Janneau Brandy Armagnac VSOP, 70 cl

Product Information

Armagnac ( / ˈ ɑːr m ə n j æ k/, French: [aʁmaɲak]) is a distinctive kind of brandy produced in the Armagnac region in Gascony, southwest France. It is distilled from wine usually made from a blend of grapes including Baco 22A, Colombard, Folle blanche and Ugni blanc, traditionally using column stills rather than the pot stills used in the production of cognac, which is made predominantly from ugni blanc grapes. The resulting spirit is then aged in oak barrels before release. Production is overseen by the Institut national de l'origine et de la qualité (INAO) and the Bureau National Interprofessionel de l'Armagnac (BNIA). Armagnac is sold under several classifications, mostly referring to the age of the constituent brandies. Armagnac is allowed to be sold under vintages. When Armagnacs of different ages have been blended, the age on the bottle refers to the youngest component. A three-star, or VS, Armagnac is a mix of several Armagnacs that have seen at least one year of ageing in wood. For VSOP the ageing is at least four years, and for XO and Hors d'âge ten years. Older and better Armagnacs are often sold as vintages, with the bottles containing Armagnac from a single year, the year being noted on the bottle, aged for a minimum of 10 years. Vintages flavour and appearance change depending on factors including the grape, ageing time, barrel used for ageing, grape variety, weather that year, storage location and more. [7] Baron de Lustracis a small spirit producer with estates in the Tenereze and Bas-Armagnac regions. The Distillery only produces a single varietal offering of its unique Armagnac or on a bottled-on-demand arrangement.

The French gourmet dish ortolan has traditionally been prepared by force-feeding an ortolan bunting before drowning it in Armagnac and roasting it. The dish is now legally prohibited due to laws protecting the bird. [4] [5] Geography [ edit ] Vineyards in the Armagnac region near Landes and Gers The nose is a pleasant bouquet of pressed dried fruits, delightful vanilla, and spicy cinnamon. On The PalateA buttery vanilla caramel on the palate with a slight orange peel, pepper, and nutmeg spice on the finish. Best Served Castarède XO 20-Year-Old is made from Folly Blanche grapes grown on the estate. The wine is distilled through a column still and placed in white oak casks for a minimum of ten years to comply with the “Hors d’ Age” requirements for XO Armagnac. The Armagnac region lies between the Adour and Garonne rivers in the foothills of the Pyrenees. The region was granted Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée (AOC) status in 1936. The official production area is divided into three districts that lie in the departements of Gers, Landes, and Lot-et-Garonne. The region contains 15,000 hectares (37,000 acres) of grape-producing vines. The Fallières Decree of 25 May 1909 names the three districts as: Baron De Lustrac X.O. 25-Year-Old Bas Armagnac is made predominantly with Folle Blanche grapes and blended with other Armagnac from the surrounding regions. The spirit is then left to age in new oak casks for 25 years and bottled at cask strength. On The Nose Armagnac is rich in flavour and, depending on age, will usually have notes of caramel, cocoa, prunes, nuts, vanilla, oak and cinnamon. The opening is delightfully rich and smooth, with a subtle bite of spice on the finish. Understanding Armagnac Age Lettering

Ten different varieties of Armagnac grapes are authorised for use in the production of Armagnac. Of these, four are most common: Janneau have been producing France’s oldest spirit since Pierre Etienne Janneau founded the maison in 1851. Castarède then goes a step further and ages the fine spirit for another ten years in new oak casks, delivering one of the finest Armagnac’s available. On The Nose

Author Bio

Armagnac is a unique French brandy that is only produced in the Armagnac region in southwest France. This brandy is traditionally enjoyed neat as an after-dinner digestif. How Is Armagnac Made?

Wine is made from grapes from the Armagnac region of France and is then distilled through a column still. The resulting brandy is then aged in oak barrels for a minimum of one year before bottling. What Does Armagnac Taste Like? Today Janneau is not just one of the oldest of the great houses but also the world’s leading brand of Armagnac – available in 80 countries worldwide. Key to the quality of Janneau’s Armagnacs are its distillery and cellars in Condom, an ancient city located in the heart of the Armagnac region. The Armagnac is first aged in new oak barrels for the first half of the maturation process and then aged in older, more mature casks in this double maturation process. The dark amber Armagnac is then ready for bottling. On The Nose Salted caramel, sugared almonds and dark chocolate on the opening with dried prunes and dates mid-palate. The finish is rich, warm and well spiced. Best Served The Armagnac region produces 3 million bottles a year of brandy, compared to the 220 million produced in Cognac. However, the French drink only 4 million bottles of Cognac compared to 1.5 million of Armagnac. [3] Grapes [ edit ]

Our Audience

The most popular grape varieties are ugni blanc, baco, folle blanche, and colombard though there are other ones allowed in production. Armagnacs are usually blends but you do see varietal expressions. Once harvested, the grapes are fermented either with wild or cultured yeast to produce a light acidic wine of about 8% ABV. This must be distilled within a few months as it cannot be preserved with sulphur which would be concentrated during distillation.