Cognac is a strong alcoholic drink (40-57% alcohol) made from cognac (grape) alcohol obtained by distilling table grape wines. The delicate complex bouquet and golden color of cognac are the result of aging cognac spirit in oak barrels for several years (at least three years).

Officially, cognac is a registered trademark of drinks produced in the province of the same name in France. Drinks made in other places cannot be called “cognac” and are called brandy, armagnac, vignac, etc. In Russia, the name “cognac” is reserved for strong alcoholic drinks made from wine spirits produced for the domestic market.

Classification

There are ordinary, vintage and collection cognacs. Ordinary cognacs are produced from cognac spirits aged from 3 to 5 years. They are designated by three, four and five stars. Vintage cognacs are prepared from cognac spirits with aging periods of over 6 years. These include aged cognac KV - from cognac spirits 6-7 years old. Top quality aged cognac KVVK - from cognac spirits aged 8 to 10 years and old cognac KS - from cognac spirits aged 10 years and older. Vintage cognacs aged for at least 3 years in oak barrels are considered collectible.

Vintage and collection cognacs are given special names. The best cognacs include Yubileiny, Otborny, Dvin, Tbilisi, Yerevan, Kizlyar, Doina, Dagestan, Russia, Makhachkala.

Cognacs (brandy) supplied for export. They produce ordinary brands: “three stars”, “four stars”, “five stars”; cognacs of special names and branded by groups - KV; KVVK; KS.

Brandy (cognac) is a strong alcoholic drink (40-57% vol.), with a specific taste and bouquet, prepared from alcohol aged for at least 3 years, obtained by distilling natural grape wines, in oak barrels or in enamel tanks, immersed in it with an oak stave. It was first produced in France in the city of Cognac (Charente department), hence its name “cognac”. Officially, cognac is a registered trademark of drinks produced only in the province of the same name in France, and all other spirit-based spirits are called brandy. The highest quality and famous brands of French cognac from Courvoisier, Hennessy, Remy Martin, Martel, Camus. In Russia, the name “cognac” is temporarily reserved for strong alcoholic drinks made from wine spirits produced for the domestic market.

The raw materials for producing wine alcohol are young, unclarified grape wines with a strength of at least 8% vol. and acidity not lower than 4.5 g/l, which are distilled. As a result of distillation, carried out in two stages, raw wine alcohol with a strength of 23-32% by volume is obtained, and the resulting distillate is re-distilled and several fractions are obtained: head, middle and tail. Wine alcohol is the middle fraction with a strength of 62-70% vol., which is colorless and has a sharp taste, an unpleasant, specific aroma. The resulting alcohol is poured into oak barrels and aged for several years. Aging of wine alcohol is also carried out in enamel tanks, into which pre-treated oak staves are placed. With prolonged aging, wine alcohol is enriched with extractive substances of oak, its taste improves, a delicate aroma and golden color appear. After aging, wine spirits are blended with softened water and sugar, and after additional aging (3 months for ordinary brandy and 6 months for vintage brandy) they are filtered and bottled.

Depending on the aging period of wine (cognac) spirits and the quality of brandy, they are divided into ordinary, vintage, and collection.

Ordinary brandies obtained from wine spirits aged 3, 4 And 5 years. They are designated by asterisks (3, 4 and 5 stars, respectively)

Vintage brandies prepared from wine spirits aged over 6 years. These include aged brandy KB - from wine spirits aged for 6 to 7 years; aged brandy of the highest quality KVVK - from wine spirits aged from 8 to 10 years; and brandy old KS - from wine spirits aged 10 years and older. The alcohol content (in vol.%) in KB is 40-42, KVVK - 40-45, KS - 40-57, and sugar content, respectively (in g/cm 3) 7-12, 7-25, 7-20.

Collectible Brandy is considered to be made from alcohol over 10 years old and aged in oak barrels for at least an additional 3 years. OS brandy, which is very old, is also considered collectible.

Vintage and collection brandies are given special names: Yubileiny, Otborny, Lezginka, Derbent, Caspian, etc.

