Subtle And Complex Armagnac Brandy Is Little Known Outside France

Armagnac—a chef’s brandy—is both subtle and striated with flavor.

French Armagnac brandy has been produced for seven hundred years—centuries longer than Cognac brandy. These spirits differ in key ways. Grapes to make Armagnac are grown inland around the Garonne River between the city of Bordeaux and the southern Pyrenees peaks—where the climate is continental. Grapes for Cognac, in comparison, grow adjacent to the Atlantic Ocean between the cities of Bordeaux and La Rochelle where the climate is both temperate and oceanic. Whereas 95% of Cognac is produced from the Ugni Blanc grape that thrives above limestone soils, grapes for Armagnac include Ugni Blanc, Folle Blanche, Baco and Colombard, which sprout over quartz sand and siliceous clay soils. Cognac is double distilled, whereas Armagnac is usually distilled only once, hence includes a lower alcohol content.

While Cognac is renowned and exported throughout the world, Armagnac is more renowned within France. Due to its lengthy history of production—this spirit is also embedded in the annals of French cooking.

‘My grandfather grew corn and sunflowers in the Landes region and visited this property,’ explained Denis Lesgourgues, co-owner of Château de Laubade, located a two-hour drive west of the city of Toulouse.

‘He was 70 years old and had to make a crucial decision. He was impressed by the landscape and the potential of the terroir, so he purchased this land. That is how our family got into Armagnac. My father then had the vision to become a great producer. He decided to plant more vines and to age Armagnac. He built inventory for eight years before he was able to sell. Fortunately he had funds from having already been successful in agriculture. My brother and I joined in the late 1990’s as the third generation.’

That initial family purchase was some 50 years ago. The family now owns about 250 acres (103 hectares) of vines, as well as an oak forest and a poplar grove. The poplars help regulate humidity during spring, when nearby lands receive ample moisture and rain from the Pyrenees peaks.

The Laubade estate includes seven separate cellars which hold Dame Jeanne green glass globes as well as 420 liter (111 gallon) barrels. The estate also ages oak staves from the Gascogne region on their property, which they then pass to a cooper each year to make barrels.

‘Armagnac is less known than Cognac. We want to offer something different that represents a genuine style of Armagnac, in order to defend it,’ Denis emphasized.

The family’s stately home sits before two cedar of Lebanon trees and a distant vista of the snow-capped Pyrenees peaks. Inside a sumptuous living room, we tasted two vintages with Denis. The 12-year-old Armagnac includes floral and peat aromas, and in the mouth complex tastes include figs. The 30-year-old includes mint, earth and prune aromas and tastes wispy light and balanced, with flavors of caramel, figs and prunes.

‘A complex rancio profile in the mouth,’ Denis mentioned, referring to high alcohol wines made with more oxygen than typical dry wines. ‘And the color is natural, unlike many whiskies where color is added.

‘We like high acidity and low alcohol in Armagnac to provide aging potential. The Folle Blanche grapes provide aromatics, the Baco is resistant to black rot and mildew, and Colombard—love it or hate it. It is peppery and spicy, but can also be dense and young.’

During the same trip we also visited Maison Janneau, a producer of double distilled Armagnac. Distillery manager Jean-Noël Dollet showed us tall copper stills before we tasted supple and elegant samples including rich flavors of green apples, prunes, chocolate and cherries.

Both aperitif and digestif. Armagnac is rich, complex and brimming with subtle flavors. Try sampling this oldest distilled spirit in the world not just as an alternative to Cognac, but as an addition to your cooking repertoire as well as a window to lesser known aspects of French culture and geography.