Cognac preparation technology. How French cognac is made

Cognac is considered one of the most famous and noble spirits. There is a very small number of men who would not appreciate this drink and would not give it preference against the background of many others. Yes, and women find it use in their pursuit of beauty. However, for many it still remains a mystery how and from what cognac is made. It's no secret that this drink comes from France. Its name comes from the name of the small town of Cognac, which is located in the south-west of France.

Cognac is a strong alcoholic drink that is the result of double distillation of white wine. After distillation, the drink is aged in oak barrels.

The technology of making cognac can be called art. The whole process of making cognac can be divided into several stages:

direct grape harvest;
pressing berries;
distillation;
aging in barrels;
mixing.

What is cognac made from? As a rule, the main grape for the production of cognac is white Ugni Blanc grapes. It is a high acid variety that matures slowly. Also, this grape can be described as characterized by resistance to diseases, and, as a result, high yields.

In addition to Ugni Blanc, according to the recipe for making cognac, varieties such as Colombard and Folle Blanche are also used. Each of the three grape varieties brings its own aroma to the bouquet of the drink. So, Ugni Blanc, endows it with floral aromas with subtle notes of spices. Folle Blanche - significantly improves the quality of the drink during aging, gives the smell of linden and violet, and Colombard - sharpness and strength. The grape harvest usually begins in October. Immediately after the end of the collection, they begin to squeeze the grape juice. Moreover, such presses are used for pressing, which do not crush the grape seed.

After the juice is sent for fermentation. Adding sugar during the fermentation process is strictly prohibited by law. This process lasts about 3 weeks and after it is over, wines containing 9% alcohol, as well as wines with high acidity, are sent for distillation.

This process is very difficult to describe and takes place in the so-called "Charentes still". As a result, cognac alcohol is obtained. This liquid must be aged in oak barrels for at least 2 years, and only then can it be called cognac. The maximum exposure time is unlimited. However, experts who are engaged in the production of cognac argue that the exposure of this drink for more than 70 years does not affect its merits in any way.

Oak barrels for aging this noble drink were not chosen by chance. Oak is very durable, has a fine-grained structure and high extractive qualities. Barrels are filled with alcohol and >placed in cellars for cognac maturation or aging. Only after that cognac gets on our table.

They drink cognac from special cognac glasses. First, for about 20 minutes, a glass of cognac is warmed with hands to enjoy the aroma of the drink.

Cognac is eaten with chocolate. Some gourmets claim that cognac goes only with chocolate, cigars and coffee. There is a widespread opinion in post-Soviet society that it is right to eat cognac with a slice of lemon. This is not entirely true, because this citrus has a very specific pungent taste, which will surely overpower the exquisite bouquet of cognac.

No matter how the creators of the most famous brands of fine and high-quality abut, the producers of “real cognac” on the international market are considered exclusively French. It was they who did everything possible to limit the production of a genuine drink by legislative and geographical boundaries. The production of an original drink called cognac is possible within the strictly regulated boundaries of the Charente region of the same name within 6 regions. Cognac is made by double distillation of white wine, mostly made from Ugni Blanc grapes and other varieties of the desired acidity, and then subjected to long aging in oak barrels. The creation and production of real cognac is comparable to a painstaking creative process and consists of strictly defined stages.

Studying this exciting topic, we propose to understand how and from what noble “French cognacs” are made.

Production of wine from varietal grapes

To achieve an excellent result in its production, it is customary to distill wines made from sour grapes. The main one is Ugni Blanc, which has proven itself in terms of productivity and resistance to all kinds of grape diseases. To a lesser extent, permitted varieties Folle Blanche, Colombard, and sometimes the hybrid Folignan are used.

