4 Norvegians discovering Cognac distilleries
hursday, January 7th, 2016, Bordeaux awakens under a winter drizzle that does nothing to dampen my enthusiasm. Today, I'm meeting two Norwegian couples, true connoisseurs of very old cognacs. My mission? To reveal the secrets of small producers and taste exceptional cognacs far from conventional tourist routes.
Follow our adventure meeting the "craft makers" of extraordinary Cognacs!
Recommended by a colleague, the pressure is on to make this custom Cognac tour a success. These clients had extremely precise requirements: they wanted to taste only very old, non reduced "Hors d'Age Cognacs"... I took up my walking stick to uncover addresses that would meet their standards.
Hors d'Age: This means Cognacs aged in barrels well beyond minimal regulatory requirements. We're talking several decades of aging!
Non reduced: When reducing a spirit's alcohol content, producers typically add water without altering taste or quality. But when spirits age for extremely long periods, the alcohol degree naturally reduces without water addition (we're talking decades of patience!)
After a short drive from Bordeaux airport, we arrive in Gemozac, near Saintes, for a quick lunch I'm eager to share... A delightful little restaurant with an excellent price-to-quality ratio: The Lion d'Or.
Immersion in "Brut de Fûts" Cognac: Vallein-Tercinier
Our first stop brings us to Cognac Vallein-Tercinier to explore their beautiful tasting room and their unblended "Bruts de Fûts" (from the cask) Cognac range. The remarkable "lot 66" impressed us, though my clients ultimately preferred the "lot 65" - each being a true jewel telling us its own unique story.
A Cognac Over a Century Old
Next, we head to the prestigious Borderies cru (The smallest regulated growing area in Cognac vineyards), to a confidential address. The owner welcomed us like friends on his family estate, sharing a Cognac dating back to World War I, distilled by his grandparents. After visiting a small museum dedicated to the WWI and trenches, my clients were completely amazed - the tasting far exceeds their wildest expectations! It was rated as "Beyond their dreams"!
A Morning at the Heart of Distillation: Chai du Rouissoir
It's Saturday, January 9th, before dawn and the 2016 distillation campaign has started...
I picked up my small group in front of the François 1er Hotel in Cognac city center before driving to the south. We meet Hugues Chapon, president of the Association "Les Etapes du Cognac" on his estate: Le Chai du Rouissoir.
The "Bonne Chauffe" (Good Heating), the second distillation, is a magical moment. This is the stage where brouillis - an intermediate distillate at 30% alcohol - transforms into eau-de-vie that will become Cognac after a long, meticulous ageing process in oak barrels.
We're at the foot of the heated alambic, enjoying a rustic breakfast : Charcuterie (cured meats, ham and grillons), white wine, coffee, and tea await us... As we share this hearty meal, a tin can fixed with wax on the swan neck of the alambic falls down because the heat from the first alcohol vapors has melted the wax (a sound alarm from another time)...
The aromas invade the room, and we experience a truly unique moment!
A moment suspended in time, where tradition meets the ancestral art of distillation.
Continuing our Cognac journey: Family Treasures, the living heritage of Cognac
After this first stop, we head to Celles sur le Né to discover Cognac Estève - exceptional Cognac and Pineau crafted from the family's historic stock by Monsieur Estève.
A wonderful moment of conviviality around a local terroir meal cooked by the family Forgeron. My four Norwegians discovered the "Gaudale" or "Chabrot" in their soup plate!
Gaudale/Chabrot: a delightful French countryside tradition that perfectly captures the spirit of rural hospitality. Imagine this: as the soup plate empties, you add a splash of wine to the remaining drops, swirling it to capture every last bit of flavor. Then, in a gesture that embodies rustic simplicity, you drink directly from the plate! It's a practice that wastes nothing and celebrates every morsel of the meal.
Then we tasted the old and very old Cognacs from Michel Forgeron before hitting the road again.
A stop at Guillon-Painturaud is a must to acquire a bottle of "Mémoires" - a Cognac crafted from the stock of the current owner's great-grandfather, for their collection. I told you I was dealing with passionate people! My clients explained later they had a true revelation the first time they tasted this Cognac...
Our journey ends at La Grange Du Bois, a small Cognac producer in Bourg-Charente who distills only for himself and markets his own tiny production. An artisan in all his splendor, guardian of a unique know-how.
On January 10th, back at Bordeaux-Mérignac airport, my Norwegian clients have suitcases full of bottles and heads filled with memories. Every sip of Cognac they'll taste back home will now tell the story of this extraordinary journey.
A traveler's advice: The best way to discover a region is through the eyes of those who live and cherish it.
To know more about my private Cognac tours,
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