When I first started exploring cognac, I thought terroir was nothing more than marketing – something brand ambassadors and salesman/saleswomen tied to a particular brandy to credit uniqueness. Among all the differences between the producers, I felt that soil was the weakest case to be made for individuality. You mean to tell me Ungi Blanc, Folle Blanche, or Colombard grapes grown 30 miles down the road really produce a vastly different cognac? I get it with wine and understand terroir is sacred, but when you strip wine down to its bare bones (i.e. through distillation), how much character can remain?
Remember, I coming from a whisky nerd’s perspective and there is little if any talk about terroir when it comes to malted barely or corn. At most, there is a smattering of GMO vs. Non-GMO that enters the discourse…maybe some regionalism when it comes to superior growing regions (like Minnesota and their wintergreeny rye) or where a particular barely was malted (floor malted or bought from Port Ellen Maltings)…I guess the case could be made for mashbills, but no one cares about the source of the grain in the mash; its all about the %s. I think comparatively, terroir is probably the least discussed topic with whisky nerds when it comes to impact on flavor.
Well, this on-the-road hotel tasting is nice little terroir Battle Royal! 4 different cognacs, all over 40 years old, all cask strength (or maybe a little water added), all NCF/uncolored/un-boised, distilled at the same distillery (Vallein-Tercinier) from grapes from 3 different regions. I don’t know what the grapes are so that could be the X-factor.
Lot 64 Grande Champagne 42.5%
Nose: Tropical and canned fruits (like canned peaches and apricots),
Palate: Juicy, juicy fruit…its creamy, too…some orange rind, and little herbal with Arizona green tea and tarragon
Finish: long for the low proof, where the citrus just loiters
Grade: A
Rue 71 Petite Champagne 47%
Nose: Nutty with pecans and walnuts, nutmeg and brown sugar
Palate: Brown sugar, dusty orange liquer (tax stripped Contreau), tanned leather, and a little roasty (think tobacco)
Finish: Brown sugar and tobacco hang-tight
Grade: A Minus
Rue 75 Fins Bois 47%
Nose: Caramel apple, tangerine and blood orange (only because I had one the other day and its easy to recall), and a little bubble gum (not the cheap stuff)
Palate: Molasses, raisons, dates, and some earthy qualities like chamomile and mushrooms…a tad nutty, too
Finish: rich and dense, real nice length
Grade: A / A Minus (like an A half minus, if that’s a thing???)
Lot 66 Petite Champagne
Nose: Fruity and floral, rose petals and some old cracker barrel rock candy
Palate: Floral and earthy, there is some light bitter citrus, too…but the flowers dominate and I’m not in love with this one at all
Finish: Bitter and floral
Grade: B Minus
Thoughts
I’ll own-up when I’m wrong, and I’m starting to think my gut was wrong when it came to terroir. Even prior to running through these samples, I’ve been picking up on terroir and distinct flavors between the different growing regions. Not to say its completely determinative, but I’ve been noticing terroir definitely plays a role in the final character of a particular spirit, and this tasting just further evidences that. And as always, VT kills it on the quality front with the exception of the Lot 66 – that guy is just not in my wheelhouse. If I had to rank, I’d go Lot 64 > Rue 75 > Rue 71 > Lot 66. I think Ryan has the Rue 75 and Rue 71 flipped, but hey, that’s different palates for yah.
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