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MS/Advanced Somm Studies > Cognac/Armagnac/Brandy Other > Flashcards

Cognac/Armagnac/Brandy Other Flashcards

1
Q

Name the six defined regions of production for cognac in descending order of quality

A 
Grande Champagne
Petite Champagne
Borderies
Fins Bois
Bons Bois
Bois Ordinaires (Bois à Terroirs).
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2
Q

What does the word champagne mean in cognac?

A

Champagne” in Cognac does not indicate sparkling wine; rather it is a reflection of the word’s etymological origin—a derivation of the Latin word for “plain”—and a similarity in soil.

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3
Q

How is Cognanc distilled?

A

Twice in a copper charentais pot still

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4
Q

What is the first distillation of cognac called?

A

Premiere Chauffes

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5
Q

What is the second distillation of cognac called?

A

bonne chauffe

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6
Q

What are the ageing requirements for V.S. /*** / de Luxe / Grand Choix / Surchoix Cognac?
What is VS an abbreviation for?

A

indicates at least 2 years in cask

Very Special

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7
Q

What are the ageing requirements for VO / V.S.O.P. Cognac? What is VSOP an abbreviation for?

A

indicates at least for 4 years in cask

Very Special or Superior Old Pale

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8
Q

What are the ageing requirements for Napoléon / Extra / Royal / Très Vieux / Vieille Réserve cognac?

What is XO an abbreviation for? min age?

A

indicates at least 6 years in cask
Prior to 2018 XO indicated at least 6 years in cask. As of 2018 the requirement has been raised to 10 years. In practice, the better producers age their brandies much longer, and many XO Cognacs will be aged for at least fifteen or twenty years prior to release

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9
Q

What type of wood is cognac aged in?

A

Troncais: Sessile, fine grain (timber forest)

Limousin: Pedunculate, wide grain (natural forest)

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10
Q

Where is the Cognac AOC located?

A

Northeast of the Bordeaux region

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11
Q

Where is the Armagnac region located?

A

Southeast of Bordeaux

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12
Q

What are the three regions of production in Armagnac?

A

Haut-Armagnac
Bas-Armagnac(most famous and most westernand mostly spared frm phyloxera due to sandy soils))
Armagnac-Ténarèze

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13
Q

What are the grapes of Armagnac?

A

Ugni Blanc, Colombard, Folle Blanche (Picpoul), and Baco Blanc (the only hybrid grape authorized in any French AOC/P appellation). Unlike Cognac, Armagnac is more frequently produced from a blend of varieties than a single grape.

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14
Q

How is Armagnac distilled?

A

95% of brandy from this region undergoes only one distillation in a copper continuous still.
But can be distilled twice in a copper pot still

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15
Q

What is Blanche Armagnac AOC?

A

An appellation for a young armagnac bottled after 3 months in an inert cask. It is a clear spirit.

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16
Q

What are the ageing requirements for VS or *** Armagnac?

A

The spirit has rested in barrel for between 1 and 3 years

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17
Q

What are the ageing requirements for VSOP Armagnac?

A

The spirit has rested in barrel for between 4 and 9 years

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18
Q

What are the ageing requirements for XO and Hors d’Age Armagnac?

A

The spirit has rested in barrel for 10+ years

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19
Q

What were the Armagnac ageing requirements prior to 2013?

A

VS indicated that the youngest eau de vie in the blend was aged for at least 2 years in wood, VSOP indicated at least 5 years, and XO promised at least 6 years of oak aging prior to release. However, the Bureau National Interprofessionel de l’Armagnac (BNIA), which oversees production, has simplified the grading system

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20
Q

What is the minimum ABV for Armagnac?

A

40%

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21
Q

What are the ageing requirements for vintage Armagnac?

A

A minimum of 10 years in cask before release

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22
Q

What is the EU definition of Brandy

A

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.

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23
Q

How much of the eau de vie must originate from the area if the area is named on a cognac label?

A

100%

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24
Q

What does Fine Champagne mean on a cognac label?

A

Fine Champagne Cognac is distilled entirely from wines produced in the Grande Champagne and Petite Champagne regions, with Grande Champagne composing at least 50% of the blend.

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25
Q

What are the grapes of cognac?

A 
Ugni Blanc (98% of plantings)
Colombard, Folle Blanche, Montils, Sémillon, plus a max. 10% Folignan (Folle Blanche x Ugni Blanc)
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26
Q

What are the ageing requirements for XXO cognac?