Bottled French cognacs are a mixture of cognacs of different ages in barrels. French laws regulating the quality of the product accurately determine the age of only the youngest cognac that was used in blending; the rest can be older, and much older. The following system of letters for aging quality cognac has been established:

VS - very high quality (the youngest cognac, aged for at least 2 years);

VO - very old (not younger than 4 years);

VOP - very old, light (not younger than 4 years);

VSO - very high quality, old (at least 4 years old);

VSEP - very high quality, special, light (not younger than 4 years);

VSOP - very high quality, old, light (the aging period of the youngest cognac is 4-25 years);

WSOP - very, very high quality, old, light (4-25 years);

XO, Napoleon, Louis XIII, Paradise - extra old (the youngest cognac is aged from 6 to 70 years).

Currently, according to international legislation on controlled designations of origin, it is prohibited to use generic names - sherry, Marsala, Madeira, port, Malaga, champagne, cognac, etc. - for alcoholic beverages produced in other areas, regions and countries. In this regard, work is underway to streamline the names of alcoholic drinks of these types and types produced in Russia.

Connoisseurs of noble drinks should know how to check the quality of cognac, otherwise an evening in the company of friends or relatives will be ruined. This drink originated in France, in the city of the same name. Today, the market is flooded with thousands of clandestine factories, from where, under the guise of real noble drinks, they deliver cheap counterfeits to stores, sometimes dangerous to health and even life. From the article you will learn several ways to check the authenticity of cognac

Differences in the production of real and fake cognac

Real, high-quality cognac is produced as follows:

1. Wine is made from white grapes and then distilled to produce cognac alcohol.
2. The resulting material is poured into an oak barrel and the drink is infused in it for at least three years.

Thus, about 50 million bottles of the most popular Hennessy cognac are produced in the world per year, while more than 200 million of them arrive on store shelves every year! And this is an example of just one brand. It turns out that only a quarter of the entire assortment of store shelves is genuine, and it is unlikely that there will be a store that will sell both genuine and counterfeit alcoholic beverages.

How are fakes made? Manufacturers don’t bother too much with following genuine technology, because then there wouldn’t be a problem - you could also buy real cognac, only much cheaper. True connoisseurs of this drink know how to test cognac. But people who don’t buy it that often won’t even be able to distinguish a fake from the original by taste.

So, production in underground factories occurs as follows:

1. In rare cases, cognac alcohol is used, more often it is ordinary alcohol.
2. Dilute the material with ordinary water until it reaches 40-60 degrees.
3. They add dyes and flavors that will make the buyer believe that this is real cognac.

Why is it important to know how to test cognac? The fact is that the alcohol used to prepare the counterfeit, as well as dyes and flavors, can cause irreparable damage to human health. To prevent this from happening and to prevent you from giving away your hard-earned money for an expensive but actually cheap drink, we suggest that you familiarize yourself with the methods of identifying a counterfeit.

Consistency

How to check cognac in a store before purchasing it? Careful examination of the consistency of the liquid inside the bottle will help. Cognac, which was produced according to all the rules, does not have sediment at the bottom, its color is uniform. Sediment is waste dyes and flavors.

The color of cognac will not tell you anything, since it varies depending on the age of the drink and the period of use of the oak barrels.

Real cognac is viscous, so we suggest turning the bottle upside down.

If a large drop falls from the bottom into the rest of the liquid, and cognac, reminiscent of oil, begins to slide down the walls, then you can safely go to the checkout, you have an authentic drink in your hands.

If the bottle is generously filled to the neck, then you will not be able to see the falling drop or flowing oily liquid. In such a situation, pay attention to the bubbles. Again, turn the bottle upside down, and if large bubbles come up first, and then small ones, this will indicate good quality. No bubbles are formed, sometimes only one comes out, this is air from the neck area.

Consider the label

First of all, we suggest checking the cognac according to the excise stamp. It must be made of quality material. The inscriptions on it should not be blurred, the print should be accurate and even. The stamp must be glued evenly and efficiently.

In the case when the test of cognac according to the excise stamp was successful, examine and feel the label. Real manufacturers spare no expense on this “piece of paper”. It feels like antique paper and will have bulges on it, like money. The label should be glued symmetrically, there should be no traces of glue on it at all.

