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Armagnac ———The OTHER Brandy
Armagnac is a distilled grape brandy produced
in Gascony, France, and can only come from specific vineyards and approved
grape varieties grown within the region While all Armagnac (as well as its
neighbor Cognac) is Brandy, not all Brandy is Armagnac. Less known than Cognac, and about one half
the price, Armagnac not only offers value, but also is a more “hands on”
product. In production for 600 years, Armagnac is France’s oldest spirit. It is
excellent at the end of a meal, as an aperitif, an ingredient in luxury-recipes
or an accompaniment to food, especially the Asian-inspired variety.
Press Event Featured Armagnac Musketeers
Induction Ceremony of
HBO “Sopranos” Creator David Chase, PBS-TV
Host Mike Colameco,
Master Sommelier Roger Dagorn and Spirit
Journal Managing Director Paul Pacult
The
Bureau National Interprofessionel de l’Armagnac (BNIA), an organization
comprised of the top 10 Armagnac producers in France, has completed a very
successful two-day promotional tour in the U.S., which included special events
centered around Armagnac for retailers, sommeliers, press and
connoisseurs. Part of an ongoing series
of marketing and promotional tactics designed to raise awareness of the fine
French spirit known as the “haute couture” of all brandies, the road show
emphasized the spirit’s newfound popularity in the U.S.
“We
have reason to celebrate our recent efforts to promote Armagnac in the U.S.,
because we are now beginning to reach new consumers, beyond the brandy
connoisseurs that have enjoyed Armagnac for years,” said Sebastien Lacroix,
President of BNIA. “From President
George Bush sipping a 1946 vintage, to the television coverage and support
of our newest Armagnac Musketeers (Mr. Chase, Mr. Colameco, Mr Dagorn
and Mr. Pacult), Armagnac is poised for continual growth. We thank for being such an important part of
our success.”
On October 7 at the Tribeca Grand Hotel (2 Avenue
of the Americas, New York), BNIA hosted a full-day of activities for more than
200 leading spirits retailers, including top sommeliers from New York’s best
restaurants such as Jean-Georges and Ducasse.
The main attraction was a lecture from Steve Olson, a respected expert
and author known in some circles as “The Wine Geek”. Dedicated to the education and consultation of degustation for
appreciation and celebration, he teaches, lectures and writes about wine, beer,
spirits and sake, discussing their integral cause and effect relationship with
food. Olson also preaches the gospel of his mission: making tasting fun by
removing the intimidation factor and the pretense.
At the seminar, Olson discussed the history of Armagnac
and conducted an extensive tasting of more than eight brands in four different
categories: VSOP, XO, Tres Vieille Reserve and vintage from 1969. This helped demonstrate how Armagnac
eaux-de-vie are specific, hand-crafted, how the wood aging is important and the
particularity of Armagnac distillation, which results in the intense character
and abundant nose of France’s oldest brandy.
Olson described the convivial warmth of the people of Gascony , noting
that they live the longest of all French people, enjoying low stress thanks to
a combination of duck, foie gras and of course, armagnac. Finally, Olson
emphasized the fact that armagnac is the brandy of connoisseurs. Following the seminar, a reception was held
for over 300 trendy connoisseurs who sampled the spirit and tried a variety of
special Armagnac cocktails including Armagnac Charm (Armagnac, Champagne,
Orange Liquor), Armagnac Cloud (Armagnac, Baileys, Kahlua, Cream and Cinnamon)
and Armagnac Tonic.
Press Event: La Compagnie des Mousquetaires de
l’Armagnac Induction Ceremony Dinner
New
York City’s D’Artagnan Restaurant (152 East 46th Street), is not
only a personal favorite, but also the ideal venue for a ceremonial Gascony
dinner that was held for the press, in celebration of four new Mousquetaires
who were inducted into La Compagnie des Mousquetaires de l’Armagnac (Armagnac
Musketeers Club). This society of
Armagnac’s most loyal fans welcomed into its ranks David Chase,
acclaimed creator, writer, executive producer and director of HBO’s “The
Sopranos,” PBS-TV “Colameco Food Show” host and producer Mike
Colameco, award-winning sommelier Roger Dagorn and spirits industry
veteran and author Francois Paul Pacult, Managing Director of Spirit
Journal, Inc.
During
the dinner, a series of armagnacs were sampled. After a typical garbure (Gasconny soup), two cheeses and two
desserts were served with eight armagnacs.
Then, as an after dinner drink, each producer served its best vintage,
including some valued at more than $500 a bottle.
