Cognac is an old-world spirit, and through the years, there has been a growth of regulation and oversight. Currently, the Bureau National Interprofessionnel du Cognac (“BINC”) oversees stocks and ages of cognac. The BINC is a private institution financed by cognac professionals (cognac companies and growers). The French government recognizes specific regions that produce different types of agricultural products, such as wine, cheese, meat, etc. Those regions are certified and regulated by the Institut national de l'origine et de la qualité (“INAO”). The designated areas are identified as an Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée, or, Controlled Appellation of Origin (“AOC”). The Cognac AOC is the overall region of production for cognac. Generally, to be called cognac, a spirit must meet the BINC’s rules and be produced within the Cognac AOC.
Within the AOC, there are 6 cognac production regions, which are also referred to as “Crus”:
(1) Grande Champagne (17% of production)
(2) Petit Champagne (22% of production)
(3) Fins Bois (44% of production)
(4) Borderies (5% of production)
(5) Bons Bois (12% of production)
(6) Bois Ordinaires (1% of production)
% numbers based on 2009 data
There are several varieties of grapes that are grown in the cognac regions. Generally, the grapes used in the production of cognac are:
(1) Ungi Blanc (98% of all cognac used is Ungi Blanc)
(2) Colombard
(3) Folle Blanche (old school grapes that were mainly used pre-phylloxera)
(4) Montils
(5) Sémillon (not really used to make cognac)
(6) Folignan (cross of Folle Blanche and Ungi Blanc)
Distillation
(1) Ungi Blanc (98% of all cognac used is Ungi Blanc)
(2) Colombard
(3) Folle Blanche (old school grapes that were mainly used pre-phylloxera)
(4) Montils
(5) Sémillon (not really used to make cognac)
(6) Folignan (cross of Folle Blanche and Ungi Blanc)
Distillation
Cognac is distilled from wine and there are certain quality controls in place. At the time of distillation, the abv of the distilled wine must be between 7% and 12% abv. Some distillers have established a micro distillation process to test the wine and confirm the quality of the eaux-de-vis prior to full distillation.
Cognac must be double distilled in an Alembic Charentais pot still. A continuous column still cannot be used to make cognac. The Charentais pot still has 3 different components: still boiler, still head (and swans neck), and cooling tank (and coil). Charentais pot stills are required to be made from copper.
The first distillation of cognac is called “chauffe.” The chauffe of the wine lasts 8 to 10 hours and the resulting product is called “brouillis,” which is approximately 30% abv. Up to 140 hectoliters of wine may be distilled on the first run (apparently some distillers have a separate still with a 140 hl capacity for the first distillation).The chauffe can produce around 30 hectoliters of brouillis. The second distillation is called the “bonne chauffe," where up to 25 hectoliters of brouillis is distilled on still with a maximum capacity of 30 hectoliters. Distillation takes place over open flame. The maximum abv for cognac is 72.4%.
There are 3 types of distillers in the cognac region:
1. Grower-Distillers: these guys grow grapes and distill their cognac. There are more than 4,000 grower distillers, of whom, 1,300 own their stills. Some grower-distillers directly sell their cognac (just over 500). The majority of grower-distillers sell their eaux-de-vie to larger cognac houses.
2. Professional Distillers: these guys purchase wine and distill it into cognac for themselves or others. There are around 100 professional distillers.
3. Co-Opts: there are several distillation cooperatives.
Barrels and Aging
Cognac is aged in French oak casks, either Limousin oak or Tronçais oak. Limousin oak is a wide grain oak that grows in natural forests and Tronçais oak is a fine grain oak that grows in timber forests. Limousin oak imparts more tannins into the spirit, adding more oak character, where Tronçais oak produces a more balanced spirit.
Cognac barrel makers toast their barrels (rather than char). The toasting is called “bousinage.” One unique fact I learned a couple years ago at a seminar about the Parker’s Heritage Collection Cognac Cask Bourbon was that some cognac barrels are grooved on the inside to create more surface to wood contact.
Cognac is typically put into new oak casks for a short period of time (from months to several years) and then later transferred to used cooperage. The most common size for cognac barrels is 350 liters.