All letters must be clearly written on the label; stains and abrasions are not allowed. Pay attention to the manufacturer; the best cognacs are produced in France, in the province of Cognac, or in our native Armenia.

What else should you pay attention to before purchasing?

Do not rush to go to the exit if, as it seemed to you, all checks were successful. There are a number of other features you need to pay attention to:

1. Real cognac, produced according to all the rules, unlike counterfeit, cannot be cheap. Don't look for a bottle for 300 rubles. Perhaps there is one, but its contents are definitely not cognac.
2. The bottle itself should have an interesting shape, with bulges and indentations; the bottom is never flat, it is always concave inward - these are additional protective touches against counterfeits.
3. The label must contain the name of the plant where the drink was produced.
4. The longer the shutter speed, the higher the cost. Cognac aged 15 years cannot cost the same or slightly more than what is indicated on the price tag of a less aged drink.
5. The shell of the lid should fit tightly to the neck; the presence of bubbles indicates packaging outside the factory, that is, it will be a fake.

Place of purchase and cost

To protect yourself from purchasing counterfeit goods, do not go to small stores like “Near the House” and “At Aunt Masha’s”, but visit a trustworthy supermarket that sells expensive, solid alcoholic beverages. In these, you can ask the seller to provide a certificate confirming the authenticity of the products being sold.

A high price is not a reason to be embarrassed. Everyone will agree that a drink, the production of one bottle of which took about five liters of high-quality white wine and several years, cannot be cheap.

Don't look for a store where it's cheaper. Real elite drinks have approximately the same cost, but counterfeits are much cheaper, about 30%.

Aroma

If you were given cognac as a gift or you were unable to check the authenticity of the drink in the store, then you can protect your health by identifying a fake by smell.

Pour a little drink into the snifter and swirl it around the walls. If after a couple of minutes the unpleasant smell of kerosene or even acetone hits your nose, then it is a fake.

Real cognac always changes its aroma. First you will smell wood, then tobacco, then flowers or fruit.

Conclusion

Now you know how to check cognac, distinguishing real from fake. But the main thing here is to remember that abuse of even such a noble alcoholic drink has a detrimental effect on human health.

You should not try to taste cognac in order to distinguish it from a fake. If you are confused by the label, consistency and smell, then refuse even a small amount of cognac - health is much more important.

Alcohol. Cognac is often called the drink of kings. But today, monarchs can be counted on one hand, and cognac has become available to almost everyone, while maintaining its special place in the hierarchy of alcoholic beverages. Winemakers have a motto: to create excellent cognac, you need to love it. This statement can also be applied to consumers. To really enjoy it, you need to get into the spirit of this drink. It is necessary to fulfill more than one condition in order to fully experience its taste and catch all the aromas: after all, some cognacs contain several dozen alcohols of different ages and origins, and each of them gives the drink certain aromas and shades of taste.

A capricious drink. Cognac should be stored at room temperature and always in a dark place - it does not tolerate direct sunlight. You can drink it before meals to stimulate your appetite, but it is best as a digestive at the end of the meal. It is believed that it must be warmed before use. Now there are special coasters for glasses with candles for heating the drink. However, experts assure that this should under no circumstances be done. From such actions, the alcohol begins to evaporate from the cognac, which makes the smell pungent and can spoil the impression. It is better to warm the glass with the warmth of your hand. However, some cognac producers consider this procedure optional.

What this drink can be consumed with is clearly explained by the “four C rule”. According to him, cognac is ideally combined only with coffee, cigar and chocolate. Moreover, first you can drink coffee or eat a piece of chocolate - they perfectly complement the taste of cognac. Then you can have a drink and, if desired, light a cigar. Some cognacs are created specifically for this purpose. For example, Davidoff. At one time, the tobacco king Zino Davidoff and a representative of the famous cognac house Kilian Hennesy decided to create a cognac that would ideally match the taste of a cigar.

