11 generations of expertise

Vineyard

Our 50-hectare vineyard is located entirely in Grande Champagne, almost exclusively in Bouteville. We have chosen to work with just one grape variety, ugni blanc, because it combines a balance of aromas and acidity with good resistance to disease. Our plots reflect the diversity of the landforms in our village of Bouteville: mainly on hillsides and semi-slopes, but also on plains.

Harvest

Because we believe that each stage is crucial to the development of a quality product, we continue the tradition of manual grape harvest. Backed up by around thirty seasonal grape-pickers, our team’s mission is to cut only the finest grapes. They are pressed on the estate to produce a grape juice with tangy notes, which is then vinified and distilled.

Winemaking

The transformation of the sugars in the grape juice into alcohol marks the fermentation stage. Characterised by a release of heat that could harm the aromas, we carefully monitor the rise in temperature and control it using a tank regulation system ; our wine keeps all its aromas.

Distillation

Emblematic of cognac production, “double distillation” borders on alchemy. It enhances wines and creates aromatic eaux-de-vie, fine and elegant. We distil our wines with their lees to give the eaux-de-vie structure and complex notes that will develop with ageing. During the second distillation – the “bonne chauffe” – we pay meticulous attention to the cutting stage that separates the core, which will become cognac, seconds then tails, which we do not keep. We perpetuate the ancestral know-how of “la coupe à la perle” (“pearl-cutting”), which preserves the identity of each wine.

Ageing

The young eau-de-vie is aged in Limousin oak barrels. The barrel is a crucial part of this process, and to support the development of our eaux-de-vie, we have worked for three generations in close collaboration with a traditional cooperage that shares our values. Ageing is a matter of nuance and balance, culminating in a skilful blend of new or old barrels, of different sizes and cellars with different atmospheres that shape our rare cognacs. Our cellars have a quality advantage: a spring runs through the centre of the cellars, providing the ideal humidity for harmonious ageing, giving our cognacs roundness and mellowness. Over time, the evaporation of the alcohol by the angels’ share and the slow oxidation of the cognac develop the Charentais rancio: aromas typical of the finest old eaux-de-vie.

Cognacs selection

aromas most representative of the different stages of ageing. The majority of our cognacs are produced without blending, in order to respect their distinctive character.

Bottling

Bottling takes place on the estate, so we can be sure of maintaining a high level of quality right up to the final stage. We’re also quick to adapt to your customisation requirements.