Yearly Archives: 2011

 The word brandy is derived from the Dutch word brandewijn, ("burnt wine"), which is what the 16th century Dutch described wine that had been burnt or boiled in order to distill it. Brandy can be traced back to the expanding Moslem Mediterranean in the 7th century where Arab alchemists distilled grapes and other fruits in order to make medicinal spirits. There are three basic methods of making brandy:  (1) brandy distilled from fermented grape juice or crushed, but not pressed, grape pulp and skin, such as Cognac, Armagnac, Brady de Jerez, and then aged in wooden casks which colors it, mellows the palate, and adds additional aromas and flavors (Scotch and whiskey are more or less the same process but with mash made from the same ingredients as beer); (2) pomace brandy (Italian Grappa and French Marc are the best-known examples) which is made from the pressed grape pulp, skins, and stems that remain after the grapes are crushed and pressed to extract most of the juice for wine, and are usually minimally aged and seldom see wood, making for a harsher flavor; and (3) fruit brandy which is the default term for all brandies made from fermenting fruit other than grapes, but these fruits tend to lack enough sugar for sufficient alcohol for proper distillation, and thus are macerated in high-proof spirit to extract their flavor and aroma. The extract is then distilled at a low proof. Calvados, the Apple Brandy from the Normandy region of Northwestern France, is an example. Soon after WWII, the Department of Viticulture and Oenology at the University of California at Davis began to develop a prototype "California-style" brandy, which focused on a clean palate and was lighter in style

Armagnac is produced in the Gascony region of France, further south towards the Spanish border, than its more famous and much more expensive cousin, cognac.  Both Cognac and Armagnac are certified regions for making these brandies. Armagnac is traditionally distilled once, which results initially in a less polished eau de vie than Cognac, where double distillation usually takes place. However, long aging in oak barrels softens the taste and causes the development of more complex flavours and a brown colour. Aging in the barrel results in some alcohol escaping, the part known as part des anges ("the angels' share). Armagnac is sold under classifications, "VS" is a mix of Armagnac grown brandies with at least two years of aging in wood, "VSOP" is at least five years, and "XO" is at least six.  Hors d'âge means the youngest component in the blend is at least ten years old. Older and better Armagnacs are often sold as vintages, with the single year of vintage demarked on the bottle. Brandies keep for years, even after opened, so treat  yourself to some Armagnac.  An inexpensive one we like is Marquis de Sauval Armagnac, around $30 a bottle at the time of writing. Because of the single distillation versus the double of Cognac (some 150 miles to the north), some French refer to the "taste of the earth" that they experience with Armagnac, while others simply call it "dancing fire followed by velvet flame."  Vintage is not as important as the blending.  Cost (and quality) is usually dependant upon origin (or terroir), the grapes, the distillation process, the length of time spent in oak casks, and the brilliance of the blending process.   If you find a good one, which is easy to do in the Gascony countryside (as this is