There are thousands of cognac producers in the world, but only a few of them managed to become famous and revered. We'll look at 8 best brands who are role models. These are recognizable brands that have written the name of their creators into history and brought substantial fortunes to their descendants.
1. Hennessy (Hennessy)– the most famous cognac house in the world. Part of the holding of luxury goods manufacturers Louis Vuitton - Moët Hennessy. With a production volume of 50 million bottles per year, it ranks first in the world in cognac sales.
The company was founded by Irish officer Richard Hennessy. After his retirement in 1745, he settled in the city of Cognac, where he began own production. At first, his cognacs were liked by nobles at the court of Louis XVI, and several decades later the Hennessy brand was known throughout Europe.
Hennessy 2. Rémy Martin (Remy Martin)- the second largest cognac house in France, founded in 1695 by a young winemaker Remy Martin. The brand is currently owned by Rémy Cointreau Group.
Remy Martha 3. Augier (Ogier)– the oldest cognac house in the world, founded in 1643. The products feature stable production technology. In Ogier, craftsmen use only ancient recipes.
Ogier 4. Bisquit– this cognac house was founded in 1819 by twenty-year-old Alexander Biscuit. Products are supplied to the United States, Great Britain, Germany and other countries. In 1965, the brand and vineyard plantations were bought by the Pernod-Ricart company. Since then, Bisquit cognac has harmoniously combined the traditions of aging and modern technology production.
Biscuit 5. Camus (Camus)– the brand has existed since 1863, it is still owned by the descendants of the founder Jean Baptiste. This cognac house has 125 hectares of vineyards throughout France. Previously, Camus cognacs were supplied to the royal courts of Europe; now they are considered elite and are sold only in expensive specialized stores.
Camus 6. Courvoisier (Courvoisier)- cognac house founded by Emmanuel Courvoisier. It was this brand of cognac that Napoleon Bonaparte drank. After the Emperor's defeat at Waterloo, British officers tasted Napoleon's favorite cognac for the first time. Since then, Emmanuel Courvoisier has also supplied his cognacs to England.
Courvoisier This cognac house has its own production technology that does not involve distillation. The alcohol is extracted not from grapes, but from finished wine. In the cellars of the Courvoisier cognac house there are over 3 thousand bottles aged more than 200 years.
7. Davidoff– the company began its history by selling its own cigarettes. In 1964, it was founded by the son of Kyiv emigrants, Zino Davidoff, whose family worked in a tobacco factory all his life.
Very soon, Davidoff cigarettes and cigars became a symbol of sophistication and refined taste. Davidoff cognac appeared as a complement to cigars. It comes in exclusive bottles and is made from Hennessy spirits. This is a drink for very wealthy gentlemen; it can only be purchased in elite stores.
The French city of Cognac is the heart cognac production. But, in addition, the city can safely be called an example of medieval architecture, because only here you can find buildings, towers and structures dating back to the distant 15th century.
One of these ancient attractions is the main city gate, which was built in 1499. The most interesting thing is that, despite such an “honorable age”, appearance The gate is very well preserved. They managed to bravely survive the devastating Second World War, almost without damage.
The stone gate consists of two towers connected by a passage arch. Each of the towers has a window that is covered with bars.
When making a tourist excursion to Cognac, this attraction cannot be missed, because, as before, the gate is the main entrance to the city.
Cognac house Martel
Hearing the name of the city of Cognac, which is located in France, you involuntarily remember the alcoholic drink of the same name. And rightly so, because only here are the most famous cognac houses in the world concentrated. One of them is the Martell Cognac House, which is considered one of the oldest in Europe. it was founded in 1714 by Jean Martel.
The power of the house is so great that it allows you to have your own cooperage and school of coopers. Moreover, each cognac barrel is made by hand and has the personal seal of the master.
The excursion to the cognac house is very exciting. Behind the fenced area, a stone fence, there is an old beautiful building with large columns. In front of the house you will be “greeted” by a restored rare car with a high blue side. There are oak barrels in the back; apparently, it used to be used to transport barrels for customers.
