Monthly Archives: June 2011

Very few of us are aware that French Brandies have a long history, indeed they are some of the oldest distilled spirits. Here are a few facts for your next bar quiz..

• 1411 First Brandy distilled in Armagnac, mainly for farmers.
• 1494 Francois 1 is born in Cognac and later allows traders to use the Charente river to ship salt to the ports.
• 1549 First Brandy appears in Cognac, a merchant from La Rochelle produced four casks of “good cognac”.
• 1643 Philippe Augier founds first cognac house, Augier Freres. 1678 Cogniack Brandy is mentioned in the London Gazette..
• 1696 Louis XIV grants Frapin Family high aristocratic status. 1715 Jean Martell arrives in Cognac from Jersey.
• 1724 Paul-Emilie Remy Martin and his father start Remy Martin. 1725 Isaac Ranson starts a trading house in Cognac.
• 1762 James Delamain becomes a partner of Ranson Delamain.
• 1765 James Hennessy from Ireland starts trading Cognac Hennessy
• 1795 James Hennessy marries Marthe Martell. Otard Dupuy started.
• 1797 Thomas Hine and Elisabeth Delamain marry
• 1817 First use of classification VOP-very old pale and VSOP used

More to follow next month!

The 43 year old Grande Champagne Cognac by Hermitage is probably going to be of the finest in our history. It is produced from vineyards around Segonzac in the very centre of Grande Champagne. The distillers have four large stills with 123 hectares of vineyards around Segonzac and based in key areas where the very finest conditions exist. The grape variety is all Ugni Blanc. Their main cellars are quite large and are on two levels each containing probably several thousand 350 litre barrels. The walls of the cellars are thick and the lower floor is below ground level allowing good damp conditions for storage. This cognac is exceptional. It has a huge complexity of flavours including, melon, mangosteen, kumquats orange peel, spices and roasted nuts.

We know of little better, this is a truly great cognac. Our score 9/1t0

Hermitage Segonzac 43 y.o. Grande Champagne Cognac

Cognac Masters 2011 - Masters Award
This Grande Champagne cognac is probably one of the finest cognacs we have ever tasted. It is produced by a firm in the centre of cognac who produce from three vineyards in the very best parts of the cru. This exceptional vintage cognac is exclusively only available through Brandyclassics.

Figures released today by La Fédération Nationale des Safer (SAFER), the national inventory of land transactions and prices which includes vineyards, is indicating that whilst there is little movement in vineyard prices from last year, there are many vineyard owners who would like to sell some or part of their land if it was possible.

Land in the cognac region is relatively cheap when compared with the land in such regions as St Emillion, where figures as much as 200,000€  are around six times higher than those in Cognac at about 35,000€ a hectare. Perhaps more worrying is the number of vineyard owners seeking to sell their land at a time of cognac shortages across the industry.

Current demand for cognac is far outstripping the supply and the major houses are supplying more and more younger stock to make up quantities. These mega firms have always in the past protected the producers by buying their cognacs and eau de vie, even when their demand is low - so what is happening? It appears that the big firms are deliberately buying younger cognacs in the main to keep margins acceptable. Many smaller producers do not have agreements with the big houses. With new cognacs becoming harder to obtain, shouldn’t  the big firms be looking to the longer term, supporting growers?

Brandyclassics' range of Hermitage Single Estate Cognacs are sourced from smaller producers, who are able to supply cognacs of the exceptional quality, age and unique character our customers demand.

Cognac Hermitage 1906 Grande Champagne

Magnificent and complex cognac with many delicate fruit flavours and more robust walnut and peeled citrus qualities. This is one of the most traditional Grande Champagne cognacs and a real masterpiece for its age.

Ragnaud Sabourin is the only known producer of cognac who still uses all eight permitted grape varieties. The main grape variety used in Cognac is the Ugni Blanc, which represents about 95% of all grapes used. Colombard and the old pre-phylloxera grape Folle Blanche are the second most used grapes, representing around 4.5% of the cognac mix - so the remaining five varieties are only very rarely known, let alone seen. They are Jurançon, Blanc Ramé, Bouilleaux, Chalosse and the oldest of all the Balzac blanc.

