Post on 18-Aug-2015
Armagnac: The Young and the Old
Presented by May Matta-Aliah Armagnac Educational Ambassador | President, In the Grape
Douglass Miller Professor of Hospitality | The Culinary Institute of America
#Armagnac | #ComeToYourSenses @inthegrape | @liquidprofessor | @totc | #totc2015
ARMAGNAC: THE YOUNG AND THE OLD
TALES OF THE COCKTAILS 2015
WELCOME COCKTAIL: La boisson est Armagnac (by Douglas Miller)
INGREDIENTS: • 3/4 ounces white Armagnac
(Tariquet Blanche used here)
• 3/4 ounce Green Chartreuse
• 3/4 ounce Maraschino Liqueur
• 3/4 ounce lime juice Combine all of the contents in a cocktail shaker with ice, shake until cold. Pour the contents into a rocks glass.
Stereotype
versus
Reality.
Armagnac’s place in the world
ARMAGNAC: THE YOUNG AND THE OLD
ARMAGNAC: THE YOUNG AND THE OLD
TALES OF THE COCKTAILS 2015
A country A region
A product
ARMAGNAC: THE YOUNG AND THE OLD
ARMAGNAC: THE YOUNG AND THE OLD
TALES OF THE COCKTAILS 2015
Distilled in the Heart of Gascony in Southwest France
ARMAGNAC: THE YOUNG AND THE OLD
ARMAGNAC: THE YOUNG AND THE OLD
TALES OF THE COCKTAILS 2015
An agricultural area Fields of sunflowers, wheat, millet, barley and corn blanket the landscape
ARMAGNAC: THE YOUNG AND THE OLD
ARMAGNAC: THE YOUNG AND THE OLD
TALES OF THE COCKTAILS 2015
Traditional Apple and Armagnac Croustade
Foie gras products and duck in all its forms
Fruits (prunes, melon, figs...) and vegetables (garlic, Tarbais bean...)
A region famous for its rich gastronomy
ARMAGNAC: THE YOUNG AND THE OLD
ARMAGNAC: THE YOUNG AND THE OLD
TALES OF THE COCKTAILS 2015
Maître Vital Dufour’s medical opus: «40 virtues» of Aygue Ardente, Armagnac dated 1310, printed in 1531 & today preserved in the Archives of the Vatican library
France’s oldest spirit, … more than 700 years old!
Extract of the « forty virtues » from the oeuvre by Maître Vital Dufour: • it stop tears from running • it heals hepatitis if one drinks it soberly • it enlivens the spirit, partaken in moderation • recalls the past to memory • renders men joyous above all • and when retained in the mouth, it loosens the tongue, emboldens the wit, if someone timid from time to time himself permits.
ARMAGNAC: THE YOUNG AND THE OLD
ARMAGNAC: THE YOUNG AND THE OLD
TALES OF THE COCKTAILS 2015
Briefly in history
• 17th Century: Export of Armagnac by the Dutch through the port of Bayonne and Bordeaux
• 15th Century: Armagnac is commonplace at local markets
• 18th Century: Export sales increase as Colonial citizens chose Armagnac over Cognac & Whisky. Armaganc is brandy of choice for King Louis XV and his court
• 19th Century: The Gers is the largest grape-growing area in France. And then comes Phylloxera….
ARMAGNAC: THE YOUNG AND THE OLD
TALES OF THE COCKTAILS 2015
Key dates in the Appellation
Fallières Decree is signed: delimiting the 3 areas of production and outlining the appellation zones.
Armagnac Appellation decree is signed.
Armagnac to be sold in bottles only
Creation of the BNIA (Bureau National Interprofessionnel de l’Armagnac)
Revisions to the AOC laws. AOC created for Blanche Armagnac
AOC decree revised with new specifications for production.