Planted at intervals of at least 3 m, the vine is as open to the sun as possible. Next comes the obligatory harvest in October, either by machine or by a more prestigious and high-quality manual method. The grapes are then processed into must using horizontal or pneumatic presses and left for fermentation, further fermentation, and obtaining ordinary dry white wine from it.

double distillation

Within three weeks, the young dry wine is ready for primary distillation in the unchanged Charente cube of a peculiar shape. It is still distilled at high temperature to obtain raw alcohol with a strength of 27-32%. It must undergo a mandatory secondary distillation in a special cube in a volume of not more than 30 hectoliters. To obtain a high-quality cognac base, the master must make a very correct selection of the middle distillate fraction, clearly cutting off the “head” and “tail”. It is she who undergoes a long exposure in oak barrels, gradually turning into an excellent cognac. Officially, distillation ends on March 31, and the product is sent to cognac houses for further maturation.

Aging and maturation of cognac

For primary aging, cognac spirit is placed in barrels of century-old oaks grown in the French forests of Tronse and Limousin and are distinguished by their soft and medium porosity, respectively. In barrels of 350 liters, it can mature for an average of 50 years at a comfortable temperature of 15%. Since storage in cellars with natural moisture is a very important factor for its maturation, many of them are located on the river bank of the Charente. All this time, the drink, losing its strength and extracting natural extracts from the oak, is saturated with an amber color and forms its rich taste. Eliteness and its quality determine the aging time. After five years of aging, cognac spirits selected after assemblage are sent for sale under the VS and VSOP labels. And in the cellars, the best, according to experts, spirits remain to ripen, worthy for further production and blending of such cognacs of the highest categories as XO, and similar brands.
Gradually maturing in barrels and improving itself with the natural qualities of oak, it is constantly in contact with the air, constantly losing its "angels' share" in the form of alcohol vapor. After reaching the peak of maturation, it is poured to rest in old barrels, which practically do not disturb its taste, giving it nothing. When the master decides that he has reached his full maturity, he is poured into special glass dam-jons and corked for long-term storage of aged spirits in the most remote place of the cellar. This special place was dubbed Paradise by specialists. Placed in bottles, it can be stored unchanged for decades and much longer.

Assemblage

Finally, after many miraculous transformations in the production process, it is the turn of the blending of cognac spirits of various flavors and characteristics. This important stage is trusted exclusively by the master of the bouquet. Such an honorary title is awarded to a few professionals or, like the creators, only honored representatives of hereditary masters. With the help of assemblage, its unique taste and aroma are created, and the fortress of the necessary parameters is gently adjusted with water. At this stage, sugar and caramel are allowed to be added to bring the taste to inexpensive brands.

Production features

Despite the fact that the production technology of French cognac is approved at the legislative level, each of the manufacturers of famous brands has its own unique secrets that have been developed over the centuries.

Hennessy

One of the oldest elite cognac houses with its age-old traditions of the production of skates with an impeccable global reputation.

Producers are completely independent, with 620 hectares of their own vineyards.
Only cognac spirits of 4 regions of Petit Champagne, Borderies, Grand Champagne, and Fin Bois from Ugni Blanc grapes are distilled.
The company, following a long tradition, has accumulated the largest number of unique spirits of maximum aging, regularly replenishing their stocks in the best harvest years.
Its blend is distinguished by the use of about 60 spirits aged from 4.5 to 25 years in reused barrels and tannins that have lost some of them.
This achieves its delicate woody aroma and harmonious taste with honey and licorice notes.

Remy Martin

The success story of cognac produced by the greatest cognac house in France is closely connected with the centuries-old traditional features of its production.

The use of selected grapes from the best regions, taken in proportion according to the formula developed by talented winemakers for an ideal, in their opinion, product. At the initial stage, Ugni Blanc and Colombard should be 97%, and Folle Blanche - 3%.
To create a unique, but recognizable bouquet of taste allows strict adherence to the ancient methods of distillation.
Aging in Limousin oak barrels is one of the most important conditions for its further maturation. It is from it that he absorbs soft tannins and is saturated with distinct vanilla-woody notes.
The obligatory presence of spirits from Fine Champagne in the blend requires more than the generally accepted time for its exposure, but the wonderful notes in its taste are worth it.
Finally, everything ends with an incredible process of blending cognac spirits of different aging and sub-regions, which only its amazing creators can do.