The
newest celebrity inductees, who were honored for their friendly promotional
public support of Armagnac, were presented with the group’s traditional medals
and colorful garb and were officially sworn into the organization. The Master of Ceremonies for the evening was
Mr. Jerome Canlorbe, President of FILOFAX, and a “Lieutenant” of the
organization. La Compagnie des
Mousquetaires de l’Armagnac’s members include respected producers of
the spirit and an elite group of individuals who have demonstrated outstanding
loyalty to Armagnac. Honored members
are comprised of those who are known to drink Armagnac publicly, privately and
often – and openly voice their preferences.
Notable members include jazz legend Wynton Marsalis, directors James
Cameron and Randall Wallace, actors Leonardo DiCaprio, Gabriel
Byrne, John Malkovitch and Jeremy Irons, US Ambassador to France Howard
Leach and Financier/Philosopher/Philanthropist George Soros, among
other famous American Musketeers.
David
Chase, a sought-after television
writer and Armagnac aficionado for many years, centered the plot of the popular
HBO series “The Sopranos’” episode # 45, “Everybody Hurts” around the
growth of the Armagnac business. An
appearance on this award-winning and highly popular program brought significant
visibility to the spirit. Chase is also
known to be seen sipping fine Armagnacs at his favorite restaurants.
Mike
Colameco, a foodie who discovered
the delights of Armagnac many years ago in Paris, recently devoted an entire
episode of his cooking show, “Colameco Food Show”, to Armagnac. He calls the show an “Armagnac 101” for the
American audience. The episode (set to air on PBS 13WNET, NJN and CPTV2 in New
York and New Jersey on October 12, 2003) introduces the viewer to Armagnac by
providing the history of the discovery of the eau de vie. During the program, Mr. Colameco visits
several top producers, including Armagnac Castarede, Armagnac Larresingle,
Armagnac Darroze and Armagnac Cames, and samples rare old vintages at Armagnac
Samalens. He also attends a special dinner at Armagnac Laubade which
included a ceremonial lighting of the alembic by the Mayor and has a tasting at
the National Armagnac Institute.
Throughout the episode, he demonstrates delicious food pairings,
including Magret of Duck with Duck Confit, sautéed potato and cabbage in
goosefat, root vegetables Ducasse style, with various Armagnacs. Later in the
season, he will highlight Armagnac again in an episode with the sommelier of
the Ducasse restaurant.
Roger
Dagorn, who joined Chanterelle
Restaurant in 1993 and is an Adjunct Professor on Wine Education at New York’s
CUNY College, has had an impressive career in wine and spirits. He is a highly sought-after lecturer and has
written extensively about wine. The
recipient of many prestigious awards, Mr. Dagorn was recognized by the James
Beard Foundation in 1996 wining the Outstanding Wine Service Award. In 1995, he was named Best Sommelier by New
York Press and in 1991, received the same honor from Chefs in America. In recent years, Mr. Dagorn has
educated many New York sommeliers and
importers’ sales staff about Armagnac.
Francois
Paul Pacult, another industry
veteran, is currently Managing Director of Spirit Journal, Inc., a
publishing, education and consulting company specializing in spirits. The Founding Editor and Publisher of the
Spirit Journal newsletter, Mr. Pacult authored two critically-acclaimed
books on spirits and beer. He is
Special Projects Editor at The New York Times Magazine, writes a Wine & Spirits column for the Delta
Airlines magazine, Sky, and serves as Contributing Editor and Spirits
Tasting Director for Wine Enthusiast. A fervent supporter of this
brandy, Mr. Pacult recognized 10 Armagnacs in his list of the “Top 100
Distilled Spirits of 2003”, and named
two Armagnacs in his “Top 10” list.
La
Compagnie des Mousquetaires de l’Armagnac is a 30-year-old brotherhood of people willing to
pledge their loyalty to France’s oldest eau de vie, which hales from the
Armagnac province that was immortalized by Alexander Dumas in his classic book The
Three Musketeers. Among the
organization’s founders is congressman Aymeri de Montesquiou a descendent of
Alexander Dumas, adding to the significance of the “Musketeer.”
We
were fortunate enough to do our own private tasting with Arnaud Lesgourgues,
president of Chateau De Laubade (a favorite of Wynton Marsalis) and Bruno Cames of Armagnac
Cames, one of the smaller makers, whose artisanal production is known for some
of th ebest proprietor Armagnacs found in the region. Besides the expectedly
wonderful food and great company, I can assure you that my long admiration of
Armagnac was confirmed. While I like Cognac, there really is no contest, when
value and quality enter the equation. Gascony is a land famed for its beauty, gastronomy
and rich history. Coincidentally, it is also the region with the highest life
expectancy in France. Is it a coincidence or a result of drinking the fabled
spirit? While, one can’t be sure, we are believers and rate Armagnac A Major
on the Walman Report.