Before taking the first sip, it is recommended to inhale the aroma of the drink: first from a distance, then directly at the edge of the glass. And only then take a very small sip. However, young cognacs of the V.S. category are sometimes consumed with ice or in cocktails. This has become the norm, but it’s not worth doing such experiments with older drinks - it’s tantamount to going to a rural disco in a hot cut dress.

It's never bad. If we consider that only those made in the French province of the same name are considered cognac, then there are no bad cognacs. There are about 700 cognac houses there: from such giants as Hennessy, Remy Martin, Martell, Сourvoisier, to very small family productions. And each of them tries to make their products unique. The price can be very different. Cognac from popular brands, as a rule, costs more than a similar product from a lesser-known cognac house. And the point here is not in the quality, but in the cost of advertising, which ultimately has to be paid by the buyer. Therefore, when choosing cognac, you need to be guided only by your own taste preferences, says Yuri Zybtsev, author of the book “Cognac. A Guide” and a teacher at the school at the Russian Sommelier Association. Cognacs can be roughly divided into several styles: women’s (with a mild fruity taste), men’s (harder and tart), etc. Aging also significantly affects the taste. It is believed that the older the cognac, the better it is and the more prestigious it is to drink. But there are exceptions to this rule. “Some people simply cannot stand old cognacs,” says Yuri Zybtsev, “they find them tasteless.” In this case, according to the expert, you should not torture yourself. In general, you need to find a cognac that suits your style. It is quite possible that for this you will have to try 30-40 types of cognac.

Prestige comes first. In Russia, people still trust mainly internationally recognized leaders. Thus, according to Whitehall, the distributor of the Hennessy house in Russia, every second bottle of cognac imported into the country is Hennessy. The company Denview Ltd (distributor of Remy Martin) says that about 170 thousand liters of their products are sold annually in the country. It is not surprising that the cognacs of these producers are recognized by kings.

Remy Martin Louis XIII was created at the beginning of the twentieth century. The prototype for his original bottle was a flask found by historians at the site of the battle between Catholics and Huguenots during the time of Louis XIII. To create this cognac, Remy Martin specialists used spirits aged from 40 to 100 years, made only from Grande Champagne grapes and aged in hundred-year-old oak barrels.

Hennessy Richard is a younger brand. It was created in 1996 in honor of the company's founder, but almost immediately won the honorary title of the best of the best. The fact is that it contained the oldest and rarest alcohols in the house’s collection. For example, alcohols over 200 years old or alcohols from 1830 and 1860, obtained from the harvest of the Folle Blanche grape, which is rare these days (it was almost completely exterminated in 1870 by an epidemic of mold - phylloxera).

I want something new. And yet, lately, Russians have become increasingly curious about other brands. Firstly, I want something new, and secondly, the cognac makers themselves are very interested in entering the Russian market. Europe is switching to lighter drinks - even the French choose wine, while in Russia traditionally preference is given to strong alcohol. Therefore, today several dozen cognac brands are represented here.

For example, products from Domaine La Fontaine de La Pouyade. This cognac house produces only 6 thousand bottles of the noble drink annually. 200 bottles were brought to Russia last year. According to the Kazumyan company, which represents this brand, the drink contains 3,500 alcohols, the youngest of which is 80 years old. All are made from Folle Blanche grapes from Grande Champagne. They say that up to 600 different shades can be detected in the aroma of this cognac. At the same time, the cost for a drink of this level is very modest - 1300 euros for a standard 0.7 liter bottle.

The Lheraud house produces unique millezime cognacs - they are made using spirits from the same year. They can be identified by their mild taste and pale golden color: Lheraud cognacs are not tinted with caramel, as other manufacturers do. Brands such as Delamain, A.E. are also gaining popularity. Dor, Frapin.

Well forgotten old. The latest innovation on the Russian market is Hardy cognac. Although it would be more correct to talk about his return to Russia: before the revolution he was very famous here. The Hardy cognac house was founded in 1863 by Antoine Hardy, a settler from Foggy Albion. It was at that time that Napoleon III signed a free trade agreement with England, so Antoine began to supply large quantities of cognac to his former homeland, and then to Russia, Germany and Austria. Hardy's most famous client in Russia was Nicholas II.

