Cognac Tasting Tour in Cognac, France

Throughout the Easter holiday in the Charente-Maritime office of France, we frequented the town of Cognac, France and did a cognac tasting tour. Cognac producers, for case in point, Hennessy (LVMH), Martell (Pernod Ricard), and Rémy Martin have their cognac manufacturing base in this city.

The historic home of Rémy Martin is a vacationer website in the city. But regrettably, the home was less than renovation and getting ready for the upcoming 300 year’s celebration. Discontented with the predicament, we went to its shop up coming doorway to get cognac as prepared.

There, we received a probability to sign up for a cognac tasting tour. The a single-tour was not totally free, but it was the only English tour of the week during the off-period. In advance of we made a decision what to purchase, we would like to know the magic formula of this premium spirit and hence joined the tour.

To get a in-depth perception into the cognac marketplace, you can sign up for the Cognac masterclass & tasting tour, whose material is independent of any brand names and producers. It also takes more time, and of system, you will be able to flavor distinct kinds of cognac.

Background of Rémy Martin

Our tour information was a younger French girl who spoke fantastic English. She gave us a quick introduction to cognac historical past. The title Rémy Martin arrived from the company founder, but his grandson, also named Rémy, produced the logo and introduced the spirit famed around the world. Rémy Martin has a widespread title in China, réntóumă (人头马), practically translated as

a person-headed horse. The Rémy Martin logo brings together a creature from Greek mythology, which has the higher entire body of a human and the lessen overall body and legs of a horse, and the zodiac indicator of Rémy Martin. So, the Chinese translation is very near to what the symbol is.

Cognac output

Cognac generation follows a stringent method. Grape harvest time, the duration of the fermentation course of action, distillation strategies, and the state-of-artwork mixing approach are unique to cognac production. For the duration of the full manufacturing method, extra than 70 parameters will have an impact on the taste and the high quality good quality of cognac.

Grapes

Only grape varieties from the Grande Champagne and Petite Champagne cognac areas are utilised for the cognac. The cognac region has all the factors to expand the greatest grapes, chalky soil, a microclimate indirectly influenced by the ocean. The chalk layer is deeper in the Grande Champagne area than in the Petite Champagne location. The sample chalk layers in the introduction room display us the distinction.  

Fermentation

After the grapes are pressed, yeasts are added to the juice. This approach converts the fruit sugar into liquor, and no other additive is added. The outcome of the fermentation is a white wine with about 7 to 8% alcohol and higher acidity. 

Distillation

Cognac distillation is executed in a two-stage course of action. We saw a historically formed Charentais copper pot with its swan’s neck, cooler, and condensing coil. The wine is converted into vapour and subsequently condensed back to the liquid form, called eaux-de-vie.

Right after the initially distillation, only the to start with and the very last portion of eaux-de-vie will go as a result of the next distillation process. The result of the next distillation is called eaux-de-vie, a colourless spirit of about 70% alcoholic beverages.

Getting old

We entered a massive cellar the place quite a few oak casks are stored. Site visitors are not authorized to consider any photos in this location because of to the liquor material in the air. The cognac interacts with the oak casks and evaporates about 3% each individual calendar year. The volume of liquid is created on each individual barrel and varies from barrel to barrel. 

Mixing

Cognac is the final result of blending distinctive ages of eaux-de-vie. The blender, also known as the cellar master, is the a single who takes the most significant care of the mixing. In Remy Martin, it usually takes at minimum seven yrs to discover by accomplishing to develop into a cellar grasp. The cellar master blends different eaux de vie so that each and every item, for instance, the X.O model, has normally had the exact same aromas and flavours around the years. Since eaux-de-vie is also produced from different vineyards, blending eaux-de-vie is a very qualified craft comparable to the Master Nose of a fragrance manufacturing unit. 

The blending course of action has been having position slowly over the a long time. And, eaux-de-vie is moved from cask to cask and blended. I started to feel if there was any way to re-deliver this course of action applying present day technological know-how, and the reply would be no. The whole generation approach makes certain that the delicate wine spirit is often at the quality degree.

Tasting

In a sample space, tables were being set up for the cognac tasting. Our French tour tutorial introduced a cocktail designed of X.O cognac. It was a amazing way to consume the cognac. 

Now, it is the highlight of the tour, Rémy Martin VSOP tasting. Next the instruction, I carefully rotated the glass and observed the clarity of this spirit. Then, I lifted the glass to my nose and tried to expose floral notes as instructed. Finally, I savoured the cognac and felt its flavours stimulate my taste buds. To merge the ripe fruit and delicate notes of cognac, I ate many pure black sweets with fatty and bitter flavours put on a smaller plate.

What we purchased immediately after the Cognac Tasting Tour

Our tour guidebook launched us the Remy Martin Club, a new model of Rémy Martin bought to the Asian marketplaces only. It has a toasted almond be aware and flavours of, for case in point, dried fig and apricot. It is best for pairing with flavourful foods.

We purchased Rémy Martin Tercet and Remy Martin Club due to the fact it is only available in Asian marketplaces. And, of program, the quality X.O model as perfectly. The store only sells pure cognac goods and several minimal editions. 

Ideas for Cognac Tasting Tour

If you prepare to do a cognac tasting tour, I recommend you ebook on-line to stay away from disappointment and have a English-talking tour tutorial.  

You will not be capable to push just after tasting many cognacs because the alcohol regulate is restricted in France. In addition to that, the city of Cognac is very scenic and has many interesting internet sites to offer. So it is much better to continue to be in Cognac for a night time or two.

Resorts these as Hôtel Chais Monnet & Spa and Château Pellisson are just in the city centre and in going for walks distance to the Remy Martin house.