The Secrets of Cognac

On our Cognac and the Atlantic Coast Tour, one of the big highlights is visiting one of the legendary Houses that make this very special brandy from the locally grown white wine grapes of the region, such as Courvoisier, Martell or Hennessey.

And of course, as well getting the lowdown on how the spirit is produced and an insight into its history, we always have time for a product sample at the end of the tour!

If you would like to know a bit more about this king of spirits, read on...

A brief history of Cognac

In the 16th century, Dutch traders were establishing bases along the west coast of France to supply both the Netherlands and its worldwide empire with French products.

Whilst the famous claret wines of Bordeaux were very popular, keeping the wines in good condition over long journeys was problematic, so a few enterprising traders started distilling the wine into eau de vie, the generic name for spirit drinks (whisky is derived from the Gaelic for "Water of Life" which means the same thing).

These distilled spirits could be transported without degrading, and started to prove popular in their own right. The Dutch merchants called their product brandewijn (‘burnt wine’), and this word was interpreted by English merchants as "brandy"! 

The traders also realised that they could increase the alcohol content, and therefore save space, by double-distilling the spirit. Ultimately, became a feature of the Atlantic coast region.

In the 18th century other merchants followed in the footsteps of the Dutch founding the great Cognac houses whose names are still familiar to us now, centuries later: Jean Martell was the first in 1715, followed soon by Rémy-Martin, with Richard Hennessey arriving from Ireland in 1755. These years saw the glass technology evolve so that it became possible for the brandy to be shipped in bottles, rather than casks: this advance in product design also meant that the first time the name "Cognac" appeared on the end product which was served at tables after extravagant meals. This marketing technique meant consumers would know where their drink came from, and because of this the reputation of quality for the eaux-de-vie from the Charente region became established.

Picture of the Hennessey distillery in Cognac France
The Hennessey distillery. [Image credit: Michel Meuleman]

How is Cognac produced?

Unlike prestigious wine growers, Cognac producers do not grow their own grapes, but rather buy in from growers surrounding the towns of Jarnac and Cognac. And what is wonderful about our guided Cognac cycle tour is that the riding takes place among the vineyards where the grapes ripe in the sunshine. These grapes won't necessarily be familiar to wine connoisseurs (or drinkers!): Ugni Blanc (which you might come across in Italy as Trebbiano), Folle Blanche and Colombard. These three varieties have to make up 90% of the grape content in order to qualify for the Cognac appellation.

The wine, always white, used for Cognac production is rather acidic and not particularly drinkable, but what it lacks in quaffability, it makes up for in its attributes for distillation and ageing. 

The grape growing area is divided into more and less prestigious areas; briefly, the closer the vineyard is to Cognac and Jarnac, the more esteem it holds. These grapes will command higher prices and generally make up the bulk of the production of the big Cognac Houses. 

The two most celebrated areas are called Grande Champagne and Petite Champagne (nothing to do with the fizzy stuff!) - so if you see a label mentioning "Cognac Fine Champagne", it means that the grapes come from these two areas and at least 50% from Grande Champagne. Outside of these two, radiating outwards in terms of desirability, are Fines Bois, Bons Bois, Borderies and Borderies Ordinaires. The region known as Borderies Ordinaires extends as far as the end of our ride in La Rochelle.

 Cognac map and bottle french cycle tour

 After pressing, the grape juice is left to ferment for 2-3 weeks, during which natural yeasts turn the sugar to alcohol; typically the resulting wine has 7-8% alcohol. The wine is then distilled twice in traditional Charentaise copper alembic stills, construction dimensions of which are prescribed in order to receive the cognac appelation. The resulting, clear, eau de vie spirit has around a 70% alcohol content. 

Ageing and blending processes for Cognac

The eau de vie is placed in oak barrels (from the forests of the Limousin to the north or Tronçais to the east) for ageing. The minimum that the brandy must be aged before it can be legally sold as Cognac is two years. During this time it takes on flavour and colour from the wood barrel, which has been 'toasted' to enhance these two aspects.

In the barrels, the spirit loses volume through transpiration of the wood. The element lost to the atmosphere is known as the part des anges or "angels' share".

Because alcohol is more volatile than water, a greater proportion of alcohol escapes, meaning that the brandy reduces in alcoholic content at roughly 4% per year so that after 10 years in the barrel the alcohol content is about 40%. Oak barrels only stop contributing flavour and colour after 40 or 50 years, so some barrels may be very old indeed (even older when you consider the age of the tree before it was cut down!)