Now this cognac house produces several types of products, but Hardy X.O. is rightfully considered the best. twenty-five years old. It is made on the basis of cognac spirits from Grande Champagne and Petite Champagne, has a refined fruity taste and has an unusually long aftertaste, notes the Luding company, which is the exclusive distributor of this brand on the Russian market.

Another “comeback” can be considered the appearance of cognac from Meukow & Cie on the Russian market. This is the only cognac house with a Russian name. In 1862 it was founded by Russian citizens, the Meukov brothers. Since then, this cognac has been invariably present at all events at the Russian imperial court until the revolution. Now he has returned to the Russian market. The main distinctive feature of this brand of cognacs is that they contain alcohols from all six subregions of the Cognac province. The price is by no means royal - from 120 euros per bottle.

Armenian cognac. Contrary to the requirements of French winemakers, in many countries it is customary to call cognac any strong drink made from grapes and infused in oak barrels. Including in Russia. Most residents of the Soviet Union, fenced off from the West by the Iron Curtain, could only hear about French cognac. But everyone knew perfectly well what Armenian cognac was. True, it was not so easy to get a bottle with the label of the Yerevan Cognac, Wine and Vodka Factory "Ararat", which, however, only added to the excitement and joy of victory. It is not surprising that to this day Armenian cognac is loved by many Russians. Moreover, there are people who absolutely do not understand the beauty of French cognac. Armenian drinks are softer and more familiar. As experts explain, the difference in climate, the use of different grape varieties, and even the barrels in which cognac spirits are infused are made of oak, but still different. Although the manufacturing technology is fully consistent with the French one. In general, again it’s all about each person’s taste preferences.

"Ararat" is back in Russia. Mikhail Kazaryan, Deputy General Director of the Luding company, the exclusive distributor of the Yerevan Ararat Cognac, Wine and Vodka Factory, believes that Armenian cognacs in Russia cannot lose popularity and, on the contrary, are in increasing demand. Thus, the company places great hopes on the new line of “Noah” cognacs: “Noah Araspel” (“The Legend of Noah”), “Noah Classic” and “Noah the Lord”. “The demand for Armenian cognacs is very great,” says Mikhail Kazaryan. “Historically, they have always been valued in Russia. These are unique drinks in which taste, harmony and beauty are perfectly combined. We are confident that cognacs of the Noy brand will be found its consumers both in Russia and in the CIS countries."

It is believed that another advantage of Armenian cognacs is the price. For a number of objective reasons, they are noticeably cheaper than French ones. However, this does not mean that there are no real masterpieces among them. For example, “Noah the Lord” is a twenty-five year old cognac. It has a dark golden color, and in its bouquet you can feel the taste and aroma of ripe fruit with subtle notes of almond. It is recommended to drink it warm. And then it makes no difference what to call this drink - cognac, as it is written on the bottle, or brandy, as the French insist.

The Yerevan cognac-wine-vodka factory "Ararat" was founded in 1877 by the merchant of the 1st guild Nerses Tairov. Subsequently, in 1898, a major Moscow merchant Nikolai Shustov acquired this plant and expanded the production of alcoholic beverages. Invited winemakers Kirill Silchenko, as well as Mkrtich Musinyants and Levon Oganov, who were educated as winemakers in France, began to improve the production of cognacs and wines based on classical French technologies using equipment from France. As a result, cognacs and wines “from Shustov” began to enjoy success not only in Russia, but also abroad. In 1920, the Shustov plant was nationalized and renamed the Yerevan Ararat Trust.l

French legislation sets standards for several dozen categories of cognacs. Here, for example, are the main ones: V.S. - must be aged for at least 2 years, V.S.O.P - at least 4 years, Napoleon - at least 4-6 years, X.O. - at least 6 years. But these are only minimal restrictions. Most cognac houses consider it a matter of honor to produce older cognacs. As a result, everyone has their own unspoken standards. Most often you can find this gradation: V.S. - 4-5 years, V.S.O.P - 10 years, Napoleon - 15 years, X.O. - from 20-25 years

Cognac geography

Cognac is a city, as well as six sub-regions located around it. It is believed that real cognac is produced only here. All six subregions differ from each other in climate, as well as in subsoil characteristics, which significantly affect the quality of the grapes. It is believed that the closer to the city of the same name the cognac is produced, the higher its quality and richer the aroma. The hierarchy of subregions looks like this.

