Guillon-Painturaud Hors d'Age Grande Champagne Cognac

Guillon-Painturaud Hors d'Age Grande Champagne Cognac

Situated on the banks of the Charente River, the Cognac region of France is divided into six different crus (cru is French term for growth zones): Grande Champagne, Petite Champagne, Borderies, Fins Bois, Bon Bois and Bois Ordinaire. The Grande Champagne cru, which comprises approximately 34,000 hectares, is known for its quiet hills and rich, chalky soil, and is considered to produce the finest cognac in the region. In 1610, the Guillon Painturaud family purchased a tiny, 18 hectare parcel of land in the Grande Champagne region of Cognac. For generations, the art of cognac production was passed down from parent to child, and today, Line Guillon Painturaud one of the few female master distillers in Cognac benefits from her family's four centuries of experience in the region (the family continues to live on the same estate it purchased in 1610). The 18-hectare estate, which is devoted entirely to the production of a single varietal grape, enjoys a rich, calcareous soil, along with a temperate climate and generous amounts of sunlight. As a result, the Ugni Blanc grapes harvested on the estate are incredibly acidic and flavorful, making them perfect for distillation. Once the grapes have been harvested from the family's estate, they are pressed and the remaining grape juice is fermented into a low wine. Then, Line distills the wine twice through a traditional copper still, before maturing the cognac in bespoke, French oak barrels (the oak is sourced from the Limousin and Troncais forests in France, and the barrels rest in Line's cellars). Guillon-Painturaud Hors D'Age Grande Champagne Cognac is matured for an average of thirty years, before being brought to proof and bottled by hand. As a result of its three decade long beautyrest, the cognac has a dark copper color, along with an aroma of sauteed mushrooms, raisins, almonds and fresh figs. The aroma gives way to hints of ripe fruits (particularly plums and peaches), prunes and vanilla, and leads to an oaky, slightly sweet finish. The cognac earned four stars from F. Paul Pacult's Spirit Journal, and was called "beautifully complex and mature" by Wine & Spirits Magazine. Pick up a bottle today!