Cognac is a brandy produced in the Cognac region of France from specific grape varieties that are double distilled and aged for at least two years in oak barrels. The Cognac region is divided into six growing areas known as crus based on soil type that influence the characteristics of the resulting brandy. Popular cognac brands that age their product for extended periods use terminology like VS, VSOP, and XO to indicate the aging time.

1. WHAT IS COGNAC?
 COGNAC, NAMED AFTER THE TOWN OF COGNAC
IN FRANCE, IS A BRANDY, WHICH IS PRODUCED IN
THE REGION SURROUNDING THE TOWN.
 IT MUST BE MADE FROM AT LEAST 90 PERCENT
UGNI BLANC, FOLLE BLANCHE, OR COLOMBARD
GRAPES. THE REST OF THE COGNAC CAN CONSIST
OF TEN SELECTED GRAPES.
 IT MUST BE DISTILLED TWICE IN COPPER POT
STILLS AND AGED AT LEAST 2 YEARS IN OAK
BARRELS IN ORDER TO BE CALLED COGNAC.

2. HISTORY OF COGNAC
 SINCE THE END OF THE MIDDLE AGES, THE WINE
TRADE HAD DEVELOPED FROM THE PORT OF
BORDEAUX.
 IN THE 17TH CENTURY, THE DUTCH ACQUIRED A
HABIT OF IMPORTING THE CHARENTE
VINEYARD'S PRODUCTS IN THE FORM OF
BRANDY, WHICH MEANT A REDUCED CARGO
VOLUME AND WAS THUS CHEAPER TO
TRANSPORT.
 ONCE MIXED WITH WATER, THIS PRODUCT
RECIEVED THE NAME OF "BRANDYWINE". IT WAS
ALSO NOTICED THAT THIS BRANDY,
TRADITIONALLY KEPT IN CASK, IMPROVED WITH
AGE AND COULD BE DRUNK ON IT’S OWN.
 THAT'S HOW THE "COGNAC" WAS BORN.

3. COGNAC REGION
 THE REGION OF COGNAC, DIVIDED UP INTO SIX
GROWTH AREAS, OR CRUS, COVER THE
DEPARTMENT OF CHARENTE-MARITIME, A
LARGE PART OF THE CHARENTE AND A FEW
AREAS IN DEUX-SÈVRES AND THE DORDOGNE.
 THE SIX CRUS ARE, IN ORDER OF DECREASING
APPRECIATION OF THE COGNACS COMING
FROM THEM:
1. GRANDE CHAMPAGNE
2. PETITE CHAMPAGNE
3. BORDERIES
4. FINS BOIS
5. BONS BOIS
6. BOIS ORDINAIRES

4. REGION

5. SOIL TYPES
 GRANDE CHAMPAGNE HAS CLAY AND COMPACT
CHALK SOIL.
 PETITE CHAMPAGNE HAS CLAY AND A MORE
COMPACT CHALKY LAYER OF SOIL.
 BORDERIES HAS A UNIQUE SOIL ON THE PLATEAU
ABOVE THE CHARENTE RIVER.
 FINS BOIS SOIL IS CHARACTERIZED BY QUICK
AGING ENVIRONMENT.
 BON BOIS HAS A LESS CHALKY BUT MORE
EARTHY SOIL THAT IS WELL REFLECTED IN THE
BRANDY.
 BOIS ORDINAIRES SOIL IS INFLUENCED BY THE
ATLANTIC CLIMATE.

6. GRAPE VARIETIES
 THE DIFFERENT VARIETIES OF GRAPE THAT ARE
AUTHORISED FOR USE IN THE PRODUCTION OF
COGNAC ARE:
1. UGNI BLANC
2. FOLLE BLANCHE
3. COLOMBARD
 THE REST OF THE COGNAC CAN CONSIST OF TEN
SELECTED GRAPES.

7. GRAPE VARIETIES
UGNI BLANC FOLLE BLANCHE COLOMBARD

8. MANUFACTURE
 FERMENTATION
 DISTILLATION
 AGING

9. FERMENTATION
 THE GRAPES ARE
CRUSHED AND
FERMENTED TO FORM
A WINE.
 THE WINE IS A VERY
DRY, ACIDIC, THIN
WINE, NOT REALLY
SUITABLE FOR
DRINKING, BUT
EXCELLENT FOR
DISTILLATION.

10. DISTILLATION
 DISTILLATION TAKES
PLACE IN
TRADITIONALLY
SHAPED COPPER
STILLS,WHICH ARE
CALLED ALAMBIC
CHARENTAIS.
 TWO DISTILLATIONS
MUST BE CARRIED
OUT; THE RESULTING
SPIRIT IS A SPIRIT OF
ABOUT 70 PERCENT
ALCOHOL.

11. AGING
 COGNAC MAY NOT BE
SOLD, OR CALLED
'COGNAC' UNTIL IT
HAS BEEN AGED FOR
AT LEAST TWO YEARS.
 COGNAC IS AGED IN
LIMOUSINE OAK
CASKS WHICH GIVES
IT ITS COLOUR AND
FLAVOUR.

12. GRADES OF COGNAC
 THERE IS NO FIXED REGULATION CONCERNING
NAMES AND AGES ON A COGNAC LABEL. SOME OF
THE COMMON TERMS APPEARING ON THE LABEL
ARE:
 VS (VERY SPECIAL) OR *** (THREE STARS), WHERE
THE BRANDY IS AGED FOR AT LEAST THREE
YEARS IN CASK.
 VSOP (VERY SUPERIOR OLD PALE), VO (VERY
OLD), RÉSERVE, WHERE THE BRANDY IS AGED
FOR AT LEAST TEN YEARS IN CASK.
 XO (EXTRA OLD), NAPOLÉON, HORS D'AGE,
WHERE THE BRANDY IS AGED FOR AT LEAST
TWENTY TO TWENTY FIVE YEARS IN CASK.

13. FAMOUS BRANDS
 REMY MARTIN
 MARTELL
 HENNESSY
 COURVOISIER
 CAMUS
 BISQUIT
 HINE
 OTARD
 DELAMAIN
 PIERRE-FERRAND