Courvoisier

The legendary cognac, which became Napoleon's favorite drink more than a century ago, is still considered the standard. But the public is still aware of only some of the features of its production, and the main recipe for the best cognac brand is kept under the strictest confidence.

To contain the spirits of this elite drink, barrels are made from fine-grained wood species selected by the cognac master.
The alcohol is aged for about a year in special barrels, and matures in traditional wooden containers.
Production is strengthened and updated by microdistillation.
For the production of an elite drink at its 4 factories, grapes are taken, supplied under an agreement with more than a thousand vineyards of the best French regions.
Immediately before the launch of the batch for sale, it is obligatory tasting by a specialist.

A. de Fussigny, Selection

Cognacs from the Création collection, like the drink itself, provide an opportunity to fully experience the luxury of blending spirits from various wine regions.

This entire series has only eight years of exposure.
The distillery seamlessly combines an ultra-modern bottling system with classic distillation in copper stills.
The location of the cellars on the banks of the Charente River is just perfect for the maturation of this unique brand.

Bisquit

A very famous premium brand that can compete with such advanced brands as Hennessy and. Despite the frequent change of owners over its long history, it has accumulated and retained the unique features of its production, which guarantee the creation of a noble drink of amazing flavors.

It is made exclusively from Ugni Blanc grapes grown in the Charente region.
Passing a long double distillation in copper alambic Charantais, it acquires a special softness and depth.
The drink is aged in barrels of the best quality, as the Bisquit coopers are famous for their unsurpassed craftsmanship.

Despite the strictest regulated rules for the production of this primordially French drink, without talented work and great love for their work, the result would not have been so excellent. Its high price is always very impressive, but its wonderful taste and aroma is worth it.

Cognac is called a strong alcoholic drink, which is made from grapes using a technology specially developed for this purpose. The Dutch were the first to produce cognac.

How the best drinks in the world are made

Cognac production technology directly depends on the distillation process. It is done until the end of March after the harvest has been harvested. The distillation apparatus is made of copper: only this metal is able to withstand the action of tartaric acids.

Production consists of the following stages:

cultivation of special grapes;
collection and production of juice;
double distillation of wine;
primary exposure of the resulting alcohol;
long term exposure;
mixing various alcohols and adding water;
spill into a container.

Exposure is considered the last and most important stage of preparation, because it affects the high degree of quality of the product. It lasts at least 30 months, and can last up to 50 years or more. During this time, the drink receives a lot of oxygen, which affects the taste. The longer the exposure, the more expensive and better the product becomes.

Creating perfection - how cognac is made

Those who equate the production of cognac with art are right, because every sip of this drink gives an unforgettable experience. What does the production of cognac look like?

Special grapes for cognac are harvested only by hand. Then it is pressed, and the juice that has turned out is given to the fermentation process. Sugar is not added. A month later, the wine is given to the distillation process or, in other words, to distillation. Then, after a double boiling is performed in the distillation apparatus, cognac alcohol comes out from 70 to 73 degrees.

Chemical composition of cognac:

alcohols, organic acids;
tannin;
tannins;
ethyl ethers.

The production process of cognac is considered quite complicated. Alcohol is aged at a temperature of 16 degrees from 2 to 50 years in special barrels. During this time, all substances that impair its taste evaporate, while the concentration of alcohol only increases.

Six months later, the drink becomes golden in color with a light tint, saturated with tannins. And after a few years, cognac gets a mild taste with the aroma of vanilla, fruits and flowers.

After the maturation process has completely passed, the most difficult procedure starts - mixing cognac spirits of different aging periods and different yields in order to give the product aroma and taste. And at the end, the strength of the drink is reduced to 40 degrees with the help of distilled water.