ARMAGNAC: THE YOUNG AND THE OLD
TALES OF THE COCKTAILS 2015
Viticulture in the region
Armagnac = Vineyards covering 12,849 acres (out of 37,065 acres of vineyards in the area)
800 winegrowers among them 500 Independents
300 that work with 6 Cooperatives
40 Trading Houses (Négotiants/Merchants)
An annual average production over 5 years
of 19,000 hl of pure alcohol (equivalent about 6.8 million bottles)
ARMAGNAC: THE YOUNG AND THE OLD
TALES OF THE COCKTAILS 2015
In figures
Global SALES (2013): equivalent to 5.1 million bottles Sales in bottles :
FRANCE………………………... 50 %
EXPORT (100 countries) ……. 50 %
1 – Russia 2 – China 3 – Germany 4 – United States 5 – Great Britain
Global STOCK (2013): equivalent to 56 million bottles
ARMAGNAC: THE YOUNG AND THE OLD
TALES OF THE COCKTAILS 2015
Still Artisanal today: ‘Roving Distillers’ are still commonly used in the area.
Some Basics
ARMAGNAC: THE YOUNG AND THE OLD
TALES OF THE COCKTAILS 2015
The Armagnac Region has an ideal climate for viticulture
NEW as of Dec 2014: 1 appellation in the
AOC decree: Armagnac
Bas Armagnac Haut Armagnac
Armagnac-Ténarèze are now
Regional Classifications
Blanche Armagnac is a Category
ARMAGNAC: THE YOUNG AND THE OLD
TALES OF THE COCKTAILS 2015
Armagnac -Ténarèze Bas Armagnac Haut Armagnac
Soil samples of each region
ARMAGNAC: THE YOUNG AND THE OLD
TALES OF THE COCKTAILS 2015
Grapes commonly used
Ugni-Blanc
55% • Elegant & Fruity • Ages very well
Baco Blanc Folle Blanche Colombard
35% • Rich & Round • Ages very well
5% • Finesse & Floral • Best Young
5% • Spice & Grassy • Best Young
10 Authorized: remaining 6 varieties: Plant de Graisse, Meslier St François, Blanc Dame, Jurançon blanc, Mauzac Blanc et Rosé
ARMAGNAC: THE YOUNG AND THE OLD
TALES OF THE COCKTAILS 2015
Tasting individual grape variety distillates
1. Folle Blanche (@55%ABV)
2. Colombard (@54.5%ABV)
3. Ugni Blanc (@57%ABV)
4. Baco Blanc (@60.5%ABV)
ARMAGNAC: THE YOUNG AND THE OLD
TALES OF THE COCKTAILS 2015
Fermentation of base wine
• Traditional fermentation Addition of Sulphur Dioxide prohibited by law • Base Wines -Typically High in acidity and low in alcohol (9 – 10% vol) -No fining or filtering prior to distillation -Lees-contact contributes floral and fruity aromas
ARMAGNAC: THE YOUNG AND THE OLD
TALES OF THE COCKTAILS 2015
Distillation of base wine
First alambic patented in 1818
Distillation must be completed before March 31st of the year following the harvest
Armagnac still (“Alambic Armagnacais”)
Continuous Distillation (95% of production)
Pot Still Double Distillation (5% of production)
ARMAGNAC: THE YOUNG AND THE OLD
TALES OF THE COCKTAILS 2015
Some stills are wood fired…
…other use gas
The energy efficiency of the continuous alambic uses 4-5 times less propane than the double distillation method
ARMAGNAC: THE YOUNG AND THE OLD
TALES OF THE COCKTAILS 2015
15 is the max number of plates permitted in an
Armagnac alambic
Spirit Plates
Distillation between 52 - 72.4% abv 5 litres of wine = 1 litre of eau-de-vie @ 50% abv
(1.32 gallons of wine = 0.264 of a gallon @ 50% abv)
ARMAGNAC: THE YOUNG AND THE OLD
TALES OF THE COCKTAILS 2015
40 hectoliters (1056 gallons) of pure alcohol is the maximum daily volume permitted per alambic
Each
age
beauty.
has
it’s
Blanche: youthful energy
ARMAGNAC: THE YOUNG AND THE OLD
TALES OF THE COCKTAILS 2015
ARMAGNAC: THE YOUNG AND THE OLD
TALES OF THE COCKTAILS 2015
The Grassa Family
ARMAGNAC: THE YOUNG AND THE OLD
TALES OF THE COCKTAILS 2015
Aging takes place in ‘Pièces’ - 400 Liter barrels mostly sourced from the local Monlezun forest.
