Cognac Tasting Tour in Cognac, France

In the course of the Easter getaway in the Charente-Maritime department of France, we visited the city of Cognac, France and did a cognac tasting tour. Cognac producers, for illustration, Hennessy (LVMH), Martell (Pernod Ricard), and Rémy Martin have their cognac production base in this city.

The historic household of Rémy Martin is a vacationer website in the town. But regretably, the home was beneath renovation and getting ready for the approaching 300 year’s celebration. Discontented with the circumstance, we went to its store future door to invest in cognac as planned.

There, we acquired a probability to be part of a cognac tasting tour. The a single-tour was not totally free, but it was the only English tour of the 7 days during the off-year. In advance of we determined what to get, we would like to know the top secret of this high quality spirit and as a result joined the tour.

To get a specific insight into the cognac field, you can be a part of the Cognac masterclass & tasting tour, whose information is unbiased of any manufacturers and producers. It also takes more time, and of system, you will be equipped to taste unique sorts of cognac.

Record of Rémy Martin

Our tour guidebook was a younger French girl who spoke great English. She gave us a short introduction to cognac historical past. The identify Rémy Martin came from the business founder, but his grandson, also referred to as Rémy, designed the logo and brought the spirit popular around the globe. Rémy Martin has a prevalent title in China, réntóumă (人头马), basically translated as

a male-headed horse. The Rémy Martin logo combines a creature from Greek mythology, which has the higher human body of a human and the lessen body and legs of a horse, and the zodiac signal of Rémy Martin. So, the Chinese translation is really near to what the symbol is.

Cognac production

Cognac manufacturing follows a strict course of action. Grape harvest time, the length of the fermentation system, distillation techniques, and the condition-of-art mixing method are special to cognac manufacturing. For the duration of the complete generation process, more than 70 parameters will have an affect on the taste and the premium high quality of cognac.

Grapes

Only grape varieties from the Grande Champagne and Petite Champagne cognac regions are utilised for the cognac. The cognac area has all the elements to mature the finest grapes, chalky soil, a microclimate indirectly influenced by the ocean. The chalk layer is further in the Grande Champagne location than in the Petite Champagne location. The sample chalk layers in the introduction home show us the variation.  

Fermentation

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

Distillation

Cognac distillation is done in a two-stage procedure. We saw a usually shaped 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 type, called eaux-de-vie.

Just after the 1st distillation, only the initially and the final component of eaux-de-vie will go through the second distillation system. The consequence of the 2nd distillation is called eaux-de-vie, a colourless spirit of about 70% liquor.

Getting older

We entered a large cellar where a lot of oak casks are stored. Visitors are not authorized to just take any pictures in this area because of to the alcohol content material in the air. The cognac interacts with the oak casks and evaporates about 3% every single 12 months. The quantity of liquid is written on every barrel and may differ from barrel to barrel. 

Mixing

Cognac is the end result of mixing various ages of eaux-de-vie. The blender, also termed the cellar learn, is the one who can take the most major care of the mixing. In Remy Martin, it normally takes at the very least seven several years to master by undertaking to turn into a cellar master. The cellar master blends different eaux de vie so that each products, for illustration, the X.O version, has usually had the similar aromas and flavours around the many years. Since eaux-de-vie is also generated from different vineyards, blending eaux-de-vie is a remarkably experienced craft comparable to the Grasp Nose of a perfume manufacturing unit. 

The mixing method has been getting location gradually over the several years. And, eaux-de-vie is moved from cask to cask and put together. I began to believe if there was any way to re-deliver this course of action applying modern-day technological know-how, and the reply would be no. The overall output method makes sure that the delicate wine spirit is often at the quality stage.

Tasting

In a sample space, tables ended up set up for the cognac tasting. Our French tour manual launched a cocktail manufactured of X.O cognac. It was a fantastic way to eat the cognac. 

Now, it’s the emphasize of the tour, Rémy Martin VSOP tasting. Following the instruction, I carefully rotated the glass and observed the clarity of this spirit. Then, I lifted the glass to my nose and tried out to reveal floral notes as instructed. Ultimately, I savoured the cognac and felt its flavours encourage my taste buds. To blend the ripe fruit and subtle notes of cognac, I ate numerous pure black candies with fatty and bitter flavours positioned on a tiny plate.

What we bought after the Cognac Tasting Tour

Our tour manual released us the Remy Martin Club, a new brand of Rémy Martin sold to the Asian marketplaces only. It has a toasted almond notice and flavours of, for case in point, dried fig and apricot. It is ideal for pairing with flavourful foodstuff.

We acquired Rémy Martin Tercet and Remy Martin Club given that it is only obtainable in Asian markets. And, of program, the high quality X.O model as perfectly. The shop only sells pure cognac items and numerous confined editions. 

Tips for Cognac Tasting Tour

If you approach to do a cognac tasting tour, I counsel you e book online to stay away from disappointment and have a English-talking tour guideline.  

You will not be able to generate just after tasting numerous cognacs because the alcohol management is limited in France. In addition to that, the city of Cognac is really scenic and has several fascinating web pages to offer you. So it is improved to keep in Cognac for a evening or two.

Hotels these types of as Hôtel Chais Monnet & Spa and Château Pellisson are just in the city centre and within going for walks distance to the Remy Martin home.