Through the Easter holiday in the Charente-Maritime division of France, we frequented the town of Cognac, France and did a cognac tasting tour. Cognac producers, for instance, Hennessy (LVMH), Martell (Pernod Ricard), and Rémy Martin have their cognac manufacturing foundation in this city.
The historic house of Rémy Martin is a tourist website in the city. But regretably, the property was below renovation and getting ready for the forthcoming 300 year’s celebration. Discontented with the circumstance, we went to its store up coming door to purchase cognac as prepared.
There, we got a opportunity to be a part of a cognac tasting tour. The a single-tour was not totally free, but it was the only English tour of the week during the off-year. Before we made the decision what to buy, we would like to know the top secret of this high quality spirit and as a result joined the tour.
To get a specific insight into the cognac business, you can be a part of the Cognac masterclass & tasting tour, whose information is unbiased of any models and producers. It also takes more time, and of program, you will be capable to taste distinct forms of cognac.
Background of Rémy Martin
Our tour guideline was a younger French woman who spoke perfect English. She gave us a transient introduction to cognac background. The identify Rémy Martin arrived from the corporation founder, but his grandson, also identified as Rémy, made the brand and introduced the spirit famous around the globe. Rémy Martin has a typical title in China, réntóumă (人头马), literally translated as
a male-headed horse. The Rémy Martin logo combines a creature from Greek mythology, which has the higher human body of a human and the lessen entire body and legs of a horse, and the zodiac signal of Rémy Martin. So, the Chinese translation is very near to what the brand is.
Cognac manufacturing
Cognac generation follows a rigid method. Grape harvest time, the size of the fermentation procedure, distillation procedures, and the point out-of-artwork mixing system are one of a kind to cognac manufacturing. All through the total generation procedure, a lot more than 70 parameters will have an impact on the taste and the quality quality of cognac.
Grapes
Only grape types from the Grande Champagne and Petite Champagne cognac locations are applied for the cognac. The cognac area has all the things to expand the greatest grapes, chalky soil, a microclimate indirectly motivated by the ocean. The chalk layer is further in the Grande Champagne location than in the Petite Champagne region. The sample chalk layers in the introduction space exhibit us the variation.
Fermentation
Right after the grapes are pressed, yeasts are added to the juice. This approach converts the fruit sugar into alcohol, and no other additive is additional. The result of the fermentation is a white wine with about 7 to 8% alcoholic beverages and significant acidity.
Distillation
Cognac distillation is carried out in a two-phase course of action. We observed a ordinarily formed Charentais copper pot with its swan’s neck, cooler, and condensing coil. The wine is converted into vapour and subsequently condensed again to the liquid sort, called eaux-de-vie.
Right after the initial distillation, only the to start with and the past section of eaux-de-vie will go via the second distillation procedure. The result of the second distillation is called eaux-de-vie, a colourless spirit of about 70% alcoholic beverages.
Ageing
We entered a massive cellar exactly where a lot of oak casks are stored. Guests are not authorized to just take any pictures in this spot owing to the alcohol articles in the air. The cognac interacts with the oak casks and evaporates about 3% every year. The volume of liquid is published on each barrel and varies from barrel to barrel.
Mixing
Cognac is the consequence of mixing unique ages of eaux-de-vie. The blender, also named the cellar grasp, is the a person who requires the most considerable treatment of the mixing. In Remy Martin, it normally takes at least 7 many years to master by accomplishing to grow to be a cellar grasp. The cellar grasp blends different eaux de vie so that every single products, for case in point, the X.O version, has always had the exact same aromas and flavours in excess of the years. Since eaux-de-vie is also developed from different vineyards, blending eaux-de-vie is a remarkably skilled craft equivalent to the Learn Nose of a perfume manufacturing unit.
The blending procedure has been having area slowly around the yrs. And, eaux-de-vie is moved from cask to cask and combined. I begun to consider if there was any way to re-make this procedure utilizing modern-day engineering, and the answer would be no. The complete creation process guarantees that the sensitive wine spirit is normally at the top quality amount.
Tasting
In a sample home, tables were set up for the cognac tasting. Our French tour manual released a cocktail built of X.O cognac. It was a brilliant way to take in the cognac.
Now, it’s the highlight of the tour, Rémy Martin VSOP tasting. Following the instruction, I carefully rotated the glass and noticed the clarity of this spirit. Then, I lifted the glass to my nose and tried using to reveal floral notes as instructed. Last but not least, I savoured the cognac and felt its flavours promote my flavor buds. To merge the ripe fruit and refined notes of cognac, I ate quite a few pure black candies with fatty and bitter flavours placed on a small plate.
What we bought just after the Cognac Tasting Tour
Our tour guidebook released us the Remy Martin Club, a new brand name of Rémy Martin bought to the Asian marketplaces only. It has a toasted almond notice and flavours of, for case in point, dried fig and apricot. It is ideal for pairing with flavourful meals.
We acquired Rémy Martin Tercet and Remy Martin Club due to the fact it is only accessible in Asian markets. And, of class, the high quality X.O model as perfectly. The shop only sells pure cognac products and quite a few confined editions.
Strategies for Cognac Tasting Tour
If you approach to do a cognac tasting tour, I counsel you guide on the net to steer clear of disappointment and have a English-talking tour tutorial.
You won’t be capable to generate just after tasting several cognacs because the alcoholic beverages regulate is restricted in France. In addition to that, the city of Cognac is incredibly scenic and has a number of exciting web-sites to supply. So it’s far better to keep in Cognac for a evening or two.
Resorts these kinds of as Hôtel Chais Monnet & Spa and Château Pellisson are just in the city centre and within just walking distance to the Remy Martin home.