ARMAGNAC: THE YOUNG AND THE OLD
TALES OF THE COCKTAILS 2015
The first 6 months to 2 years are typically spent in new oak barrels. The Armagnac is then moved to seasoned barrels where it continues to mature.
The younger Armagnacs, VS or VSOP quality levels, are great for use in cocktails.
ARMAGNAC: THE YOUNG AND THE OLD
TALES OF THE COCKTAILS 2015
COCKTAIL: Velours Noir (by Douglas Miller)
INGREDIENTS: • 2 ounces VS or VSOP Armagnac
(Castarede Sélection used here)
• 1 ounce prune mixture
• ½ ounce lemon juice
• ½ ounce Capano Antica Sweet Vermouth
• ½ ounce Cointreau
• Dash of Fee Brothers Walnut bitters Combine all of the contents in a cocktail shaker with ice, shake until cold. Pour the contents into a rocks glass.
Prune Mixture (Yield: 3 cups) • 1 lb prunes
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 cup apple juice • 1 cup water
• 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1 vanilla bean split in half Place all of the contents in a pot and cook for 20 minutes. Puree the mixture in a blender and strain through a chinois.
ARMAGNAC: THE YOUNG AND THE OLD
TALES OF THE COCKTAILS 2015
Armagnac Nomenclature : For the blended brandies, the youngest brandy in the blend determines the age
VS, XXX Minimum 1 year in oak
VSOP Minimum 4 years in oak
NAPOLEON Minimum 6 years in oak
XO Minimum 6 years in oak
Hors d’Age Minimum 10 years in oak
Single Vintage Single Harvest from the year on the label (minimum 10 years old)
The Armagnac houses often go beyond these rules and bottle Armagnacs older than the minimum age.
Minimum age of the youngest eau-de-vie in the blend
ARMAGNAC: THE YOUNG AND THE OLD
TALES OF THE COCKTAILS 2015
During their time in the cellars, the Armagnacs are carefully monitored, aerated and blended. Some may undergo a gradual reduction in alcoholic-strength.
Early Adulthood brings an added dimension
ARMAGNAC: THE YOUNG AND THE OLD
TALES OF THE COCKTAILS 2015
ARMAGNAC: THE YOUNG AND THE OLD
TALES OF THE COCKTAILS 2015
ARMAGNAC: THE YOUNG AND THE OLD
TALES OF THE COCKTAILS 2015
Older Armagnacs are moved into glass ‘bonbonnes’ to stop any additional evaporation of alcohol
What’s in a year?
ARMAGNAC: THE YOUNG AND THE OLD
TALES OF THE COCKTAILS 2015
ARMAGNAC: THE YOUNG AND THE OLD
TALES OF THE COCKTAILS 2015
ARMAGNAC: THE YOUNG AND THE OLD
TALES OF THE COCKTAILS 2015
With time the primary aromas become more refined. The spirits gains aromas of vanilla and prunes. ‘Rancio’ begins to appear with its characteristic maderized aromas along with walnuts and truffles.
ARMAGNAC: THE YOUNG AND THE OLD
TALES OF THE COCKTAILS 2015
Le Paradis
From one Louis to another
ARMAGNAC: THE YOUNG AND THE OLD
TALES OF THE COCKTAILS 2015
ARMAGNAC: THE YOUNG AND THE OLD
TALES OF THE COCKTAILS 2015
The faces
the families.
Reality.
Thank you for coming to this Armagnac seminar! Share your thoughts on this session on the TOTC APP
Presented by May Matta-Aliah Armagnac Educational Ambassador | President, In the Grape
Douglass Miller Professor of Hospitality | The Culinary Institute of America
#Armagnac | #ComeToYourSenses @inthegrape | @liquidprofessor | @totc | #totc2015