Grande Champagne Archives - More Drams, Less Drama

Famille Cabanne Lot 24 Cognac

5th January 20253rd January 2025Coldorak

A century. That’s the age of this Grande Champagne cognac. A century is a period of 100 years, a significant unit of time that allows us to reflect on historical, cultural, and scientific advancements. The term comes from the Latin word centum, meaning ‘hundred’. Centuries are often used to measure the progress of civilisations, identify eras, and study the impact of human activity on the world. For instance, the 20th century (1901–2000) and the 21st century (2001-present) have been marked by extraordinary changes and developments, shaping the modern era. Let’s reflect quickly on what has happened since 1924, when this Famille Cabanne Lot 24 Cognac was distilled, three generations ago.

François Voyer Hors d’Âge Cognac

25th December 202424th December 2024Coldorak

For our final dram – already unfortunately – in our Cognac-Expert Advent Calendar, we have a François Voyer Hors d’Âge Cognac, from the Grande Champagne cru. The Chauchet-Voyer family has cultivated their vineyard since the French Revolution in the villages of Verrières and Ambleville, in the Grande Champagne region, renowned for Cognac production. In the late 19th century, Paul André was among the few winemakers distilling their own harvest rather than selling it, leaving behind a legacy that includes a 70-year-old vintage in Voyer’s cellar.

François Voyer Cognac is made exclusively from Grande Champagne grapes, with the family distilling and bottling in-house to ensure quality and preserve tradition. Their expertise has been passed down for five generations since 1870. Dedicated to sustainable farming, François Voyer was one of the first estates to earn the Haute Valeur Environnementale (HVE) certification, awarded by the BNIC after a thorough audit.

Today, François Voyer works with numerous winegrowers across several towns and villages in Grande Champagne. The estate has been entrusted to its current cellar master, Pierre Vaudon, to continue its legacy for years to come.

Hardy Noces de Perle Cognac

24th December 202424th December 2024Coldorak

The penultimate cognac in our Cognac-Expert Advent Calendar is a 30-year-old Hardy Noces de Perle Cognac. Cognac Hardy, established in 1863 by British-born Anthony Hardy, is a testament to passion and resilience in the cognac world. After relocating to France and embracing French culture – adopting the name Antoine and the rooster as his emblem – Hardy earned a stellar reputation for his dedication to Fine Champagne cognac, evidenced by awards such as the 1869 Diploma of Excellence at the Amsterdam Exhibition. Despite challenges like the devastating phylloxera outbreak in the late 19th century, Hardy preserved sufficient reserves to rebuild and expand globally. Over generations, leadership passed through family hands, with each era bringing innovation and market growth. Notable milestones include the invention of ‘Anniversary’ cognacs in 1960, marked by the creation of iconic decanters like Noces de Perle (30 years) and Noces d’Albâtre (75 years). Under Jacques Hardy’s leadership, the company extended its reach to new continents. He retired in 1999, and the company name changed from A. Hardy et Cie to Cognac Hardy.

Marancheville GC30 Cognac

19th December 202418th December 2024Coldorak

On the 18th day of our Cognac-Expert Advent Calendar, we found a Marancheville GC30 Cognac. In the early 2000s, brothers-in-law Grégoire Lucas and Laurent Nedelec moved their families to Cognac to work in the family distillery. It didn’t take long for them to become deeply passionate about the industry. While the distillery’s primary focus remains producing eaux-de-vie for some of the biggest names in Cognac, in 2012, they decided to launch their own small range of cognacs under their own label — thus, Marancheville Cognac was born.

Drawing on decades of family experience and a strong network of Cognac professionals, Laurent and Grégoire sought advice and expertise to help create the brand and its cognacs. Though distillation for major houses remains their core business, these cognac merchants and winegrowers dedicate significant time, effort, and skill to developing their own range.

Normandin Mercier XO Grande Champagne Cognac

18th December 202420th December 2024Coldorak

The 17th cognac in our Cognac-Expert Advent Calendar is a 30-year-old Normandin Mercier XO Grande Champagne Cognac. In the village of Dompierre-sur-Mer, near La Rochelle, lies the Normandin-Mercier estate, a family-run Cognac house founded in 1872 by Jules Normandin. Now led by his great-great-grandson, Edouard Normandin, the estate has remained in the family for five generations. The property itself is steeped in history, with the 17th-century Château La Péraudière originally serving as one of François I^st’s hunting lodges. The cellars, added later, became central to the Cognac house’s operations, where eaux-de-vie are still aged and blended today. Distillation was carried out on-site until the interwar period, and the cellars continue to hold the family’s centuries-old expertise.

The Normandin-Mercier name reflects the partnership of Jules Normandin and his wife, Justine Mercier, whose family name was added to the brand, as it was created with its financial help. The house focuses on ageing carefully selected eaux-de-vie from Grande Champagne and Petite Champagne, with every stage of production taking place on the estate. The location, in the Bois Ordinaire region near the Atlantic coast, lends a unique character to their cognacs, influenced by the mild coastal climate.

Normandin-Mercier maintains a commitment to simplicity and authenticity, reflected in their elegant, understated bottles and decanters that highlight the spirit within. The Château’s grounds are home to ancient oak forests, and casks made from this wood are used to age their signature Cognac, La Péraudière. The estate welcomes visitors to experience its history, explore the cellars, and discover the sensory richness of a Cognac house that has preserved tradition for over 150 years.

Richard Delisle Lot 53 Cognac

17th December 202420th December 2024Coldorak

With two thirds of our Cognac-Expert Advent Calendar complete (including this one), today’s pick feels like it could easily have been reserved for the grand finale: the Richard Delisle Lot 53 Grande Champagne Cognac.