Many cognac professionals will advise that the grape variety does not make a significant difference to the cognac. That may be true of the highly blended products used for producing VSOP, XO, etc but it is not the case with Ragnaud Sabourin who produce many single estate cognacs with some wonderful characteristics.

The firm came to prominence around the middle of the last century and it is no coincidence that they share the same name as Raymond Ragnaud, just up the road in Ambleville (the connection ended around the middle of the last century with a considerable level of family acrimony). The firm was started by one Gaston Briand, who was president of the growers association and succeeded by his daughter and son in law, Denise and Marcel Ragnaud and their daughter Annie and son in law Paul Sabourin.

The estate is more than 50 hectares deep in the heart of Grande Champagne and produces some of the loveliest cognacs - deep floral and fruity aromas with a classic and deep woody style. All the cognacs produced are aged for longer than the minimum periods. The firm claim that there is no blending of crus, just simply a single appellation of ageing that has provided its reputation for their cognacs fine quality. Whatever they say, their cognacs are exceptional in quality and are some of the most complex light cognacs we have tasted.

Ragnaud Sabourin No 35

The family started selling cognacs about 60 years ago and are quite well know as independent sellers. The older cognacs are splendid examples of well aged Grande Champagnes and have rich woody and floral qualities.

Ragnaud Sabourin 45 y.o. Florilege

Perhaps the best known fine cognac from this firm whose blending shows just how good these cognacs can be. Dried citrus and walnut tastes, with rancio qualities.

For more than a year we have been discussing the potential trade opportunities in Asia. We were unfortunate last year as we had planned to enter trade through the food and wine exhibition in Singapore. Despite having set up all the display work for the show, we were scuppered at the last moment by a giant ash cloud looming overhead from Iceland and we were able to reach the show until the last day.

This year we were helped by UKTI who set up a number of key players in the field. Our aspirations were for a single distributor who was able to supply Hermitage Cognacs to Hong Kong and Macau and we were presented with four possible distributors who were already supplying that market with upmarket wines and other spirits.

The Asian market for cognacs is currently very strong, but we were surprised and highly delighted that all four of the potential distributors have agreed to buy Hermitage Pure Vintage Cognacs and supply them to their customers in the region, with two of them even working over the border into mainland China. We are optimistic that the growth of Hermitage Cognacs into the luxury Chinese markets will further our range of top cognacs to our existing customers.

We have recently returned from Hong Kong where we have been working closely with UKTI in setting up distribution of Hermitage Pure Vintage Cognacs. Our visit included meetings with four specialist luxury drinks distributors who have now tasted and explored the possibilities of selling Hermitage cognacs to their customers. They are all involved with sales to the luxury sector of the Hong Kong hotels and restaurants markets and their clients are excited at being able to buy non generically labelled cognacs for the first time.

Brandyclassics expect to be receiving their first orders from Hong Kong within weeks. Many of their clients are already considering the higher priced cognacs and our Hermitage 43 year old, 1975 Grande Champagne and 1900 are already firm favourites.

Hermitage Segonzac 43 y.o. Grande Champagne Cognac

Cognac Masters 2011 - Masters Award
This Grande Champagne cognac is probably one of the finest cognacs we have ever tasted. It is produced by a firm in the centre of cognac who produce from three vineyards in the very best parts of the cru. This exceptional vintage cognac is exclusively only available through Brandyclassics.

Cognac Hermitage 1900 Grande Champagne

Hugely complex cognacs which came from one of the finest cellars in Cognac, sadly it has now been sold to one of the big negociant's This is a superb cognac.

Cognac Hermitage 1975 Chez Richon Grande Champagne

Cognac Masters 2010 - Master Award
This cognac was specially prepared by the company's owner and is regarded as one of the finest from this small producer. There is a distinctive pineapple aroma and a richer pineapple, walnut and medlar fruit complexity on the palate. It's intense flavour is enhanced by the slightly higher strength. Very long on the palate.