A

indicates at least 14 years in cask

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27
Q

What are the ageing requirements for VVSOP / Grand Reserve cognac?

A

indicates at least 5 years in cask

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28
Q

If cognac carries a vintage date does it refer to the year of harvest or the year of distillation?

A

Year of Harvest

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29
Q

What are the ageing cellars known as in Armagnac?

A

Chai

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30
Q

What is Grand Bas Armagnac?

A

The most famous area within Bas Armagnac within the county of Les Landes

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31
Q

Discuss 1985 Delord Armagnac

A
  • Established in 1893 now 4th generation distillers
  • 42 hectares of vineyards divided into 11 parcels, is located in the village of Lannepax. It is made up of the four traditional Armagnac grape varieties: Ugni Blanc 56%, Colombard 24%, Baco 14% and Folle-Blanche 6%. All year round, Rinaldo, the vineyard manager, takes the greatest of care of the vines throughout their development.
  • One of the only Armagnac houses using the two methods of distillation; the continuous distillation method that is typical for Armagnac and the double distillation
    A deep topaz Bas-Armagnac, the nose is very rich with notes of wood, candied orange and vanilla. The mouth is just as rich with aromas of dried flowers and fruit stones before finishing on very fine spicy notes
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32
Q

Discuss 1981 Francis DArroze Domaine de Busquet

A

Darroze has to be considered the top negoçiant in Armagnac. Francis’ father had an extraordinary restaurant in the region where Armagnacs from local producers were served. Francis purchased these in larger lots and began selling them around the world. His son Marc has now taken over the affair. Methods have remained the same: Darroze contracts Armagnacs distilled at the property (usually with heavy Baco proportions), then the young spirit is shifted to the Darroze chai, where they are meticulously raised. Releases are at cask strength and they always bear the domaine name and bottling date.

  • Busquet is a little estate in the village of Labastide d’Armagnac in Les Lande. With its exceptional terroir and grapes thriving on its sandy soils, the estate produces fine Bas Armagnacs with lots of richness and character made from the Baco grape.

-

33
Q

What is the name of the protected designation for brandies in Spain?

A

Brandy de Jerez

34
Q

How is Brandy de Jerez distilled and what are the common grape varieties? What type of casks are used>

A
  • distilled in copper stills (alquitaras) from wines based on Airén and Palomino grapes.
  • Used American oak sherry casks comprise the solera, which allows Brandy de Jerez producers to achieve excellent consistency year after year.
35
Q

What is the ageing requirements for Spanish Brandies labelled Solera?

A

Aged for an average of one year

36
Q

What is the ageing requirements for Spanish Brandie labelled Solera Reserva?

A

Aged for an average of 3 years

37
Q

What is the ageing requirements for Spanish Brandies labelled Solera Gran Reserva?

A

Aged for an average of 10 years

38
Q

Name some producers of Spanish Brandy

A

Domecq
Emilio Lustau
Osborne
Equipo Navazos

39
Q

What is the difference between brandy and Marc?

A

Marc is a pomace spirit produced from pomace—the remnants left after pressing grapes—rather than wine and are therefore not brandies, but they share similar characteristics

40
Q

what are sables fauves and boulbenes soils?

A

sables fauves (iron sand) /boulbenes (limestone/sand/silica)

41
Q

aging for blanche armagnac?

A

bottled after three months in an inert container as Blanche Armagnac AOC

42
Q

what year were new armaganc aging designations put into place?

A

2013

43
Q

define the following:
chai
coupage
petites eaux
boisé

A

chai: celler in armagnac
coupage: blending of different barrel selections
petites eaux: mix of water and brandy used to bring proof down
boisé: liquid of boiled oak chips used to add flavor to armaganc

44
Q

baco 22a is a hybrid crossing of what two grapes?

A

folle blanche / noah (rupestris)

45
Q

how many liters of wine are required to make one liter of base spirit for brandy at an abv of 45?

A

5L

first distillation on pot still max 120L
second distillation in pot max 25L
final yield arund 5L

46
Q

most armagnac barrels come from what forest?