Cognac barrels are allowed to be topped off with eaux-de-vis from the same “source” to compensate for natural evaporation and preserve volume to surface ratio. I have not found a definition for “source” and whether it’s a general interpretation, meaning any eaux-de-vis from the distillery can be used to top off a particular cask, or if its more specific and means that only eaux-de-vis that was distilled around the same time as the eaux-de-vis contained in the barrel being topped off can be used. From what I’ve read, it seems like casks are topped off with cognac that is around the same age and from the same storage facility.
Cellars
There are two types of cellars that are used to age cognac: dry and humid cellars.
Dry cellars (40% to 60% humidity) cause more evaporation of water from the cask and there is less fluctuation with the abv while the cognac is aged. Cognac aged in dry cellars is allegedly drier and possesses more character.
Humid cellars (90% to 100% humidity) cause more evaporation of alcohol from the cask and the abv of cognac aged in humid cellars tends to drop more than in dry cellars. Cognac aged in humid cellars allegedly are softer and more balanced.
Paradise cellars are used to age very old cognacs. After 40 to 60 years in oak, cognac is transferred from barrels to glass demijohns to halt the aging process. The demijohns are placed in the Paradise cellar to rest until bottling, sometimes for decades (or perhaps a century). There are some rare instances where cognac has been left in a cask for up to 100 years and later used as part of a blend.
Reduction
Cognac must be a minimum of 40% abv. On average, cognac loses approximately 2% per year to the angel’s share. Distillers/blenders are ultimately in charge of reduction. Some distillers reduce the cognac early in the aging process, or slowly add water over many years, allowing the reduced spirit to age in the barrel longer.
Blending and Additives
This is pretty self-explanatory – master blenders craft final products of various eaux-de-vis for blends. Aside from water, boise, sugar, and caramel color are allowed to be added to cognac.
Boise is created by boiling wood chips in water, then removing the chips and slowly reducing the remaining liquid, creating a liquid with wood flavor and tannin. Boise is used to give the impression of oak aging to a final spirit. Boise is typically used in young cognacs.
Sugar syrup is allowed to be added for sweetness and legally 2% of a cognac's content can be sugar syrup.
Caramel coloring is a liquid made from burned sugar. It is dark in color and slightly bitter in taste. It is not used to sweeten cognac, but to adjust its color and establish consistency or give the spirit the impression of being older.
From a purist perspective, the addition of Boise, sugar syrup , caramel is where cognac producers lose spirits enthusiast (especially whisky nerds).
The Final Product and Bottle
1. Cognac must be at least 2 years old.
2. The minimum abv must be 40%.
3. The appellation must be on the label.
4. The word “fine” on the label really means nothing, except the use of “Fine Champagne” means that the cognac in the bottle must be exclusively sourced from Grande Champagne and Petit Champagne, and that at least 50% of the cognac must come from Grande Champagne.
5. If 100% of the cognac in the bottle comes from a specific cru, that cru can be on the label.
6. Aging designations are based on the youngest cognac in the blend.
Aging designations:
VS or 3 Star: youngest in blend at least 2 years
VSOP: youngest in blend at least 4 years
Napoléon, XO, Extra, Hors D’âge: youngest in blend at least 6 years, but from 2016 onwards, XO means that the youngest cognac in the blend must be 10 years old
Vintage years: refers to the harvest year of the grapes and can be a blend of several barrels from a specific harvest year.
Links
http://www.cognac.fr/cognac/_fr/2_cognac/index.aspx
https://le-cognac.com/tout-savoir-sur-le-cognac/l-elaboration-du-cognac/assemblage.html
https://blog.cognac-expert.com/vs-vsop-xo-what-does-mean-napoleon-grade-blending/
http://noteworthywines.ca/wp-content/uploads/2013-Spirits-Cognac.pdf
Barrels and Aging
Cognac is aged in French oak casks, either Limousin oak or Tronçais oak. Limousin oak is a wide grain oak that grows in natural forests and Tronçais oak is a fine grain oak that grows in timber forests. Limousin oak imparts more tannins into the spirit, adding more oak character, where Tronçais oak produces a more balanced spirit.