Grande Champagne. The best alcohols are made here; they are considered to have the most delicate taste and the richest aroma with hints of grapes and linden. These spirits are slow to develop, but long-lasting and ideal for aging. Cognacs of V.S. quality and V.S.O.P are, as a rule, not made from them.

Petite Champagne. The spirits are very similar to Grande Champagne and are only slightly inferior to them in terms of aroma stability. They have slightly more pronounced fruit tones.

Borderie. The alcohols have a rich, but not too subtle bouquet with dominant floral tones (violet and iris). They are softer and mature faster.

Fins Bois. Alcohols differ in strength, but not in richness of aroma. They mature quickly, and at a young age they often outperform their more famous competitors. They are used to make young cognacs.

Bons Bois. Strong alcohols, however, they are significantly inferior in quality to the previous four - they have an insufficiently subtle aroma and have a special taste due to the influence of damp earth and the proximity of the sea.

Bois Ordinaires. Even simpler alcohols - they have even fewer flavor nuances. They do not tolerate aging well, but at a young age they are quite interesting - in their aroma you can detect the tones of the sea, algae and even iodine..

Copyright: Copyright CJSC "Newspaper "Financial Russia", 2003-2004

Cognac is a component of recipes for homemade liqueurs and desserts on the drinkmen website. Russian Federation, so there is no way to ignore it. In this article we will look at the history of its creation, production technology, and learn to understand labeling.

Cognac is a white wine brandy grown in the Cognac region of France. Let’s clarify right away: in this article, the word “cognac” does not mean a trademark (which belongs specifically to French producers from the province of the same name), but the production process. For our purposes, the properties of the product are important, not the legal niceties. In addition to cognac, grape brandy, Armagnac, and grappa are produced by distillation from grape alcohol. The difference in technological processes affects the properties and qualities of the final product, and, accordingly, the production standards. Technically, cognac is a type of brandy, which is exactly how it was listed on advertising posters back in the early 20th century.

Why use cognac for tinctures

First of all: how does cognac differ from distillation from any other wort? The whole secret is in the grapes. Even grape wine is incomparable to the fermentation products of any other berry or fruit. Grape wine does not retain the taste and aroma of grapes. Any fruit wine has the taste of the fruit from which it was obtained: apples, cherries, raspberries, whatever. The taste of fruit and berry wines does not differ from tinctures and liqueurs made from the same raw materials. Grapes behave differently: the complex and rich organoleptic properties of grapes appear only during fermentation and subsequent aging.

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And the process of distilling white wine into alcohol and subsequent aging in oak barrels gives the wine bouquet a new dimension that is unattainable by other means.

Like a peacock's tail, cognac reveals its flavor and aroma bouquet smoothly and majestically

If classic Russian vodka does not have its own taste and smell, except for the smell of alcohol, then cognac does not smell of alcohol, while retaining all the extracting properties of strong alcohol. The tinctures on it are comparable to a symphony orchestra, for which you choose the soloist. By using cognac for infusions, you have at your disposal many flavor and aromatic combinations that are not available when using regular vodka or moonshine.

History, technology and raw materials

Distillation of grape wine in Europe has been recorded in historical documents since at least the 15th century. Cognac's older brother was Gascony Armagnac and numerous types of Dutch brandies. They were distilled once, and the strength of these drinks was relatively low (up to 36 degrees). Numerous varieties of brandy were distributed throughout Western Europe, and the production of “burnt wine” reached Rus' around the same time. But the technology of aging wine alcohol in oak barrels to enrich it with tannins and tannins appeared only in the 17th century.

The House of Martell is one of the oldest and largest producers of French cognacs

What grape varieties are cognac made from?