A

Limousin

47
Q

name three producers from bas armagnac and three from Ténarèze

A

Bas Armagnac : Domaine Boingnères / Laberdolive / Château de Ravignan / Château de Tariquet / Château de Briat / delord

Ténarèze: Château de Pellehaut / Château Busca-Maniban / Château de Laubade / arroze

48
Q

River of cognac?

A

Charente

49
Q

What are gabarres

A

flat bottom boats used to transport cognac

50
Q

what two houses had a duopoly in cognac until 1954

A

Matell and Henny

51
Q

what do you treat oidium with?

A

Copper Sulfate

52
Q

what caused ugni blanc to become the dominate variety in cognac?

A

Folle blanche did not take well to american rootstock post phylloxera and Ugni blanc did.

53
Q

who created the star age labeling system and the ‘XO’ designation?

A

Hennessy

54
Q

Who created the aging term VSOP?

A

martell

55
Q

Who are the big four of cognac?

A

Hennessy, Martell, Rémy Martin, and Courvoisier.

56
Q

Martell XO Cordon Bleu is sourced from where?

A

Borderies and Fins Bois

57
Q

What are réserve de gestation and réserve climatique?

A

réserve de gestation, which is only allowed to be sold when it reaches the VSOP level of aging (four years), and a réserve climatique, a brandy kept in stainless steel that can be used only in years when yields aren’t met.

58
Q

who manages the growers and houses of cgonac?

A

BNIC (Bureau National Interprofessionnel du Cognac)

59
Q

abv range for wines beofre distillation in cognac

A

8.5-9.5%

60
Q

Why are vines in cognac dug up after 35-40 years?

A

Older vines produce fewer grapes, leading to an increase in potential alcohol and wines that are less suited to Cognac.

61
Q

why is guyot used in cognac

A

helps increase vigor and allows for ease of machine harvesting

62
Q

why would growers in cognac not use green harvesting, thinning, or leaf removal?

A

they want low abv / lean base wines

63
Q

Why are warm and rapid fermentations preferred in cognac?

A

helps produce the esters that yield the fruity and floral aromas that are prized in Cognac; however, the fermentation must be carefully monitored to ensure that it stays within the range of 20 to 25 degrees Celsius. Ferments that become too warm will not produce enough aromatic esters, while lower-temperature ferments risk an overlap of primary and malolactic fermentation, resulting in ascensence and creating a buildup of acetic acid in the wine. The use of selected yeasts, temperature controls, and nitrogen, when needed, helps ensure steady, rapid fermentation.

64
Q

Do cognac base wines traditionally go through MLF/MLC?

A

No, producers must distill the wine before malolactic fermentation begins, as distilling a wine undergoing malolactic fermentation results in unpleasant aromas. A producer might also wait until malolactic fermentation is completed, but since the process does not naturally start until the weather warms in the spring, this approach is not typical.

65
Q

What are cellar master/head winemakers called in cognac?

A

maître de chai

66
Q

define these terms:

Chaudière d’eau-de-vie:

Première chauffe:

Brouillis:

Bonne chauffe:

Cucurbite:

A

Chaudière d’eau-de-vie: Literally “spirit boiler.” Alternative name for an alembic Charentais still.

Première chauffe: First distillation in Cognac, which turns the base wine into brouillis.

Brouillis: Result of the first distillation.

Bonne chauffe: Second distillation, which takes the brouillis and turns it into young, unaged Cognac.

Cucurbite: Chamber that holds the brouillis for heating.

67
Q

define these terms:

Cône tronqué:

Chapiteau:

Bec:

Col de cygne:

Chauffe-vin (réchauffe-vin):

A

Cône tronqué: Literally “truncated cone.” Sits on top of the cucurbite and provides space for the vapors to expand.

Chapiteau: Chamber that sits atop the cône tronqué and captures the vapors. Named for its resemblance to a circus tent.

Bec: Copper tubing that sits atop the cucurbite and directs vapors into the condenser.

Col de cygne: Literally “swan’s neck.” Curved copper pipe that guides the vapor from the chapiteau to the chauffe-vin.

Chauffe-vin (réchauffe-vin): Vessel filled with base wine through which the col de cygne passes, allowing the vapors to heat the wine before it enters the cucurbite.

68
Q

Define these terms

Serpentin:

Bassiot:

Têtes:

Coeur:

Coupe:

Secondes:

Queues:

A

Serpentin: Device used as a condenser, consisting of five large copper coils immersed in water and fed vapor by the col de cygne.