Cognac barrel makers toast their barrels (rather than char). The toasting is called “bousinage.” One unique fact I learned a couple years ago at a seminar about the Parker’s Heritage Collection Cognac Cask Bourbon was that some cognac barrels are grooved on the inside to create more surface to wood contact.
Cognac is typically put into new oak casks for a short period of time (from months to several years) and then later transferred to used cooperage. The most common size for cognac barrels is 350 liters.
Cognac barrels are allowed to be topped off with eaux-de-vis from the same “source” to compensate for natural evaporation and preserve volume to surface ratio. I have not found a definition for “source” and whether it’s a general interpretation, meaning any eaux-de-vis from the distillery can be used to top off a particular cask, or if its more specific and means that only eaux-de-vis that was distilled around the same time as the eaux-de-vis contained in the barrel being topped off can be used. From what I’ve read, it seems like casks are topped off with cognac that is around the same age and from the same storage facility.
Cellars
There are two types of cellars that are used to age cognac: dry and humid cellars.
Dry cellars (40% to 60% humidity) cause more evaporation of water from the cask and there is less fluctuation with the abv while the cognac is aged. Cognac aged in dry cellars is allegedly drier and possesses more character.
Humid cellars (90% to 100% humidity) cause more evaporation of alcohol from the cask and the abv of cognac aged in humid cellars tends to drop more than in dry cellars. Cognac aged in humid cellars allegedly are softer and more balanced.
Paradise cellars are used to age very old cognacs. After 40 to 60 years in oak, cognac is transferred from barrels to glass demijohns to halt the aging process. The demijohns are placed in the Paradise cellar to rest until bottling, sometimes for decades (or perhaps a century). There are some rare instances where cognac has been left in a cask for up to 100 years and later used as part of a blend.
Reduction
Cognac must be a minimum of 40% abv. On average, cognac loses approximately 2% per year to the angel’s share. Distillers/blenders are ultimately in charge of reduction. Some distillers reduce the cognac early in the aging process, or slowly add water over many years, allowing the reduced spirit to age in the barrel longer.
Blending and Additives
This is pretty self-explanatory – master blenders craft final products of various eaux-de-vis for blends. Aside from water, boise, sugar, and caramel color are allowed to be added to cognac.
Boise is created by boiling wood chips in water, then removing the chips and slowly reducing the remaining liquid, creating a liquid with wood flavor and tannin. Boise is used to give the impression of oak aging to a final spirit. Boise is typically used in young cognacs.
Sugar syrup is allowed to be added for sweetness and legally 2% of a cognac's content can be sugar syrup.
Caramel coloring is a liquid made from burned sugar. It is dark in color and slightly bitter in taste. It is not used to sweeten cognac, but to adjust its color and establish consistency or give the spirit the impression of being older.
From a purist perspective, the addition of Boise, sugar syrup , caramel is where cognac producers lose spirits enthusiast (especially whisky nerds).
The Final Product and Bottle
1. Cognac must be at least 2 years old.
2. The minimum abv must be 40%.
3. The appellation must be on the label.
4. The word “fine” on the label really means nothing, except the use of “Fine Champagne” means that the cognac in the bottle must be exclusively sourced from Grande Champagne and Petit Champagne, and that at least 50% of the cognac must come from Grande Champagne.
5. If 100% of the cognac in the bottle comes from a specific cru, that cru can be on the label.
6. Aging designations are based on the youngest cognac in the blend.
Aging designations:
VS or 3 Star: youngest in blend at least 2 years
VSOP: youngest in blend at least 4 years
Napoléon, XO, Extra, Hors D’âge: youngest in blend at least 6 years, but from 2016 onwards, XO means that the youngest cognac in the blend must be 10 years old
Vintage years: refers to the harvest year of the grapes and can be a blend of several barrels from a specific harvest year.
Links
http://www.cognac.fr/cognac/_fr/2_cognac/index.aspx
https://le-cognac.com/tout-savoir-sur-le-cognac/l-elaboration-du-cognac/assemblage.html
https://blog.cognac-expert.com/vs-vsop-xo-what-does-mean-napoleon-grade-blending/
http://noteworthywines.ca/wp-content/uploads/2013-Spirits-Cognac.pdf
No comments:
Post a Comment