Cognac tours &
Cognac tastings
in the:
CHARENTE &
CHARENTE-MARITIME,
POITOU-CHARENTES

Did you know...

When tasting cognac, first inhale whilst holding the glass by its stem. Then swirl the cognac to blend the aromas before inhaling again. Taste cognac with the tip of your tongue before drinking further.

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Then see our other stories...

• GORGEOUS BEACHES From child-friendly to surfers' paradise
• THE CÔTE SAUVAGE Wild beauty along the Atlantic coast
• BEAUTIFUL PLACES Visit the region's award-winning villages
• LA ROCHELLE A fabulously French port town
• COGNAC
• ANIMAL MAGICZoos, aquariums & parks of furry and slithery creatures!
• FUTUROSCOPEAmazing 3D and high-tech attractions at this leisure park near Poitiers
• MARAIS POITEVINThe stunning scenery of our ‘Green Venice’
• GREAT WINEDiscover the region's excellent vintages
• LIVELY MARKETSWhere and how to shop
• CYCLINGAlong the coast & through the countryside
• GOLFChoose from the Poitou-Charentes’ 21 courses

ALL STORIES

Current
weather in
Poitou-Charentes

Conditions:	Clear
Temp.:	-2°C
Windchill:	-7°C
Wind:	13 kph N
Pressure:	1,016 mb steady
Sunrise:	7:20 am
Sunset:	6:58 pm
Outlook:	Partly Cloudy

Cognac Tours, Tastings and History

When considering this region of France, it’s impossible to escape the subject of cognac. This famous local brandy obviously takes its name from the Cognac area but has now become an international brand all of its own. For visitors to Poitou-Charentes one of the great lures is a chance take a cognac tour around the famous firms or maisons as they are called. And of course to have a taste of cognac at the same time if they can!
Unsurprisingly a mini industry in and around Cognac has sprung up, devoted to the history of cognac, tasting it and going on cognac tours. As well as the big maisons such as Martell, Hennessy, Rémy Martin, Courvoisier, Otard and Camus to visit there’s also the permanent Cognathèque exhibition to visit in Cognac. In addition there’s also the Musée des Arts du cognac (Maco) which does its bit for the local industry that made the town famous – and wealthy – by housing a permanent exhibition on the history of the drink and how it’s made.

Cognac country
But visitors should not neglect either the many excellent small local producers that can be found through the cognac area. Indeed it is rather larger than some might imagine. Rather like champagne, cognac itself can only be called this if it is made with grapes grown within a certain area – this includes much of the Charente, the Charente-Maritime and parts of the Deux-Sèvres. It is divided into six different zones, with the two considered to produce the best cognac being the Grande Champagne immediately around Cognac and Petite Champagne just to the south east of the town.
There are strict rules on what grapes can be used to make cognac – Ugni Blanc is the variety most often used – and about the process involved. Cognac is made with what is called eaux-de-vie. This is produced by double distilling the white wine that comes from the local vines. Moreover, the distillation has to take place in a copper alambic charentais or Charentais still. This liquid is then aged for a minimum of two year in oak casks to allow the cognac’s flavours to develop.
The final product is then graded according to its age: VS (Very Special) is the youngest cognac, though it must have been aged for at least two years VSOP (Very Special Old Pale) has to have been aged for a minimum of four years XO (Extra Old)/Napoleon is the oldest cognac, having been aged for at least six years.
These names and strict rules for methods of production stem from cognac’s long history. Before cognac was first made, the area around Cognac was a recognised as a wine-growing area, the wine transported down the River Charente to the coast for export and for drinking on board ships.
It was discovered that if the wine was first distilled it not only took up less space but it also improved with age in the oak casts in which it was stored. The Dutch merchants who were behind much of the trade called this product 'brandewijn' meaning ‘burnt’ or distilled wine - hence the name ‘brandywine’, which was shortened to brandy.