The story of the Cabanne family dates back to 1810 when François Cabanne moved from La Vienne to Charente with his wife and two children. In 1839, his eldest son, also named François, married a woman from Bourg-Charente and settled in Chez Genin. Their family home became the heart of their legacy, passed down through generations and eventually serving as the company headquarters.

Upon arriving in Charente, the Cabannes began cultivating the land. By 1844, Jean-Célestin had started a wine business, which his son Philémon expanded into distillation. The distillery began with three copper alembics—a significant operation at the time—and over five generations, it has grown into one of the region’s largest, now boasting 15 copper alembics. Each generation has left its mark, contributing to the expansion of both the vineyard and the distillery.

The Richard Delisle brand itself, founded in 1834 and originally tied to the Mitterrand family, was acquired by the Cabannes after World War II. The family adopted the name for their Cognacs, further cementing their reputation. Today, Alexis Cabanne, the fourth-generation owner and cellar master, continues the family’s legacy. He has expanded into spirit trading on traditional markets and launched Hawkins Distribution in 1999 to export their Cognacs worldwide.

Guillon Painturaud Renaissance Cognac

15th December 202420th December 2024Coldorak

The fourteenth dram in our Cognac-Expert Advent Calendar is a Guilloin Painturaud Renaissance Cognac. The Guillon-Painturaud family has lived on their estate since the early 17th century, originally working as weavers before gradually developing their vineyard. The phylloxera crisis devastated their vines in the late 19th century, and replanting was slow. Even amidst the challenges of two world wars, production carried on, thanks to the dedication of women and elderly members. The family’s Charentais alembic, built in 1914, remains a unique tool for crafting refined and aromatic cognacs.

In 1964, Jean-Pierre breathed new life into the familial enterprise, and by the 1970s, their vineyard was yielding remarkable cognac spirits. In 1975, they introduced Pineau des Charentes, sparking a passion for this speciality. Direct sales began in 1978, and by 1994, Jean-Pierre’s daughter, Line, entered the scene, eventually handing the reins to her and her spouse, Olivier, in 2014.

In 2021, sisters Elise and Mathilde Thorin (daughters of Claude Thorin and active in the family business) embarked on a new chapter with the goal of upholding the family’s values and craftsmanship while continuing to create exceptional Cognacs and Pineaux des Charentes. Under the name ‘Two Sisters Distillers’, they aim to carry the legacy forward.

Maxime Trijol Réserve Grande Champagne Cognac

13th December 202420th December 2024Coldorak

We are already at the halfway point of our Cognac Expert Advent calendar. As we open the 12th door, we find a Maxime Trijol Réserve Grande Champagne Cognac. The Trijol family’s estate traces its roots to the mid-1800s in Saint-Martial-sur-Né, where they built their first distillery in 1859. For over 150 years, the Maxime Trijol brand has operated as a family-run business, preserving knowledge and heritage across five generations. In 1962, the house became a professional distiller. It then started growing its own vineyards for the production of Cognac. Today, with 22 25-hectolitre stills, it produces and distributes Cognac on a much larger scale.

Under the leadership of Jean-Jacques Trijol, this estate has grown into one of the largest cognac distilleries. As master distiller, Jean-Jacques supervises every stage of production. He or one of the skilled cellar masters crafts each bottle, and it undergoes strict quality control, marked with batch numbers for full traceability.

Bache Gabrielsen Hors d'Age Grande Champagne Cognac

Bache Gabrielsen Hors D’Âge Cognac

5th December 20245th December 2024Coldorak

The fourth cognac in my 2024 Cognac Expert Advent Calendar is Bache Gabrielsen Hors d’Âge. The story begins in 1903 when 20-year-old Norwegian Thomas Bache-Gabrielsen left the military and moved to Cognac to grow the family business. There, he met Odette, a local winegrower’s daughter. Captivated by both Cognac and Odette, he stayed. In 1905, with his friend Peter Rustad, he purchased Maison A. Edmond Dupuy, founded in 1852, marking the start of Bache Gabrielsen Cognac. Thomas and Odette married in 1906, laying the foundation for their ambitious family Maison.

In 1916, during Prohibition, he rebranded his “Three Stars” cognac as “Tre Kors” (Three Crosses), marketing it as medicine through Norwegian pharmacies, with customers lining up at doctors and veterinarians to buy it. The Maison passed through generations, and in 2009, Hervé Bache-Gabrielsen took over from his father Christian. A notable chapter in their history occurred in 2000 when a truck carrying 19,000 bottles was stolen. The stolen bottles sold cheaply under the table, boosting their fame and making Bache Gabrielsen the most sold spirit in Norway by 2002.

Today, Bache Gabrielsen operates as a négociant, sourcing eaux-de-vie from various producers. While their oldest cognac dates back to 1842, today’s tasting, the Hors d’Âge, is considerably younger!

Claude Thorin Esprit Grande Champagne Cognac

2nd December 20243rd December 2024Coldorak

The 2024 Cognac Expert Advent Calendar begins with Esprit, a Grande Champagne cognac from Claude Thorin. The Thorin story dates back to 1879, when the family vineyard was first established. Shortly after, phylloxera devastated much of the Charente region. In 1950, André Thorin replanted vines and began rebuilding the estate, initially focusing on parcels in Mainxe, part of the prestigious Grande Champagne cru.

Since the 1990s, Claude Thorin has expanded the estate to 84 hectares, introduced his own cognac range, and joined the independent winegrowers’ association. The property is located in Segonzac, at Biard. In 2021, a new generation – Elise and Mathilde – joined, with Elise overseeing production and Mathilde managing sales.

So, my first review of the month is for the Claude Thorin Esprit Grande Champagne Cognac. Let’s see if switching from my usual whisky advent calendar to a cognac one this year was a good choice!