About cognac production

Cognac production is a long and difficult process that requires not only special grapes, but also unique craftsmen and high-quality equipment.

Cognac technology is controlled by law, it is allowed to produce only in one French city called Poitou. All drinks that are created in other regions do not have the proud name of cognac. They are considered to be grape brandies.

So, what is cognac made from?

Cognac production technology has not changed for centuries. A drink made from the best grapes has always been considered an exquisite and expensive alcohol.

Grape varieties used in production:

folle blanche and uni blanc;
colombard;
blanc frame and semillon.

Usually the grape harvest begins in October, and the distillation of wine materials - from mid-November.

To answer the question of how cognac is made, you first need to remember that a real cognac drink can only be made in certain areas that are characterized by special soil and climatic conditions. It is important that the grapes themselves have enough essential oils, be without a spicy aroma and have a high juice content.

The production of cognac includes the following steps:

preparation of cognac wine materials;
distilling them into alcohol;
aging in oak wood;
blending and processing.

The quality of the material depends on the grape vine and on the agrotechnical and climatic conditions of the area. In addition, if there is enough potassium and phosphorus in the soil, then this definitely affects the color and taste of the wine, while the aroma becomes delicate and subtle, with an unusual aftertaste of fruit.

What are the requirements for cognac wine materials:

alcohol content - up to 7.5%;
yeast - up to 2%;
it is impossible to process wine with an indefinite smell and taste;
acidity must meet the required standards.

Such materials are stored in huge tanks, while the temperature should be up to 10 degrees.

How to distinguish a star drink from a fake

The technology for making a drink is considered a rather costly process. There will be no quick money back, and the cognac itself is produced for a long and difficult time. In addition, all ingredients used must be only of high quality, and the entire production process must be carried out strictly according to established rules.

How do you know what product was produced, good or bad? Make it simple. There are ways to distinguish a good product from a bad one. In particular, this is determined by the smell, when the aromas begin to manifest themselves one after another. First of all, you can feel the smell of oak, then - the aroma of tobacco and dried fruits. If the cognac is bad, then the smell will not change, but only disappear.

Attention, only TODAY!

Cognac is a strong alcoholic drink obtained as a result of distillation (distillation) of grape must, followed by aging of spirits in oak barrels. The drink has a color from light yellow to brown. Fortress cognac - from 40 degrees, energy value - 239 kcal per 100 grams.

It must be understood that in the international classification of alcoholic beverages, a certain brandy is called cognac. However, in Russia cognac is called a drink obtained precisely as a result of the distillation of grape must and subsequent aging in barrels.

Russia got the right to call the brandy produced in our country cognac thanks to Nikolai Shustov, who produced brandy at his factories in Yerevan and Odessa. At the world exhibition of alcoholic beverages, Nikolai Shustov's products took first place, Shustov's drinks were highly appreciated by all experts, French winemakers gave Shustov the right to call his brandy cognac.

Cognac or Armagnac - what's the difference?

There is also the difficulty of confusion between cognac and. How is it different from cognac? - this is one that was created in the province of Goskon; cognac is a brandy that is created in the province of Cognac in France, or on the territory of Russia or the countries of the former USSR.

Classification of cognacs and aging periods

There is a domestic classification system for cognacs, and a Western system.

More popular is the French classification:

S. (Very Special), Trois Etoiles, de Luxe, Selection - at least 2 years;
Superior - at least 3 years of exposure;
S.O.P. (Very Superior Old Pale), Vieux, Reserve or V.O. (Very Old) - at least 4 years;
V.S.O.P. (Very Very Superior Old Pale) and Grande Reserve - at least 5 years old;
O. (Extra Old), Vieille Reserve, Tres Vieux, Extra, Royal or Napoleon - at least 6 years.

