Armagnac
Armagnac is the France’s first brandy. Today, its volume is about
18000 hL, but when the period of Phylloxera, volume has dropped to 5000 in 1937
and the reputation Is ruined at that time and now have already recovered.
Unlike Cognac, which have 4 main distilleries, Armagnac has many
small merchant house and estate producers but without any dominant distilleries.
The label terms are similar to Congac, which consists of VS, VSOP, Napolean, XO
and vintage, of which XO and vintage consists of 40% of sales. The ageing requirement
in oak barrels are 1, 4, 6, 10 years respectively.
For the grape variety, total 10 are permitted and 4 are playing the
important roles: Ugni Blanc (Terbbiano in Italian): 55% plantings, with good
disease resistant, low sugar and high in acid therefore low in alcohol. It
gives grapy and floral character.
Baco: 32% plantings, with rich, earthy, prune-like character
Folle Blanche: mainly floral
Colombard: spicy, peppery edge
For the crus of Armagnac, the majority planting is Bas Armaganc, and
then comes to Tenereze and Haut Armaganc. However, it is hard to pinpoint the
role of the style of given cru, as very varied landscape across the region. For
the winemaking process, addition of SO2 and must enrichment is prohibited, and
fermentation Is made separately for different grapes, and is about 8 – 10% abv.
For the distillation process, although either pot stills or continuous
still is used, a unique column still called alembic Armagnacais is used. It is
made up of a burner, a column, a wine heater and condenser. Wine is flow
through to the condenser by gravity, goes to heater when heated, and then
passed into the still. Vapours will pass back into the serpentine in the wine
heater and condenser before collected as new spirit. The column still is at 17
plates maximum. Grape varieties are distilled separately, as the still is not stopped,
when the first grape variety is used up , it switches over to the second
immediately. It may result to a barrels for both wines are collected.
For the maturation, it is spent to new oak barrels for the short
period and then goes to old. European oak is preferred but black oak from
Monlezun forest is also use.
