Brandy

Question 1

What does Cognac taste like?

Answer 1

flowers, fruit, subtle oak and spice

Question 2

What is the source material of Brandy?

Answer 2

Grapes, wine, distilled wine

Question 3

How is Brandy defined by the EU?

Answer 3

Brandy is defined by the EU as a distillation of wine—not pomace—

with a minimum abv of 36%

and a minimum oak aging period of six months.

Question 4

What is pomace?

Answer 4

the remnants of grape material left over after fermentation.

Question 5

What are the six defined regions of production for Cognac?

Answer 5

Grand Champagne

Petit Champagne

Borderies

Fin Bois

Bon Bois

Bois Ordinaires (Bois à Terroirs)

Question 6

What are the soils of Grand Champagne and Petit Champagne?

Answer 6

Grande Champagne and Petite Champagne have a high percentage of soft chalk

Question 7

What are the soils of Borderies

Fin Bois

Bon Bois

Bois Ordinaires (Bois à Terroirs)?

Answer 7

The outlying areas have higher proportions of hard limestone, sand and clay.

Question 8

What are the grapes used for Cognac production?

Answer 8

Encépagement:

Colombard, Folle Blanche, Montils, Sémillon, Ugni Blanc; plus a max. 10% Folignan (Folle Blanche x Ugni Blanc)

Jurançon Blanc, Meslier-St-François, and Sélect are permitted through the 2020 harvest if planted prior to September 18, 2005

Question 9

What it the minimum abv % for Cognac?

Answer 9

Minimum Alcohol: 40%

Question 10

What are the base wine requirements for Cognac?

Answer 10

Base Wine Requirements:

Base wines must contain 7-12% alcohol

Base wines may not be chaptalized

The use of sulfur dioxide is prohibited during fermentation

Question 11

What are the distillation procedures for Cognac?

Answer 11

Distillation Procedures:
Base wines must be distilled twice in a copper Charentais pot still

For distillation, the copper boiler must be heated over an open flame

The still used for the first distillation must not exceed a capacity of 140 hl (5% tolerance), with a volume of base wine not exceeding 120 hl

The still used to distill the bonne chauffe must not exceed a capacity of 30 hl (5% tolerance), with a volume of spirit not exceeding 25 hl

After the second distillation, the spirits must not contain more than 72.4% alcohol

Distillation must be completed by March 31 of the year following the harvest

Question 12

What are the authorized additives for Cognac?

Answer 12

Authorized Additives:

Sugar, Caramel, and Oak Chips may be used for final adjustment and coloring

Distilled and de-mineralized water may be added to reduce alcohol prior to bottling

Question 13

What are the aging requirements for Cognac?

Answer 13

Aging Requirements: Prior to release, Cognac must be aged in oak casks for a min. 2 years (from April 1 of the year following the harvest)

Question 14

What are the age indications for Cognac?

Answer 14

Age Indications:
All below age indications refer to the youngest Cognac in the blend.

VS / *** / de Luxe / Grand Choix / Surchoix: min. 2 years old

Supérieur: min. 3 years old

VO / VSOP / Réserve: min. 4 years old

VVSOP / Grande Réserve: min. 5 years old

XO / Napoléon / Extra / Royal / Très Vieux / Vieille Réserve: min. 6 years old (As of 2018 “XO” will indicate Cognac aged for a min. 10 years – the original deadline of 2016 was protested to ensure consistency of stocks.

Question 15

What is the minimum age for a Cognac labeled VS?

Answer 15

min 2 years old.

aka 3 star

de Luxe

Grand Choix

Surchoix

Question 16

What is the minimum age for a Cognac labeled Supérieur?

Answer 16

Minimum 3 years.

Question 17

What is the minimum age for a Cognac labeled VO / VSOP / Réserve

Answer 17

min. 4 years old

Question 18

What is the minimum age for a Cognac labeled VVSOP / Grande Réserve: min. 5 years old?

Answer 18

minimum 5 years old

Question 19

What is the min age of a Cognac labeled XO?

Answer 19

6 years.

Synonyms: XO / Napoléon / Extra / Royal / Très Vieux / Vieille Réserve: min. 6 years old (As of 2018 “XO” will indicate Cognac aged for a min. 10 years – the original deadline of 2016 was protested to ensure consistency of stocks.

Question 20

What are some of the additional label terms for Cognac?

Answer 20

“Fine Champagne”: min. 50% eaux-de-vie sourced from Grande Champagne, with the remainder sourced from Petite Champagne

Subzone: if labeled by a subzone of production (i.e. “Grande Champagne”), 100% of the eaux-de-vie must originate in the stated subzone

“Fine”: this term may be applied to either Grande Champagne or Petite Champagne (“Grande Fine Champagne” and “Petite Fine Champagne”) but it does not provide any additional information

Vintage: if a Cognac carries a vintage date, the vintage indicates year of harvest, not year of distillation

Question 21

What are the primary soils types for Chapagne?

Answer 21

Primary Soil Types:
Grande and Petite Champagne: Limestone and soft chalk

Fins Bois: “groies” (hard red limestone) and clay

Bons Bois and Bois Ordinaires: Sand

Question 22

When was the Cognac AOP established?

Answer 22

1936 (Cognac delimited area of production first established in 1909)