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Cognac Flashcards

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1
Q

What is the minimum alcohol requirement for brandy?

A

Minimum 36%

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2
Q

What is the minimum oak aging required for brandy?

A

Minimum 6 months

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3
Q

Name 2 delimited regions for brandy production in southwestern France.

A

Cognac, Armagnac

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4
Q

What is the preferred soil type for Cognac?

A

Soft chalk

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5
Q

What is the soft chalk soil known as in Cognac?

A

Grand Champagne and Petit Champagne

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6
Q

What grape is used to produce Cognac?

A

Ugni Blanc

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7
Q

How many times is Cognac distilled?

A

Twice

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8
Q

What is Cognac distilled in?

A

Charentais pot still

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9
Q

What does VS indicate?

A

Very Special

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10
Q

What does VSOP indicate?

A

Very Special Old Pale

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11
Q

What is the aging requirement for VSOP?

A

Minimum 4 years in cask

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12
Q

What does XO indicate?

A

Extra Old

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13
Q

What is the aging requirement for XO?

A

Minimum 10 years in cask

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14
Q

Name the 3 regions of production for Armagnac AOC.

A

Haut Armagnac, Bas Armagnac, Armagnac Ténarèze

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15
Q

Name 4 grapes used to produce Armagnac.

A

Ugni Blanc, Colombard, Folle Blanche (Picpoul), Baco Blanc

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16
Q

What type of still is typically used for Armagnac?

A

Continuous column still

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17
Q

What is Blanche Armagnac AOC?

A

A clear spirit that has been bottled after 3 month aging in an inert container

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18
Q

What is the body that oversees Armagnac production?

A

Bureau National Interprofessionnel de l’Armagnac (BNIA)

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19
Q

What does VS indicate on a bottle of Armagnac?

A

Aged between 1 and 3 years

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20
Q

What does VSOP indicate on a bottle of Armagnac?

A

Aged for 4 – 9 years

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21
Q

What does XO or Hors D’Age indicate on a bottle of Armagnac?

A

Minimum 10 years aging in barrel

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22
Q

What is does coupage mean?

A

Blending various barrel selections

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23
Q

What is the minimum alcohol requirement for Armagnac?

A

Minimum 40%

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24
Q

What is the aging requirement for a vintage dated Armagnac?

A

Minimum 10 years in cask

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25
Name 2 producers of Armagnac.
Larressingle, Château Laubade
26
What is the soil type of Armagnac?
Silt and sand
27
What is the best subregion for Armagnac?
Bas Armagnac
28
Name 4 major Cognac producers.
Rémy Martin, Hennessy, Courvoisier, Martell
29
How are wine and Cognac different?
Cognac is distilled
30
Cognac lies just north of which major French wine region?
Bordeaux
31
What is the climate of Cognac AOC?
Maritime
32
What river influences Cognac?
Charente River
33
What is the minimum requirement for a Cognac to have a place designation?
Minimum 100% of grapes must come from the stated region
34
What 2 regions do the most desired Cognacs come from?
Grande Champagne, Petit Champagne
35
What does “Fine Champagne” indicate on a bottle of Cognac?
A blend of a minimum 50% Grand Champagne and the remainder from Petit Champagne
36
What is the Italian name for Ugni Blanc?
Trebbiano Toscano
37
What are the most common presses in Cognac?
Horizontal basket press
38
Chaudière d’eau-de-vie
“spirit boiler” – alternative name for an alembic Charentais still
39
Première Chauffe
First distillation in Cognac; Turns the wine into brouillis
40
Brouillis
Result of the first distillation
41
Bonne Chauffe
Second distillation
42
Cucurbite
Chamber that holds the brouillis for heating
43
Cône tronqué
“truncated cone” – sits on top of the cucurbite and provides space for the vapors to expand
44
Chapiteau
Chamber that sits atop the cone tronqué and captures the vapors
45
Bec
Copper tubing that sits atop the cucurbite and directs vapors into the condenser
46
Col de Cygne
“swan’s neck” – curved copper pipe that guides the vapor from the chapiteau to the chauffe vin
47
Chauffe-Vin (Réchauffe vin)
Vessel filled with base wine through which the col de cygne passes, allowing the vapors to heat the wine before it enters the cucurbite
48
Serpentin
Device used as a condenser, consisting of 5 large copper coils immersed in water and fed vapor by the col de cygne
49
Bassiot
Cylindrical tub that holds water and the serpentin
50
Têtes
“heads” – first vapors to come through a still; Typically, rich in undesirable compounds
51
Coeur
“heart” – the part of distillation containing the ethanol that will become Cognac; Mostly free of undesirable compounds
52
Maître de chai
Cellar Master
53
Coupe
“cut” – separates the Coeur from the secondes, determined by the cellar master
54
Secondes
Second cut or the distillate that comes after the Coeur; Redistilled with the next brouillis
55
Queues
“tails” – final liquid to come out of the still after the secondes; Typically discarded
56
What are the 2 types of distillers in Cognac?
Bouilleur de cru, Bouilleur de profession
57
What is a Bouilleur de cru?
Grower distiller
58
What is a bouilleur de profession?
Professional distiller; Purchases wine, distills it and then sells the resulting brandy
59
What metal is used for stills in Cognac? Why?
Copper; Conducts heat and unlikely to be damaged by fire or acidic substances
60
What vessel must Cognac be aged in?
French oak from Tronçais or Limousin
61
Why is humidity beneficial for aging Cognac?
Promotes more alcohol loss in the angel’s share without reducing aromatic content
62
What is the minimum age of Brandy of VS Cognac?
Minimum 2 years
63
What is the minimum age of Brandy in VSOP Cognac?
Minimum 4 years
64
What is the minimum age of Brandy in XO Cognac?
Minimum 10 years
65
What is Boisé?
A boiled mixture of oak chips into a dark syrup
66
What does the Boisé do?
Gives the impression of greater oak aging
67
What is the ideal serving temperature for neat Cognac?
About 64° F
68
Name 3 pomace brandies and their country of origin.
Marc – France, Grappa – Italy, Bagaceira – Portugal
69
What is the VDL produced in Cognac?
Pineau de Charente
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