Inside the building, the atmosphere of that time has been completely preserved: offices, books, bottles, handwritten notes. No less interesting is the room with an exhibition of soil where it grows vine. But the most interesting part of the excursion is the cognac cellars: storage facilities where cognacs are aged in oak barrels that are 5, 10, 15 years old and there are even those that are more than half a century old.
What sights of Cognac did you like? Next to the photo there are icons, by clicking on which you can rate a particular place.
Hennessey Cognac House
The Hennesy Cognac House is one of the oldest cognac houses. It was founded in 1765 by Irish emigrant Richard Hennessy. Today this brand of cognac is known and appreciated all over the world.
Tours to the cognac house are open for tourists. Here they talk about the history of the House, which has been creating cognac for centuries, they will explain how ordinary alcohol, in oak barrels, turns into such exquisite drink. It’s interesting to hear about where the 3% of cognac goes – the “angels’ share”, which evaporates through the pores of the barrel.
In addition, the entire blending process is presented here. different varieties cognac alcohol having different aging periods. When visiting wine halls and cognac cellars, you will be given a tasting.
In order to get to the Hennessy cognac house, you need to take an exciting crossing of the Charente River on a small branded boat. Directly on the shore there are the ancient vaults of the cognac house.
In addition to the aesthetic pleasure you receive, you can buy all types of skates here at a reasonable price.
The center of the famous city of Cognac is decorated with the ancient Valois castle. A great one was born here french king Francis I. During the 12th century, the castle was destroyed and reconstructed only in the 15th century.
The complex consists of the Church of Saint Leger and monastic buildings built in 1031. The castle is made of stone and has an impressive front door with docks. The façade of the building is crowned by a large window, better known as the “Balcony of the King,” which is decorated with carved medallions (in particular the profile of Francis I). The castle and all its buildings date back to the Middle Ages. The peculiarity of the castle is the thickness of its walls (about 3 meters) and the location of some rooms below the water level, which were previously used as prison cells.
The Saint-Jean Tower has two rooms and numerous windows. A rare system of medieval ovens has been preserved here. Inside the castle, the amazing “Helm Hall” opens and banqueting hall built according to plans by Leonardo da Vinci.
The "Governor's House" is a tower with a spiral staircase and a beautiful Gothic door. Today, the world famous Otard Cognac House is located in the ancient Valois castle.
Cognac house Otard
The center of the city of Cognac is decorated with the ancient Valois castle, where King Francis I was born. It is here, since 1796, that the Otard Cognac House has been located. Throughout its existence, the house has repeatedly changed owners and production technologies, but the conditions for aging cognac are a strict taboo.
The location of the castle and its design features are excellent for creating cognac. In the cellars of the ancient castle, cognac spirits are aged, because the thickness of its walls, about 3 meters, and the location of some rooms below the water level, just contribute to this.
Tourists are given an extensive excursion including an introduction to the history of the house, the creation of their own trademark, visit wine cellars and familiarity with the blending process. At the end of the tour, a tasting is held, which is designed to familiarize visitors with different types Otard brand cognac. In addition, here you can purchase all types of manufactured products at a very reasonable price.
The most popular attractions in Cognac with descriptions and photographs for every taste. Choose best places to visit famous places of Cognac on our website.
French cognacs have always been the standard elite alcohol. All over the world, manufacturers are focusing on the French, trying to bring the quality of their products closer to the quality of a real masterpiece from the Poitou-Charente region. Among the most expensive samples - as well as among the unique, most rich, sophisticated and elegant - the majority are French.
You can join the history and culture of the famous country, which are inextricably linked with this alcoholic drink. In our catalog you will find real French cognacs from famous houses that have earned the praise of the most severe and picky critics around the world. No alcoholic collection would be considered complete without at least one of these. Our prices, even for the most seasoned ones, are quite affordable.
