Fruit Spirits - Cognac and Armagnac Flashcards
This deck focuses on the production of certain fruit brandies and the similarities as well as key differences between the major French brandy areas of Armagnac and Cognac.
What is the leading Cognac producing company?
Hennessy
6.5 million cases a year, or triple the amount sold by second-place Martell.
The top four Cognac producing companies?
- Hennessy
- Martell
- Rémy Martin
- Courvoisier
What is the AOC?
Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée
French system for regulating and controlling vineyards and other agricultural products.
Ugni Blanc (Cognac)
98% of the grapes used for Cognac production.
How many grapes are permitted for Cognac production?
6, but in reality Ugni Blanc accounts for 98% of the total.
What is Ugni Blanc (Armagnac)?
Most planted grape, with Baco, Folle Blanche, and Colombard also contributing.
When is the cut-off for the distillation of the wines made from the fall harvest, in both Cognac and Armagnac?
March 31, following the harvest.
What type of presses are prohibited in Cognac, and why?
Screw presses are prohibited because they can extract harsh flavors from the grapes.
Of what is grape juice high in content?
Sugar and Acid
Both of which are attractive to and/or well tolerated by yeast.
The alcohol content of wines intended for Cognac distillation, and why is this significant?
7-12% abv, which means there are plenty of aromatic compounds from the grapes left in the wine, which can eventually impact the flavor of the spirit.
Why is Malolactic Conversion (MLC) universally done to the wines destined for Cognac and Armagnac?
Helps to stabilize them during storage before distillation.
Malic acid is a key nutrient for spoilage bacteria.
What are lees, and what is the difference between gross lees and fine lees?
Dead yeast cells and grape fragments in the fermented wine, gross lees are large particles and fine lees are the smaller particles.
What style of spirit is produced by Cognac and Armagnac distillers?
Relatively low strength and characterful spirit.
Maximum strength for distillate in Cognac and Armagnac?
72.4% abv
What kind of stills must be used in Cognac?
Pot stills
The French word for still?
Alambic
Name for stills in Cognac?
Alambic Charentais
Name for stills in Armagnac?
Alambic Armagnacais
What are some of the wood-management variations in Cognac and Armagnac?
- Type of wood
- Age of the barrels
- Humidity in the warehouse
- Re-barreling
- Decanting old wood-aged spirit into glass demijohns
What is Boisé?
A wood extract used as an additive in Cognac and Armagnac.
True / False:
Chill-filtration is almost always used in the production of Cognac and Armagnac.
True
What are: Faibles, Petite Eaux?
- Faibles are created by diluting un-aged spirits down to below 30% abv
- The solution is then aged over time and can develop distinctly bright floral aromas that can add complexity and a unique style once blended with the final spirits
- These faibles are then blended, a small bit at a time, in a process called ‘petites eaux’ (or little waters)
Core components most Cognac and Armagnac are built upon?
- grape variety
- oak
- an off-dry sweetness
Basic VS style?
- Bright fruity aromas
- No rancio aromas
- Tend to have more sharpness and sweetness