Unlike the neighboring region of Bordeaux, which produces some of the greatest wines in the world, the area of Charente, in which the city of Cognac is located, has soils so poor and chalky and weather so harsh that the only wines that can be made here are thin, acidic and too low in alcohol, hardly the envy of the wine world. Since the 16th century, however, the people of the area have taken their revenge on nature, and have found methods to transform modest wines into Cognac, acknowledgedly the world's greatest brandy.

It is more than the soil and the weather that makes the brandies of Cognac so special. One of the most crucial factors is that all of these brandies undergo two separate distillations, both in special equipment traditional to the region. Known as the "Charentais method", the first distillation which lasts from 8 - 10 hours reduces the wine by about one third and yields a bland, watery spirit that is milky in appearance and that has an alcohol content of between 25 - 35%. The second distillation lasts for nearly sixteen hours and reduces the wine by another half. Interestingly, the first third of the liquids that come out of this distillation, known as the "heads" are intolerable to smell, creating instant nausea. Potent, harsh and acrid to the taste, these are set aside for further processing. The liquids that are distilled at the end of the process are also impossible to drink. Only the pure white, soft, sweet and surprisingly fruity spirits that condense in the middle of this operation are worthy of further attention.

These new spirits may be clean but they are far too harsh to drink and spend their first year in new casks made from the open-grained Limousin or Trancais oak. Only after that year can this young brandy be called Cognac, which is then transferred to older barrels where it continues to mature. Over time, the cognac will gain color, flavor and definition from the wood. The harshness will soften; the tannin, lignin, vanillan and sugars will balance; and the brandy will become more mellow as it ages, developing a more subtle and less fruity bouquet. And, as the Cognac concentrates by evaporation, it also gains enormously in its flavor.

With the exception of a small vineyard of fifty hectares, Otard, which one of the largest producers and exporters of fine Cognac, owns no grapes. Like other large suppliers of Cognac, Otard acquires their supplies from professional distillers and small growers who distill their own harvest. Otard's main function is in the blending and aging of Cognac, an art-form that requires the correct choice of barrels and cellars that will be most appropriate for each batch, as well as determining the ideal time needed for maturation.

All Cognac is good but when buying one should be aware that the overall quality of any brandy is determined by two major factors - the area in which the grapes were grown and the number of years it was aged. Cognacs called "Grande Champagne" are considered the finest, coming from 27 communities where the soil is composed of white clay, and where the climate is protected from maritime and Atlantic influences. Such Cognacs are the most subtle in taste and bouquet and have an extraordinary ability to age well. Those Cognacs called "Petite Champagne" come from grapes in any of 60 communes and are only a bit less subtle than those in the "Grande Champagne" category.

Cognacs known as "Bordieres" come from 10 communes, have a rich bouquet and sweetish flavor. These brandies age more rapidly and are milder but less delicate than those with the "Champagne" label. Those that carry the name of "Fins Bois" come from 270 communes. These Cognacs are mild and age well and, even though they are somewhat lower on the scale of quality, they are the favorites of many sophisticated drinkers. Those labelled "Bois Ordinaire" are less subtle and show a pronounced local flavor.

Equally important is the age designation of the Cognac you select. "VS" (or "Very Special") Cognacs, which have a legal minimum age of 3 years are clean and lively but lack distinction. Those labeled "VSOP" have a miniumu mage of 8 years, and show finesse, smoothness, depth and a full bouquet. Cognacs labeled "Napoleon" have an average age of 15 years and show a distinguished elegance, mellowness and marked aroma of the wood casks in which they aged. "XO" (or "Extra Old") are mainly Champagne Cognacs, and have an average age of 35 years. Their lightness, elegance and subtlety is unquestioned. At the top of the aging ladder are those Cognacs labelled "Extra", which are 50 years old. Many connoisseurs feel that the large additional expense in buying an "Extra" is simply not worth the money, feeling that 35 years is the maximum maturity one can expect of any Cognac.

For an Article About Travelling From Paris to Cognac (including Hotel and Restaurant Recommendations) .. Click Here.

© Daniel Rogov