also in the 16th century, the barrels of the winegrowers of Charente, who shipped their wines to Holland by ships, were no longer sufficient. The reason was the constant wars waged by France at the time, which deprived the winegrowers of these important resources, so particularly necessary for storing their surplus wine, which was produced peu à peu. Accordingly, they decided to concentrate the wine, so to speak, which incidentally also helped to save on necessary shipping capacity. Other French districts soon followed suit.
At the end of the 19th century, a devastating phylloxera plague destroyed many valuable crops and the coveted good drops from France flowed ever more weakly - buying cognac became a difficult matter. This led to the development of cognac distilleries in other European countries as well. In the face of this growing competition, the French decided to enact a law at the beginning of May 1909, according to which only those brandies that could be distilled around the city of Cognac and according to precisely defined methods could be called Cognac. Finally, the Treaty of Versailles forced Germany to renounce the name "Cognac" for its brandies. This ensures that when you buy Cognac, you are really buying original Cognac.
Before you buy a Cognac, you should have at least a basic knowledge of the production process. We explain the most important steps below:
In these controlled growing regions, the Ugni Blanc grape variety - also known as Trebbiano - is cultivated for the most part (90%). The Folle Blanche and Colombard varieties make up a small proportion (10%). Less frequently, the vineyards are cultivated with Folignan, Jurançon Blanc, Meslier St-François, Montils, Sélect and Sémillon wines.
After the grape harvest, the selected grape varieties are pressed, i.e. the grapes are pressed. This vintage is not yet suitable for consumption. Depending on the type of wine, different nuances of taste are evident. The brandy from Ugni Blanc contains comparatively slightly more acidity than that from other grape varieties.
After pressing, an 8% wine is produced, which is not yet fit for consumption and is distilled in the traditional still (Alambic Charentais with a maximum of 30 hectoliters) during the winter months. The legally established distillation process begins in early November and must be completed by the end of March at the latest. The wine is then subjected to a two-stage distillation process. After the first distillation, a so-called "Brouillis" (28-32% vol.) is produced, an unclear raw distillate. From this, in the second distillation pass, "La bonne Chauffe" is formed, a fine brandy with more than 60% alcohol content. The by-product of this distillation is called "Eau de Vie" or water of life. It is not edible and remains in the still.
The high-percentage fine spirit is then matured in new, re-filled, coarse-pored oak barrels from the Limousin or Troncais regions. French barrique barrels can hold about 225 liters. Cognacs from the Bois Communs, Bons Bois and Fin Boins regions are ready to drink after only about four years. Higher quality cognacs from the other regions require more time for their maturation and the development of their unique aromas - the maturation times of the cognacs therefore vary depending on the region of origin.
The blending of the cognac is the heart of the cognac production. The cellar master's work consists of marrying the carefully selected cognacs up to the assemblage. The master blender responsible for this process has a wide range of expertise and is very familiar with the stored cognacs and their individual taste characteristics. In addition, during blending, the alcohol content is diluted to ready-to-drink 40-45% by volume by adding distilled water or faibles, a cognac-water mixture. After this process the finished distillate is bottled. When a cognac has reached the desired maturity but is not yet ready for marriage, it can be stored indefinitely in demijohns (traditional glass vessels in a basket).
Cognac is a brandy made from white wine, which originates from the town of Cognac of the same name and the neighbouring regions. The "Appellation d' Origine Contrôlée" seal of protection laid the foundation for the legally established designation of origin of Cognac in 1909. The name is therefore protected and may only be used if the grapes for the brandy used come from the specified regions.
Since 1930, the various wine regions have been divided into the following crus:
The Grande Champagne wine region produces the highest quality cognac.
In our cognac shop assortment you will find both selected varieties of well-known sizes, such as A. de Fussigny Cognac, Bowen Cognac Extra and Courvoisier Hennessey, as well as products from smaller, family-run traditional companies. Feel inspired by the fabulous selection in our cognac shop!