On our website we have collected the best cognacs from France and other countries, including Armenia or Georgia, which deserve your attention. Among the images we present there are unique ones, with an unforgettable taste and aroma, like the famous one. They also have a special texture, due to which no other analogues can compare with them. Once you try one of them, you will not forget it and cannot confuse it with anything else.
How the Dutch helped the French conquer the world
If the French received the historical title of chic winemakers, then the Dutch can be called the most inventive and active traders. And it was thanks to them and their ideas that the French learned to make their own alcohol.
In the 16th century, the Dutch who sailed to Poitou-Charentes willingly traded with local salt and wines. But by this century there was an overproduction of wine, its quality fell, there was less alcohol in it, which made it difficult to transport it by sea for a long time. In order to maintain the quality of the wines and make more profit, the Dutch decided to install stills in Poitou-Charentes, which allowed distillation or distillation and the making of the so-called “burnt wine”, which later became. But just like that New Product not consumed: it was distilled only for transportation, and diluted on site clean water. According to their plan, this was to return the drink to the properties of the original French wine.
The French saw their benefit in this. They adopted Dutch technologies, improved them and began to sell the distillate as an independent and ready-to-drink product, which was richer than any of the wines and had a stronger aroma. In addition, it was much more profitable to transport it. And when the Dutch traders had to stay in the French port, having already loaded barrels of distillate on board, it turned out that aging in oak containers was only beneficial for the drink.
As a result of the confluence of all these circumstances, French cognac was born, which Dutch traders transported to all the countries with which they traded. This is how the drink conquered the world.
Features of modern cognac production
Today, the boundaries of the region in which French cognac can be produced are clearly defined, and production is regulated by legislation and strictly controlled. Thus, the following grape varieties were usually used in the manufacturing process:
- montil;
- Folle Blanche;
- Colombard and others.
But they are gradually being replaced by Trebbiano grapes (aka Ugni Blanc), which are more disease-resistant and less sensitive to changing weather conditions. Also, unlike the varieties listed above, it is not weakened by American rootstocks. 90% of all French cognac is made from Trebbiano.
Cognac is one of the oldest alcoholic drinks, which appeared when humanity had just mastered the art of distilling alcohol. But the drink itself, with its endless playing facets of taste and rich bouquet, was invented by the French. And this happened in the Aquitaine region (which includes the famous wine-producing city of Bordeaux), in the Charente department, in the municipality of Cognac. For a long time It was there that exquisite spirits were produced, which, after assembling and aging in barrels, delighted the hearts and stomachs of gourmets. And it is still believed that only French cognac made in the department of the same name can claim this title. All other drinks, no matter how closely the manufacturers adhere to authentic technology, are called brandy. The French value their cognacs very much. And even those who prefer to drink wine rather than distillates readily visit factories that produce this drink. After all, watching the ripening process of cognacs is very interesting, especially when the excursion ends with a tasting. There are about a thousand wine houses near the city of Cognac. Producers of this elite aged drink compete to achieve highest quality product to attract potential buyers. In this article we will offer you a rating French cognacs to introduce you to the most valued brands. Feedback from consumers and lovers of this drink played an important role in its compilation.
How the rating was compiled
Cognac has been produced in the Charente region since the eighteenth century. Many wine houses have grown up from its production and sale. And now more than two hundred and fifty different-sized concerns are engaged in its production. How do you know which is the best French cognac? You can take sales volume as a criterion. In this case, the market leader, not only French, but also worldwide, is Hennessy. The concern produces fifty million bottles a year. But since this brand is very popular, its products are most often counterfeited. Because of a simple bottle of Hennessy, there is about as much counterfeit in the world as original product. The French have great respect for the manufacturer ancient history. Hennessy has been produced since 1745 - a solid, long-lived enterprise, isn’t it? But more ancient ones were also preserved in Cognac. wine houses. The oldest family, which has been engaged in production from generation to generation elite drink, is Martel. What if we put price at the forefront when compiling a rating? What is the most expensive French cognac? In this case, the list will be headed by “Henry IV”, made by the descendants of this king. A bottle of the drink was auctioned for one million eight hundred seventy-five thousand US dollars. To be fair, it should be noted that half the cost is for the packaging, which is a masterpiece of jewelry art. The bottle is made of high-grade gold and decorated with a variety of precious stones, including six and a half thousand diamonds. The drink matured in barrels for a hundred years before being poured into such an exquisite vessel.
