Cognac and Armagnac

Question 1

when was cognac first defined?

Answer 1

1909 and finalized 1938

Question 2

What does champagne refer to in cognac?

Answer 2

derivative for plain and soil- chalk is the preferred soil

Question 3

six production areas of cognas

Answer 3

grande champagne. petite champagne, borderies, fins bois, bons bois, bois ordinaires(bois a terroirs)

Question 4

Cepage of cognac

Answer 4

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

Question 5

minimum alcohol cognac

Answer 5

40%

Question 6

Base wine requirements

Answer 6

must contain 7-12% alcohol
chapitalization not allowed
use of SO2 prohibited during fermentation

Question 7

type of still used for cognac

Answer 7

charentais pot still

Question 8

bonne chauffe

Answer 8

second distillation

parts: tete, coeur, secondes, queue

Question 9

brouills

Answer 9

first distillation product of a spirit of 28-32% abv

Question 10

what forests are the source of oak for cognac

Answer 10

limousin and troncais

Question 11

Designation of Age

Answer 11

VS(very special) - 2 years in cask
Superieur: - 3 years old
VSOP(very special old pale) - 4 years in cask
VVSOP (grande reserve)- 5 years old
XO(extra old) - 6 years in cask *will raise to 10 years in 2018

Question 12

what do the designation of ages indicate?

Answer 12

the youngest eau-de-vie in the blend

Question 13

Fine Champagne

Answer 13

distilled from wine in grande champagne and petite champagne with grande comprising 50% of blend

Question 14

name different names for XO cognacc

Answer 14

napoleon, royal, tres vieux, vieille reserve

Question 15

what is groies and where would you find it?

Answer 15

Hard red limestone and clay - in Fins Bois

Question 16

What is the soil type in bons bois and bois ordinaires

Answer 16

sand

Question 17

what is tenareze?

Answer 17

subzone of Armagnac, also its own AOC

Question 18

production regions of armagnac

Answer 18

haut-armagnac, bas-armagnac, armagnac-tenareze

Question 19

encepagement of armagnac

Answer 19

Baco Blanc, Blanc Dame, Colombard, Folle Blanche, Graisse, Jurançon Blanc, Mauzac, Mauzac Rosé, Meslier Saint-François, Ugni Blanc

Question 20

minimum alcohol for armagnac

Answer 20

40%

Question 21

Base wine requirements for armagnac

Answer 21

base wines contain 7.5-12%
chaptalization not allowed
SO2 prohibited during fermentation

Question 22

Type of Still used for armagnac

Answer 22

alambic continuous still or can be double-distilled in a copper pot still

Question 23

aging requirements

Answer 23

must be aged in oak casks of 400-420 liters for a minimum of 1 year

Question 24

Age indications for Armagnac

Answer 24

VS- 1-3 years
VSOP(napoleon)- 4-9 years
XO(Hors d'Age)- min 10 years
XO Premium- min 20 years old
Vintage- indicates year of harvest not year of distillation

Question 25

soil type for tenareze

Answer 25

clay limestone and boulbenes

Question 26

If cognac is bottled after 3 months in an inert container what AOC does it fall under

Answer 26

Blanche Armagnac