Today we are going to explore the secrets and features behind the cognac, a French wine distillate that has always been a rival of Armagnac, and is now the star of the National Cognac Day. Leading us on this journey will be an expert on the subject, the bar manager of theOrvm Bar located inside the The Westin Excelsior Rome, And Cognac Educator established by the Bureau National Interprofessionnel du Cognac (BNIC) Luca Di Francia.
What is cognac?
Cognac is a wine distillate aged in wooden barrels, produced in the French department of Charente, located in the region of Nouvelle-Aquitaine, in the central-western area of France. The main characteristic of this territory is the ideal microclimate for the production of cognac, due to the meeting of the Atlantic and continental currents.
“It may seem strange but the Dutch invented cognac by importing French wine and distilling it, obtaining brandy wine, literally burnt wine”. In a short time, production was transferred to France due to the great economic convenience (for every liter of cognac, nine liters of wine are needed). If at the beginning cognac was distilled only once, from the 17th century onwards it was switched to a double discontinuous distillation in a copper still Charentaise, to obtain a more balanced product.
The element that most of all determined the success of cognac to the detriment of armagnac, the oldest European wine distillate, was the presence of waterways, which allowed for more efficient marketing of the product in France and abroad.
Production areas
According to the regulations, cognac can be produced in six areas, each with very specific geophysical characteristics:
- Grand champagne: great quality, long aging, clay-limestone soil
- Petit champagne: great character, clay-limestone soil
- Fin Bois, Bon Bois and Bois Ordinaire: very young and ready-to-drink cognacs, soil rich in red-coloured gravel and hard stones, dating back to the Jurassic
- Borders: richness, elegance and floral notes, clay soil
Grape varieties
Cognac can be produced from three grape varieties: Ugni-Blanc, our Trebbiano, Follon Blanche, the most used before the advent of Phylloxera – a parasite imported from the USA that in 1893 caused a great die-off of vines in Europe – and Colombard. The 98% of the grape varieties used is Ugni Blanc, a very resistant and high-performance variety. For the production of cognac, it is important that the grape has a strong acidity, to allow the natural preservation of the wine from fungal or bacterial attacks before distillation, which must take place on April 1st. Another advantage of using a grape with a high acidity is that of being able to obtain a wine with a low alcohol content, with a higher concentration of terpenes, and therefore secondary aromas, which are appreciated even more after distillation. In production, the specifications allow the use of other grape varieties – Jurançon, Montils, Sémillon, Meslier and Sélect – in a percentage not exceeding 10%.
Distillation
Cognac is the result of a double discontinuous distillation of wine. The process is carried out in a 25 hl still, called charentais, which takes its name from the cognac production area, the Charente. After the first distillation, brouillis is obtained, which has an alcohol content of 27-32° and many impurities; after the second, le bonne chauffe, a distillate at 68-70°, which cannot yet be defined as cognac. In distillation, two important methods can be distinguished. In the first, the yeasts are eliminated before distillation, in order to obtain a lighter and more elegant product. In the second, the yeasts are maintained, in order to obtain a cognac with greater character, with more intense aromatic scents.
Aging
Cognac cannot be defined as such without at least 2 years of aging in French wooden barrels. In this case, the barrels can be new or have previously contained cognac. There are two types of French oak that can be used: pedunculate, with a very large grain, which releases tertiary notes very quickly, and sessile, whose very compact grain allows for slower osmosis. The cognac that is bottled is always a blend of different spirits, with an alcohol content of no less than 40°. The years of aging of the spirits themselves determine the classification of this distillate into five types: VS (Very Special), if the youngest spirit is 2 years old, VSOP (4 years), Napoleon (6 years), Extra Old or XO (10 years) and Extra Extra Old or XXO (14 years). Unlike wine, the aging of cognac is carried out in warehouses and not in cellars, located on the banks of the Charente River. The reason is simple. The warehouses have both a wet and dry part: in the first, smoother cognacs are developed, in the second, cognacs with a more important alcoholic structure.
Secrets and consumption
“The charm of cognac is dictated by an innumerable series of nuances. As it ages, for example, cognac takes on gustatory-olfactory perceptions defined as peacock tail, because they are innumerable. Another fascinating aspect is the use, in some companies, of fiable, or water preserved in disused cognac barrels. The aim is to lower the alcohol content of cognac to fall within the legal alcohol limits. Those who do not use this type of flavoured water, use normal distilled water. The third curiosity, among many, is that if we read Chateaux on the label, it means that the cognac was distilled inside the castle owned by the maison”.
Let's move on to the serving method. The cognac glass is tulip-shaped, because it is capable of conveying the aromas in a very direct way to the nose. The serving temperature varies instead depending on the type of cognac: VS, VSOP and Napoleon can also be appreciated cold, the XO and XXO should be served at higher temperatures. “Unlike what commonly happens, cognacs can also pair very well with savoury ingredients and dishes, rather than the usual chocolate or desserts”.
In mixing, cognac can be combined with a few other ingredients within the same recipe, especially in the case of an XO, which is in all respects a meditation product. VSOPs are versatile and therefore lend themselves to being used more commonly behind the bar. While there are several classics that include it among the main ingredients, such as the Sazerac, the Vieux Carrè and the Suffering Bastard, cognac is enhanced when mixed with rum, bourbon or rye whiskey and gin. It is perfect in a Mint Julep, in a Cardinal with a few drops of orange liqueur, or in sours.