Bassiot: Cylindrical tub that holds the water and the serpentin.

Têtes: Literally “heads.” First vapors to come through a still. Typically rich in undesirable compounds like methanol, acetone, acetaldehyde, and acetate.

Coeur: Literally “heart.” The part of the distillation containing the ethanol that will become Cognac. Mostly free of undesirable compounds.

Coupe: Literally “cut.” Separates the coeur from the secondes, determined by the maître de chai.

Secondes: Second cut, or the distillate that comes after the coeur. Contains valuable alcohol and is typically redistilled with the next brouillis.

Queues: Literally “tails.” Final liquid to come out of a still after the secondes. Typically discarded since it contains little alcohol and few desirable flavors.

69
Q

difference between bouilleur de cru and bouilleur de profession?

A

A bouilleur de cru, or grower-distiller, is equivalent to a récoltant-manipulant (RM) in Champagne. About one-third of the 4,000 bouilleurs de cru own their own stills, while the rest rely on mobile stills. The second type of distiller is a bouilleur de profession, or professional distiller, who purchases wine, distills it, and then sells the resulting brandy.

70
Q

distillation season in cognac?

A

November through March.

71
Q

queues in regards to cognac?

A

The next liquid to trickle out of the still after the secondes is the queues.

72
Q

What contributes to a rich and luscious feeling on the palatte of a cognac?

A

Rancio character comes from the oxidation of fatty acids in the brandy, which results in a rich and luscious feeling on the palate.

73
Q

What is paradis in regards to cognac production?

A

A producer’s rare and precious brandies, whether they are kept in bonbonnes or barrel, are stored in the paradis (literally “paradise”), the heart of a Cognac chai.

74
Q

What is Boisé?

A

Boisé is the final permitted additive. It is made by boiling a mixture including oak chips into a dark syrup that can be added to create the impression of greater oak aging.

75
Q

Why is a tulip glass preferred for tasting cognac?

A

Large, wide, and squat, the snifter is designed to be cupped in one’s hand, warming the spirit contained inside. To further warm the spirit, stands are sometimes used to prop the snifter above a lit candle.

Although this type of service might be considered traditional, it is not ideal. The exaggerated bulbous design of a snifter provides a large surface area, allowing a significant amount of alcoholic evaporation. Thus, one’s experience of Cognac in a snifter is primarily a burning sensation from the alcohol, muting the fruit and other characters. Warming the Cognac only exacerbates the intensity of the alcohol.

76
Q

why is limousin oak preferred for the aging of brandies destined for long term aging?

A

Cognac must be aged in French oak, and producers typically use Tronçais or Limousin oak. Historically, these designations represented the forests where the oak originated, but they are now more generally recognized as styles of oak based on the predominant species of the forest, either sessile or pedunculate. Sessile oak is from the species Quercus petraea, a type of oak with stalkless (or sessile) acorns. Pedunculate oak is the common name for Quercus robur, an oak species with stalked (or pedunculate) acorns. Both species are widely found throughout Europe and hybridize quite frequently.

Tronçais oak tends to be mostly sessile, from very tall, old trees. Its grain is extremely fine, about one millimeter, and its tannins are not as easily extracted as those of Limousin oak, but Tronçais oak does add fine aromas of wood, coconut, and clove. Limousin oak tends to be pedunculate, with a wider grain of about three to four millimeters, which allows it to let more air in and allows for more tannins to be extracted, making it less suitable for cheaper Cognacs, which can absorb too much tannin too quickly. Conversely, this higher concentration of tannins makes Limousin oak ideal for long-aging brandies. Though Tronçais was the first type of oak to be used widely in Cognac, Limousin oak has become the preferred style.

77
Q

Preferred barrel size for cognac aging and average barrel size?

A

Barrels can be between 270 and 450 liters, but most producers use 350-liter barrels.

78
Q

Why are Chai’s near the charente river?

A

chais are located near the Charente River to take advantage of the humid conditions. Humidity promotes more alcohol loss in the angel’s share without reducing the aromatic content of the brandy, accelerating aging and creating a mellow, rounded Cognac. A drier chai will promote more water loss, leading to a spirit that will retain a youthful character.

79
Q

Name one grape prohibited from cognac production after 2020

A

Jurançon Blanc, Meslier-St-François, and Sélect

MS/Advanced Somm Studies (214 decks)

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