House "Martel"
The French understand that good cognac cannot be cheap. But they also value the traditions of ancient master winemakers. And therefore, when choosing French cognacs, they prefer brands from old houses. So, the Martel enterprise has the most ancient roots. By the way, his Martell Creation Cognac In Handcarved Baccarat Decanter ranks sixth in the top 10 most expensive cognacs in the world (seven thousand dollars). The founder of the wine house, John Martel, was not French, but a native of the island of Jersey. Having settled in Cognac at the beginning of the eighteenth century, he traded in all sorts of things. His star rose in 1726, when he married the daughter of a hereditary cognac master. The entrepreneurial spirit of Jean Martel and the experience of his father-in-law brought the distillery to high level. At first, products were supplied only to the UK. When French cognac Martel gained fame as an elite drink there, sales volumes increased. The house was the leader in the world market until the mid-nineties of the last century, until it was overtaken by Hennessy. But even now the company produces twenty-two million bottles a year, exporting cognac to one hundred and fifty countries of the world. Grapes from the Borderier region impart a nutty flavor to Martel drinks. The most commonly found on the market is VS, which corresponds to our three stars, VSOP and Noblige. Reviews are especially enthusiastic about the gastronomic characteristics of Martel Cordon Bleu (one hundred dollars per bottle). This brand appeared in 1912. The "Premium" class in this house includes "XO", "Creation", "Cohiba" and "L'Or de Jean Martel".
Remy Martin House
The concern, which grew out of a small family business, can also boast of its almost three-hundred-year history. In terms of sales volume, it has overtaken Martel and is already breathing down Hennessy’s neck. Every year the company produces twenty-four million bottles. Cognac is exported to one hundred and sixty-five countries around the world. The company enjoys such authority that the labels of the cheap segment do not even indicate the aging of French cognacs. The house's glory comes from the vineyards located in the very center of the region, on the best soils with high content chalk. These are Big and Little Champagne. Must from grapes grown on chalk soils "Grand Cru" can be aged much longer, which has a positive effect on taste qualities final drink. The house, named after its founder and known since 1724, produces products in various price segments. Reviews are extremely praising the Rémy Martin V.S.O.P. The spirits for this cognac are aged for at least four years. Noble drinks Consumers of the brands Rémy Martin Grand Crue, “Rémy Martin XO Excellence”, “XO Special” and “Extra” call impeccable quality. The aging period of the last drink is at least thirty-five years. In the TOP 10 most expensive cognacs, the house holds third position. This is the Black Pearl of Louis XIII, sold for fifty-one and a half thousand dollars.
Hennessy House
This company, which claims to produce the best French cognac, was nevertheless created by an Irishman. Richard Hennessy left military service for King Louis XV and settled in the Charente region in 1765. He started producing cognac and succeeded. Unlike the first two houses, Hennessy is still run by direct descendants of Richard. This family was the first to think of supplying cognac not in barrels, but in bottles, hoping (and in vain) that this would protect the products from counterfeits. And Maurice Hennessy came up with the idea of using asterisks to classify cognacs by aging period. The drink was admired by the French king Louis XVI, Emperor of All Rus' Nicholas I and the British monarch George IV. Hennessy V.S.O.P was made especially for the last august person. V.S. became the people's favorite. This Hennessy contains a blend of more than forty cognac spirits. The bouquet of the drink is characterized by the fact that after the first woody notes, shades appear hazelnut. The velvety taste plays with numerous nuances of vanilla and berries. Consumers highly appreciated the quality of the more expensive Hennessy cognacs: V.S.O.R., X.O., Privat Reserve, and Paradise.
