Brandy Flashcards
What does Cognac taste like?
flowers, fruit, subtle oak and spice
What is the source material of Brandy?
Grapes, wine, distilled wine
How is Brandy defined by the EU?
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.
What is pomace?
the remnants of grape material left over after fermentation.
What are the six defined regions of production for Cognac?
Grand Champagne
Petit Champagne
Borderies
Fin Bois
Bon Bois
Bois Ordinaires (Bois à Terroirs)
What are the soils of Grand Champagne and Petit Champagne?
Grande Champagne and Petite Champagne have a high percentage of soft chalk
What are the soils of Borderies
Fin Bois
Bon Bois
Bois Ordinaires (Bois à Terroirs)?
The outlying areas have higher proportions of hard limestone, sand and clay.
What are the grapes used for Cognac production?
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
What it the minimum abv % for Cognac?
Minimum Alcohol: 40%
What are the base wine requirements for Cognac?
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
What are the distillation procedures for Cognac?
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
What are the authorized additives for Cognac?
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
What are the aging requirements for Cognac?
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)
What are the age indications for Cognac?
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.
What is the minimum age for a Cognac labeled VS?
min 2 years old.
aka 3 star
de Luxe
Grand Choix
Surchoix
What is the minimum age for a Cognac labeled Supérieur?
Minimum 3 years.
What is the minimum age for a Cognac labeled VO / VSOP / Réserve
min. 4 years old
What is the minimum age for a Cognac labeled VVSOP / Grande Réserve: min. 5 years old?
minimum 5 years old
What is the min age of a Cognac labeled XO?
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.
What are some of the additional label terms for Cognac?
“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
What are the primary soils types for Chapagne?
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
When was the Cognac AOP established?
1936 (Cognac delimited area of production first established in 1909)