The different ages of cognacs are defined by law. If you buy an older cognac, it has already absorbed more wood aromas and is the rarer. These factors determine the price - the older and rarer, the more expensive the cognac. When buying cognac, the age statement on the bottle is determined by the aging time of the "youngest" added cognac at the time of blending. The cognac categories in ascending order are:
By the way, Cognac is also a great gift. Take a look at our Cognac gift sets. A true lover you will make a great pleasure.
Buying Cognac means investing in one of the finest spirits in the world. This exquisite spirit from the Cognac region in France enchants with its rich history, its complex variety of aromas and its incomparable quality. But before you start your search for the perfect Cognac, there is some important information you should know. From the different grape varieties to the different ageing and maturation processes, here's everything you need to know about buying and enjoying Cognac.
Only after a long aging time in barrels it goes out into the world and you can buy the cognac. Cognac lovers, however, will not be able to easily taste the age after buying cognac in many cases, much too great is the work of the cellar masters in the distilleries. The profession of the "Maître de Chai" is based on ever more passed on, sometimes centuries-old experience and carefully guarded production recipes. In the end, the age of the cognac is indicated on the labels as follows:
In addition, there is a whole range of even more non-committal designations. If you want to make an excellent choice when buying cognac in our cognac store, pay attention to the indication "Fine Champagne". Because this designation may be led according to the laws only by such quality products, which were distilled from the grapes of the Grande Champagne or also the Petite Champagne.
The first Cognac law was introduced by France in 1909 in order to make the purchase of Cognac more transparent. It remained valid for 21 years until it was modified in 1930. Thus, according to the 1930 law, the Cognac regions are precisely defined: These include Grande Champagne, Petite Champagne, Fins Bois, Borderies, Bons Bois as well as Bois communs dits à Terroir. All of them are arranged in a ring around the city of Cognac in the center. The closer the territories are to this heart, the better Cognac you buy.
Said territory is the Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée (AOC) "Cognac". It is about 1,100,000 ha in size. Wine for the production of Cognac is grown there on about 80,000 ha. The grape varieties used are Ugni Blanc (St. Emillion), Folle Blanc and Colombard as well as Folignan. The grapes from Petite Champagne and Grande Champagne are unsurpassed. You will notice this in the final product when you buy Cognac. The special quality of the Cognac from the Cognac Shop is therefore not only due to the distillation process and the care of the assemblage: Different Cognac vintages are blended to a high perfection, but special importance is also attached to the interaction of soil, climate and water of its home. Buying the right Cognac is therefore much more complex than you might have thought at first.
Buy Cognac: From the heart of the winesaIn the homeland of Cognac, the grapes are pressed in late autumn right after the grape harvest so that you can buy the best Cognac. The must produced is fermented and after the passage of 14 days reaches an alcohol content of between 7 and 12 percent, with 8.5 to 9.5 percent considered ideal. The addition of sugar is prohibited during the pressing process.
Only traditional wooden presses or pneumatic presses are used for pressing. Turbidity or oxidation should be largely avoided. The use of endless presses, the so-called "Archimedean screws", is also prohibited because the drastic crushing of seeds and grape stems releases all kinds of bitter substances. After all, no one wants to buy a bitter cognac.
Cognac is distilled in distilleries using the so-called "Charentais distillation method." In this process, the distillate is heated in a still, the alcoholic vapors generated pass through the so-called spirit tube into the cooler and, meanwhile liquefied again, through the Florentine bottle back into the still. The distillation process in the stills, which have been used since time immemorial, is carried out twice to an alcohol content of initially 72.4 percent. However, this is not yet the way to buy and enjoy cognac.
By the way: In comparison, German brandy can have an alcohol content of 86 percent. However, this does not mean that German brandy producers also make full use of this leeway and that you can actually buy such a cognac.