"Courvoisier"
This house cannot boast of a history dating back to the distant past, nor of terroir, nor of its own cooperage production. Courvoisier buys everything, both raw materials and wooden containers, from small distilleries in the Cognac region. Why did we place the French cognac Courvoisier in fourth position? It is noteworthy that the history of the company’s development is closely connected with the imperial house of Bonopart. Exists beautiful legend that after the Battle of Waterloo, the captured Napoleon tried to escape to America on a ship carrying Courvoisier cognac. But, according to historical facts, the first batch of drinks appeared twenty years after the deposition of the great commander. However, the company began to flourish under Napoleon III, becoming the official supplier of the imperial court. To please His Majesty, the house invented more and more new masterpieces of cognac art. And the efforts of the winemakers were rewarded. Drinks that were superior in quality to the highest categories of cognacs were awarded the title Courvoisier Le Cognac de Napoleon. Later, the imperial name began to serve as a kind of classifier. French Napoleon cognac, no matter which house it belongs to, is higher in quality than VS, VSOP, and sometimes XO. Things were going well for the Courvoisier firm under the patronage of the imperial court. She bought the rights to brands such as Comte Louis de Nave, Grandier, Royal Simbol, Carvalho and others. In the top 10 most expensive cognacs, the products of Courvoisier - L'Esprit Decanter take tenth place. According to those who have tried this drink (four and a half thousand dollars per bottle), it has a powerful taste with a soft velvety aftertaste and delicate aroma flowers, dried apricots and cinnamon.
"Gautier"
When evaluating French cognacs (brands and producers), you absolutely cannot pass by this house. He is also one of the oldest in the department. The Gautier family received official permission to produce cognac from King Louis XV himself in 1755. But the distillery was also known in the first half of the eighteenth century. The distillates of this house are unique. While other cognacs are usually aged in dry rooms, Gaultier drinks are matured in barrels that are stored in damp cellars on an island in the middle of the river. This brand is quite popular in France, but it also exports its products to more than seventy countries around the world. Along with ordinary VS spirits, the house also produces Premium cognacs. Reviews recommend trying “Fisherman's Float,” which comes in a spherical bottle. Cognac VSOP is produced under the brand name "Ship's Steering Wheel". Valuable XO class distillate is poured into an elite Gold and Blue bottle. A lot of flavor shades are contained in the dark amber drink “Pinar del Rio”.
"Biscuit"
Cognac is French, and the creator comes from Russia. Alexander Biscuit began his career in 1819. At first, the cognacs of this house were supplied mainly abroad - to the USA, Germany and the UK. The Paris World Exhibition of 1889 was a turning point in the history of the company. Having become a triumphant in the cognac competition, “Biscuit” received worldwide recognition. At the end of the century, the house began to supply the court of Nicholas II with its drinks. But cooperation with the Russian monarchs was interrupted by the October Revolution of 1917. The house then refocused its business on the British court of George VI. Now the company's products have become more accessible to the average consumer. If you want to try French cognac from Biscuit, reviews recommend the Bisquit XO brand. This is strict and timeless classic companies. To create chemical compounds, 30-35 year old alcohols are used. This dark amber drink with mahogany-colored sparkles delights gourmets with the taste of dried fruits and light floral shades. The rich bouquet of cognac is full of nuances. It contains sandalwood, saffron, almonds, Walnut, candied fruits, linden blossom, figs and honey.