When a Cognac is bottled and sold, its classification depends on the youngest spirit used in the blend. The classifications are as follows:

  • V.S. (Very Special) or ✯✯✯ (three stars) designates a blend in which the youngest brandy has been aged for at least two years in a cask.
  • V.S.O.P. (Very Superior Old Pale) or Reserve designates a blend in which the youngest brandy is aged for at least four years in a cask.
  • Napoléon designates a blend in which the youngest brandy is aged for at least six years.
  • XO (Extra Old) The minimum age of the youngest brandy used in an XO blend is 10 years. 
  • XXO (Extra Extra Old) is a specific indication given to wine spirits that have been aged for at least 14 years. 

The abbreviations are of English words because the British were heavily involved in the export of Cognacs when the categories were introduced.  

 alembics france cycling vacation

How to taste Cognac: the all-important question!

Cognac is often taken straight with no ice, and makes a great after dinner digestif. Usually poured into a balloon shaped glass, connoisseurs will warm the glass with the palm of their hand as this helps release the volatiles and enhances the flavours, which can contain notes of vanilla, nuts and flowers, and spices and candied fruits in very old cognacs. 

However, as our visits will prove, the Cognac makers are not in the least precious about using their product in cocktails! Cognac is less harsh than many other spirits, and brandy cocktails are very drinkable. Some of the more famous creations you might like to try: 

Sidecar: 50ml cognac, 25ml Triple Sec, 25ml lemon juice, shaken over ice and strained.

Brandy Alexander: 50ml cognac, 33ml creme de cacao, 33ml cream, shaken over ice, strained and dusted with nutmeg.

Metropolitan: 60ml cognac, 30ml vermouth, 1tsp sugar syrup, dash of angostura bitters, shaken over ice and strained.

For a Between the Sheets, follow the Sidecar recipe but replace half the cognac with 25ml of white rum.  

A very simple drink which was introduced to us at the Courvoisier distillery in Jarnac was a measure of Cognac over ice in a tall glass, topped up with ginger beer and a twist of orange peel. Absolutely delicious, and perfect for summer evenings!

cognacs french bike holiday 

The other secret of Cognac: Pineau des Charentes!

As you cycle along the River Charente and through the fields of sunflowers and vines on our Cognac and Atlantic Coast tour you will see signs on driveways and farm entrances for Pineau.

Pineau, which is short for Pineau des Charentes, is the aperitif of choice in this part of the world. According to legend, a winemaker accidentally put unfermented grape juice into a barrel he believed to be empty, but unbeknownst to him contained a significant amount of eau-de-vie. When the barrel was opened a couple of years later, the resulting liquid was found to be absolutely delicious and a few enterprising winegrowers set about recreating it. 

These days, Cognac is added to unfermented grape juice (the assemblage must be done on the same day as the harvest to qualify for the Pineau appelation) and then matured for up to two years, including eight months in oak casks. The resulting drink is around 17% in alcoholic content. Depending on the grapes used (white grapes are the same as for Cognac, for red and rosé the Bordeaux grapes of Cabernet and Merlot are used) the Pineau is a deep amber colour (white grapes) or mahogany brown or dark pink in the case of reds and rosé. 

Pineau, served chilled to 8 degrees, is the perfect pre-dinner drink; we always include a pre dinner pineau on the first night of our Cognac tour to welcome everyone to a fabulous week in the saddle. Cheers!

Taste Cognac with us: join our Atlantic Coast cycle tour

If you would like to sip Cognac with us after a day's pedalling around the vineyards, we'd be delighted to have you join us!

During the guided Atlantic Coast and Cognac tour we also visit these highlights of the western coast of France:

  • La Rochelle - our favourite alternative to the Mediterranean hotspots
  • Cycling along the wild and rugged Atlantic coastline
  • The beautiful island of Il de Ré - crossing the bridge on bikes
  • Riding along the waterways of the Brouage marshes. (See herons, swans, egrets and magnificent storks)
  • Saintes and the Roman Amphitheatre built in the 1st Century BC
  • A guided Cognac tasting 
  • One of our famous picnics at the Abbaye de Fontdouce

If you have any questions, don't hesitate to get in touch, we're always very happy to chat.