But back to the Cognac: In the further process, the yeast used for must fermentation is not removed. This is also the reason for the characteristic fragrant cognac aromas that you will notice when you buy and smell cognac. The distillates are then stored at the cognac companies and, after reaching a certain maturity, are blended, i.e. "married" together, according to age, location and taste characteristics, similar to the whiskies in Scotland and Ireland. From this point you can buy and enjoy the first cognacs. However, you can also choose from an exciting selection to buy whisky in our shop.
The real secret of excellent cognacs from our cognac store, however, lies in the storage. Ultimately, the cognac flavors that Britain's renowned wine critic Hugh Johnson called "the condensed soul of the evaporated vine" are then created. If you're already hearing this term, you should immediately get a taste for it and buy your next cognac.
Limousin wood barrels are where the aging processes take place. They have capacities of 270 or 450 liters. The wood of the barrels is particularly large-pored and usually comes from a species of holm oak that grows near Limoges. Depending on the desired quality, the cognac is given four to fifty years to mature - quality that you will notice when you buy cognac. During the period of maturation, the previously colorless distillate absorbs colorants from the barrel wood. In addition, the alcohol combines with the tannic acids contained in the wood and with the oak sugar to form that special grape bouquet that the connoisseur so appreciates when buying Cognac. At the same time, the volatile aldehydes evaporate through the wooden pores of the storage barrel, along with their harsh and scratchy petrol taste. Thus, the cognac becomes milder, more floral and more expressive from year to year. However, the original quantity decreases by about one percent over the course of a year. This process comes to a halt after the cognac has been diluted down from the barrel with demineralized or distilled water to drinking strength, i.e. a minimum alcohol content of 40% by volume, and as soon as it has been drawn into bottles. Therefore, it is also pointless to want to let a cognac purchased in the cognac store after buying cognac continue to mature in your own cellar, about as is quite common with good wine.
But an overly extended storage time in the barrel can also do the respective cognac no good. The still widespread misconception that a cognac from the time of Napoleon Bonaparte, for example, is the superior of all pleasures is based on a clear misjudgment of the facts. If you buy Cognac today, you can rather listen to the advice of Georges Roulet, owner of the renowned Maison Roullet-Fransac, who named the ideal aging period for a good Cognac as between 25 and 40 years.
There are said to be fellow human beings who like to buy cognac and use it to make various cocktails and long drinks despite, or perhaps because of, its unique intrinsic character. Thus, the corresponding Beforedinners include brandy cocktails with Cognac, Angostura, sugar syrup and cherry or a Capri cocktail, to which Campari is mixed instead of Angostura. Mediums are, for example, the Side Car with Cointreau and lemon juice to the cognac. Afterdinners include the sweet Black and White with ice cream, chocolate and cognac. If you buy an aromatic and fragrant Cognac, it is less adaptable than, for example, a neutral gin. That's why Cognac tends to go with the sweeter after-dinner drinks, cream and liqueurs, etc. With tart aperitif wines, on the other hand, cognac does not get along. In the online store of delicando, in addition to cognac, you can, of course, buy gin. Our selection of alcoholic beverages is large. Feel free to browse through it.
If you buy from our cognac store valuable cognac, this is considered pure as a special treat. It is drunk from swing glasses or balloon glasses. The ceremonial requires a certain light warming of the filled cognac glass in the hand with subsequent gourmet contemplation of the amber color of the good drop. This is followed by a slight swirling of the glass, the inner walls should be dripping with cognac. Only then can the delicious aroma unfold, which may be sniffed exquisitely. Then begins the great cognac pleasure, which you have already longed for when buying cognac.
In conclusion, buying Cognac is a worthwhile investment in one of the finest spirits in the world. With its rich history, unparalleled quality and diverse range of flavors, Cognac offers an incomparable enjoyment experience for connoisseurs and enthusiasts. By understanding the different grape varieties, ages and maturation processes, you can find the perfect Cognac to suit your taste. Whether you are celebrating a special occasion or simply enjoying a moment of relaxation, a well-chosen Cognac will always provide you with an unforgettable experience.
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