The domestic system is much simpler: there are three types of cognacs in it - vintage, ordinary and collection. If the cognac is ordinary, then a certain number of stars are put on it, from three pieces. Cognacs less than three stars simply do not happen according to GOST. The number of stars means the aging time: if the cognac has three stars, then the alcohol languished in the barrel for exactly three years. If brandy is vintage, then it belongs to one of four groups:

KV - Aged cognac, over 6 years old
KVVK - Aged Cognac of the Highest Quality from 8 years of aging
KS - Cognac Old, from 10 years of aging
OS - Very Old, over 12 years old.

It is customary to refer to collection cognacs all cognacs with an aging age of more than 23 years.

How to choose cognac?

Buying cognac is limited solely by your budget. In Russia, you can buy high-quality brandy at a price of about 500-700 rubles per bottle. The main thing is to make sure that this is not a fake in front of you.

First of all, you need to understand for what purposes cognac is purchased. If you decide which cognac to buy as a gift, then you should choose cognac solely for price reasons.

If you choose brandy up to a thousand rubles, then in this case a good solution would be to purchase brandy "", "Armenui", "" or "Armenian symbol".
If you are interested in cognac up to three thousand rubles, then you should pay attention to such cognacs as cognac "", cognac "", "Ararat Ani" or 10-year-old cognac "". A good solution would be to purchase cognac "Sarajivili", "" or "Ararat Selected".
If you are not very limited in money, and are looking for cognac up to six thousand rubles, then in this case, first of all, you should pay attention to the “classics”: - real French cognac. It is also worth paying attention to VSOP, no less noble cognacs of known origin.
And, finally, if you are not financially limited, then it is worth buying (about 15 tr per bottle), as well as looking towards such cognacs as (about 12-13 thousand rubles), cognac (about 12-13 thousand rubles )

If you are going to buy cognac as a small gift, for example, to a doctor, then "" is a good solution. If you want to choose cognac just to close this position on the festive table, or you choose cognac to create cocktails, then in this case you can buy Keninsberg, Barclay, Great Dynasty or Praskovetsky cognac - this inexpensive and at the same time very high quality cognacs of the initial segment.

How and from which glasses to drink cognac and what to eat it with?

According to all the rules of etiquette, cognac is drunk from wide tulip-shaped glasses - snifters, which allow you to heat the cognac with the warmth of your palm on weight. The maximum level to which brandy can be poured into a glass is limited by the widest part of the snifter. As a rule, this is no more than 50 ml.

In Russia, it has long been customary to drink cognac from vodka glasses, crystal, transparent:

« This one was younger, simpler and sincere, had charming and very beautiful drank cognac from a glass". A.P. Chekhov "Kiss".
« In soft leather armchairs we sat around a small low table, drinking fantastic cappuccino and licking cognac from tiny shot glasses.". V.V. Kunin

Cognac is usually served at room temperature and warmed in the palms.

What to eat cognac? Russians have a nasty habit of eating cognac with lemon. In fact, you should never do this, since the lemon completely kills the entire aroma of the drink. The French use the rule of three "C": Cofe, Cognac, Cigare - coffee, cognac, cigar; Armenians - the rule of three "H": tea, chacha, cheburek.

Sometimes the absurd habit of biting cognac becomes a cause of ridicule:

« Tell me, dearest Grigory Efimovich, how did the emperor come to such a life that he doesn’t exist anywhere else, he eats cognac with herring and even, as I heard, drinks port wine with beer". V.Segal

Alcoholic cocktails with cognac

Cognac is a popular enough ingredient to create a huge variety of cocktails. Cocktails with cognac began to gain popularity from the middle of the 20th century. Initially, cognac was simply diluted with water, however, soon cocktails with cognac became more and more complex.