"Camus"
Does the French Camus cognac have something in common with the existentialist writer Albert Camus? Most likely no. The writer's father only served as a wine cellar supervisor, but this was in Alsace, not in Cognac. But the company, founded in 1863 by Jean-Baptiste Camus, is still managed by the great-great-grandson of the creator. The quality of the house's cognacs was also appreciated by Soviet bosses. Therefore, in 1959, the company acquired the exclusive right to supply its products behind the Iron Curtain of the USSR. The house not only has vineyards with excellent terroir. He also established his own barrel production. But the main attention is paid to the aging stage of cognacs. This is overseen by a specialist called a cellar master. He controls not only the temperature and humidity in the basement, but even the number of spiders - after all, they prevent damage oak barrels wood-boring beetles. Which Camus brands should you pay attention to? Consumers speak highly of the cheapest cognac at home - Camus VS. This is an assemblage of thirty alcohols. The taste of the drink has warm vanilla tones, and the bouquet enchants with fruity and floral tones. VSOP from this house has a complex aroma of spices, oak wood and honey. Camus also has its own cognac, Napoleon. In the bouquet of this Premium drink you can hear notes of dried fruits and cedar bark, and woody tones are felt in the long and dry aftertaste.
Other good French cognacs: company names
Fortunately, the list of trustworthy homes goes on. For example, it would be unforgivable not to mention Pale and Dry XO from Delamain. The house was founded in 1759 - according to the French, this alone speaks of the unsurpassed qualities of the drink. The “Special Cigar” brand of the Chateau de Montifault company belongs to the “Napoleon” classification. The raw materials for this drink are collected from the best vineyards of Fin Petit Champagne. Another French cognac, belonging to the Napoleon class, is produced by the A.E. Dor house. And if you are a fan of the great emperor and commander, then you can purchase a bottle in the shape of a bust of Bonaparte from the Godet Brothers. This house was founded at the beginning of the nineteenth century by immigrants from Holland. No less attention is paid to cognac spirits than to figurative containers, so the Napoleon drink has an unsurpassed taste and aroma. The products of the houses Hardy, Chabass, Croizet, Denis Charpentier, Edgar Leyra, Frapin and Gaston de Lagrange are always popular in France.
Cognac "French Standard"
Manufacturers from other countries are working tirelessly on the quality of brandy to bring its quality closer to that of France. But Russian manufacturers took a different route. Do they buy cognac spirits from the four most elite regions of France? Grand and Petit Champagne, Le Borderie and Le Fin Bois. The grape varieties Union Blanc, Colombard and Folle Blanche are used to create the drink. After five years of aging, it is born Russian cognac"French standard". Reviews note the round, velvety and deep taste of the drink, its sophisticated and rich bouquet. And the price is more than affordable for the average buyer - five hundred and sixty rubles per 0.5 liter.
One can only talk about French cognac in superlatives - the most refined, the most noble, the highest quality. Moreover, only the distillation result of white wine from France can be called french cognac. A decree of 1909 clearly defines the territory in which cognac can be produced - this is the area around the city of Cognac in the Charente department. There are a number of other mandatory conditions under which grape brandy can be called cognac. Thus, it is incorrect to call drinks from Armenia and Russia cognac, although it is accepted by the international community.
French cognac can only be made from certain grape varieties, the main one being Uni Blanc. Spirits must be produced from raw materials from six regions: Grand Champagne, Petite Champagne, Borderies, Fins Bois, Bons Bois, Bois Ordinaries. These regions are very different in soil types and climatic conditions, so cognacs from different terroirs have individual characteristics. If the grapes were grown only in Grande Champagne and bottled there, the bottle is labeled Grand Champagne. If at least 50% of wine material from this region is used, and the remainder is from Petit Champagne, you can see the inscription Fine Champagne on the label.
In the area around Cognac there are many old Cognac houses. Jean-Paul Camus, owner of one of the best Houses, said: “It’s easy to make great cognac. All you need for this is a great-grandfather, grandfather and father who devoted their whole lives to this" Most cognac houses have existed for several centuries, for example, Hennessy - since 1765. Our catalog presents the best French cognacs, time-tested: Courvoisier, Lero, Remy Martin and others. On each manufacturer's page you can learn about the history and features of the Houses.
French cognac - price in WineStyle
Real French cognac WineStyle stores can be purchased at a price of 231 rubles. — that’s exactly how much a miniature bottle of “Courvoisier” 50 ml costs. A liter of French cognac in WineStyle stores costs from 3,677 rubles.
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