In the production of real French cognac, three main varieties of white grapes are used:

• Trebbiano Toscano
• Colombard
• Folle Blanche

Additionally, the grape varieties Ugni Blanc, Folignan, Jurançon Blanc, Meslier Saint-François, Montil, Semillon are used.

As a rule, all these are very sour and tart varieties with a low sugar level, and white wine from them is obtained with a low alcohol content. Cognac producers are prohibited from adding sugar or sulfur to wines that will be distilled.

To reduce acidity, wines used as raw materials for the production of cognac are subjected to malolactic fermentation. Malolactic fermentation is the process by which the acidic malic acid in wine is converted to creamy-tasting lactic acid.

Preparation of cognac spirit - eau-de-vie

Continuous distillation (rectification), which is used to produce vodka and gin, is prohibited in the production of cognac. Double distillation is used in copper alambics. The resulting raw material is called eau-de-vie - this is the same aqua vitae, “living water”, which gave the name to whiskey and aquavit. Eau-de-vie contains about 70% alcohol, is completely transparent, and has a pronounced fruity-peach aroma.

After double distillation, cognac spirit is aged for at least two years in oak barrels. To obtain some varieties, assemblage is used (mixing alcohols from harvests of different years to balance the properties of the final product). The list of such alcohols is strictly regulated. Using the assemblage, the organoleptic properties of the drink are adjusted in accordance with the standard. When you buy a certain brand of cognac, you know that you will receive strictly defined properties. Armagnac in this regard is much more unpredictable and depends on the harvest in a particular year.

Main stages of production

• The process of double distillation of white grape wine to produce cognac spirit.
• Aging in oak barrels.
• Blending.

Each stage of production changes the properties of the product. If the rules are followed and aged for at least 2 years, cognac becomes stable, preserving its quality over time.

A necessary part of the process is aging in oak wine barrels. The average aging period is from 2 years. During this period, the raw material absorbs tannins and tannins from oak wood and the residual aroma of wine. With each year of aging, ethyl alcohol and water gradually evaporate. The evaporation process depends on storage conditions, and on average ranges from 0.5 to 4.6% vol. in a year. This is poetically called "the angel's share." Considering that the initial strength of cognac alcohol is about 70%, even with long-term aging the strength of the drink is high.

An important stage is the blending process. When cognac goes through this stage of preparation, in addition to mixed different types of alcohol, fragrant waters, caramel, an infusion of alcohol on oak chips, and sugar syrup are added to it. All additives are regulated.

After blending, the drink is allowed to “rest” for 3-6 months, and aged brands - for a year or more.

Cognac aged in barrels is bottled in glass bottles. Manufacturers' recommended shelf life in a glass bottle is no more than 2 years, although if the rules are followed, cognac can be stored for an unlimited time.

Distilled grapes obtained from wines outside of France are not subject to strict regulations; technologies may differ slightly.

Classification by exposure

The usual marking with “stars” in the USSR, indicating the aging period, is now practically not used. Here is a classification by aging period, developed back in the 19th century by Maurice Hennessy:

• V.S. (Very Special) - 2 years of aging. Young cognac. In fact, they keep it for 2.5 years.
• S./V.O. — 3 years of aging, Superior
• S.O.P. (Superior Old Pale) - 4 years of aging. This cognac is pale, “pale”. Over 4 years, the color of cognac becomes paler.
• V.S.O.P. (Very Superior Old Pale) - 5 years of aging, Premium class, also known as Grande reserve
• X.O. (Extra Old) - 6 years or more. Extra class. It is also called Napoleon, which many mistakenly mistake for an independent brand of cognac.

The same gradation is applied to brandy in general, but regarding brandy there is also an A.C. clause, which includes drinks up to 2 years of aging.

How to make cognac from vodka

No way. From vodka you can make tinctures that taste like cognac. Many will not be able to distinguish such a surrogate from cognac, and no wonder. For one and a half hundred years, the country preferred a mixture of water and alcohol; without this mixture, the snack turned into a boring meal, no matter what the delights are.

how to choose and store high-quality cognac, how to distinguish a fake, and which cognac is best to use for homemade liqueurs.