§
§ Armagnac is a distilled grape brandy produced in Gascony,
France, and can only come from specific vineyards and approved grape varieties
grown within the region.
§
§ In production for 600 years, Armagnac is France’s
oldest “eau de vie” (spirit).
§ § The Gascogne region is a land famed for its beauty, gastronomy and rich history; it is also the region with the highest life expectancy in France.
§
§ The spirit was originally linked to alchemy, and
was revered for its medicinal properties.
§
§ Alexandre Dumas, author of The Three
Musketeers, immortalized this province in his classic novel.
§
§ Armagnac is produced only by small estates; most
are run by families who pass along the artisinal secrets of creating the spirit
from generation to generation. This
exclusivity ensures individual tastes in each different product.
§
§ Armagnac is created in a distinctive climate;
there is a long sunshine period at the foothills of the Pyrenees mountains, as
well as the influence of the Atlantic Ocean and the protection of 2,000,000
acres of forest.
§
§ The Eau-de-vie is made from the four main grape
varieties found in Gascony: Ugni-Blanc,
Folle Blanche, Columbard and Baco 22A.
§
§ The three sub areas of its region (Bas Armagnac,
Haut Armagnac, Tenareze) contain sands and clays rich in the iron known as
“boulbenes”, creating a uniquely rich product.
§
§ Armagnac is produced by a unique, continuous
single distillation process in traditional copper stills known as “Alembic
Armagnacias,” which were patented in 1818.
This process preserves the integrity of its flavors and aromas (fruity,
floral, spicy and earthy).
§
§ The alcoholic strength varies between 52% and 72%.
§
§ Distillation begins each year in November and ends
in February.
§
§ Armagnac is an all-natural product, with no
additives before fermentation.
§
§ Vintages are Armagnacs of 10 years or more that
are so exceptional, there is no need for blending.
§
§ Vintages are classified by the year the crop was
harvested, which is indicated on the label, and are often sold at their natural
percentage of alcohol (40-48%).
§
§ The aging takes place in black oak barrels from
the Monlezun forest in Gascony; the oak barrels give Armagnac its complexity –
special character, softness, roundness and color.
In order to make labels clearer to consumers, the Bureau National Interprofessionel de l’Armagnac offers the following guidelines:
§
§ Armagnac: Aged less than 6 years in oak barrels
§
§ Vintage: Unchanged
§
§ Blanch d’armagnac (white spirit): the distilled spirit with no
aging
§
§ Vieil Armagnac (old Armagnac): Blendings
aged more than six years in oak barrels
In
blends, the aging length of the youngest brandy determines the category
of the Armagnac:
§
§
Three Stars or V.S. (Very
Superior) – aged a minimum of 2 years
§
§
VSOP (Very Superior Old Pale) – 5
years minimum
§
§
XO (Extra Old, including Napoléon
and Vielle Reserve) – 6 years minimum
§
§
Hors d’âge – 10 years or more
§
§ Armagnac is not the same as Cognac.
§
§ The soils and climates where the two spirits are
produced are very different.
§
§ Armagnacs are often of better value than cognacs
for the same level of quality.
§
§ Armagnac is hand-crafted (family businesses) while
Cognac is more industrial.
§
§ Traditionally, Armagnac is served in a brandy
glass as a digestive at the end of a meal; it is often paired with chocolate,
fruit desserts, coffee and cigars. The
spirit is also served in several other ways, including:
“Floc De Gascogne” (Grape juice and Armagnac; 16% alc.) – a white or
rosé fortified wine served
as an aperitif with melon, foie gras or cheese, or
as a dessert.
“Trou Gascon” (Eau de vie blanche) – served ice cold as a
palate cleanser between courses or with
smoked salmon, foie gras or charcuteries.
Armagnac Cocktails –
with tonic, on the rocks, with Champagne and Grand Marnier and more.
§
§ It is a natural accompaniment to Gascogne cuisine.
§
§ Armagnac is a spirit on the rise, with new
consumers worldwide discovering the eau de vie, thanks to many promotions,
educational programs and marketing endeavors targeted to importers,
distributors, wholesalers, restaurants, students and journalists.
For more information, visit www.armagnac.fr
Suggested
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