Tag: grapes

The Bureau National Interprofessionnel du Cognac (BNIC) is the organisation whose role is to promote, protect and develop the Cognac Geographic Indication and its culture.  In September their technical arm, Station Viticole, reported that one of their research programmes had seen new varieties of vines, resistant to mildew and powdery mildew, harvested in the region.  Six experimental plots are the result of 20 years of collective research work in partnership with the French National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food and the Environment (INRAE), the French Institute of Vine and Wine (IFV), and the main producers in the cognac industry.  The… Read more

Most people associated with cognac are aware that we make it principally with a single grape variety, the Ugni Blanc.  Indeed, more than 80% of all cognacs are made only with this grape.  However, few people are aware that this is probably the world’s most widely planted grape due largely to its big harvests and reliability against disease and adverse weather conditions.  It produces fresh, fruity, very acidic and quite unremarkable wines often used as a base wine in blends.  The Ugni Blanc is also known in France as the St Emellion du Charente but in the rest of Europe… Read more