Cognac Champagne Cocktail: "English Champagne Cocktail"

The cocktail is quite popular and famous. Its distinctive feature is that each ingredient enhances the taste of the previous one, and does not interrupt it. To prepare a cocktail of cognac with champagne, we need:

champagne - 100 ml
cognac - 20 ml
cane sugar - 1 cube
beater angostura - a couple of drops

Cane sugar is placed in a champagne glass. In its absence, ordinary white is also suitable. Then a little beater is dripped onto the sugar, after which it is necessary to wait until the sugar absorbs the bitter tincture. After that, cognac and champagne are added to the sides, and, if necessary, decorate with an orange slice or lemon zest.

Cocktail with cognac "Coarnado"

To prepare a cocktail with Coarnado cognac, we need:

cognac - 20 ml
cream - 40 ml
peach liqueur - 20 ml
half a banana
chocolate chips

All ingredients are mixed in a blender, and then poured into a martini glass. Cocktail "Coarnado" can be additionally decorated with chocolate chips.

Cocktail with cognac "Alba"

To prepare a cocktail with cognac, we need:

cognac - 30 ml
orange juice - 30 ml
raspberries - tablespoon
orange slice

All ingredients are mixed in a blender, after which they are poured into a margarita glass. Alba cocktail is decorated with a slice of lemon or orange.

Cocktail with cognac "White Delight"

To prepare a cocktail with cognac "White Delight" we need:

ice cream - 200-250 grams
milk - 100-150 ml
banana - 1 piece
cognac - 25 ml

Everything is mixed in a blender. In fact, "White Delight" is a milkshake with cognac and banana.

Cocktail with cognac "Honeymoon"

This cognac cocktail is great for making at home. To create it you need:

cognac - 40 ml
Cointreau liqueur - 10 ml
white wine - 10 ml

All ingredients are mixed and poured into a glass.

How to check cognac for authenticity and distinguish a fake?

Today there are a lot of counterfeit products on the market, and it is extremely important to distinguish fake cognac from the real one. So, what should you pay attention to when checking cognac? How to recognize counterfeit cognac?

The simplest and easiest check is the presence of an excise stamp. The presence of an excise stamp does not mean that the cognac is real, but the absence of an excise tax on the bottle guarantees that you are facing a fake, possibly deadly.
It is worth paying attention to the label. On the original bottles of cognac, the label is embossed, has bumps, the inscriptions can be embossed. A crooked sticker, bad printing or bad label cutting is a guaranteed counterfeit.
real cognac is somewhat resinous - wood resins and tannins make themselves felt. To check cognac, simply turn the bottle upside down: if the bubbles rise up, as in water, then you have alcohol with tea in front of you. If large bubbles rise first, and then small ones, then in this case the probability that you are not dealing with fake cognac is higher.
And, of course, high-quality and real cognac simply cannot be cheap. If you buy cognac 30-40% cheaper than in a branded and trusted store, then you most likely have a fake. There is a lot of competition in the alcohol market, and, believe me, major market players already sell alcohol with a minimum mark-up, below which it is simply impossible to sell real and original cognac in Russia.
The smell of industrial alcohol is a 100% sign of counterfeit alcohol. This is a fairly simple check of cognac for authenticity.

Cognac is the leader among alcoholic beverages in terms of the share of counterfeit products. In the production of fake cognac, cognac alcohol is replaced with bread or potato alcohol, and synthetic and natural dyes and flavors are used to create the aroma and taste of cognac.

The effect of cognac on the body

Like any alcohol, cognac is drunk to relieve negative emotions and relax. But everything is useful in moderation.

Blood pressure drops from small doses of brandy: at small doses, up to 50-70 ml, brandy lowers blood pressure. However, a one-time abuse leads to the fact that after a while the vessels narrow more than they were originally, and the pressure rises sharply. In addition, the frequent use of alcohol (including cognac) leads to an increased heart rate, and, as a result, higher blood pressure.

Don't try to justify your alcoholism with medical facts. And even more so try to be treated with cognac. Cognac has never been recognized as a medicine, even if there are often rumors and myths about it.

Is cognac good for you? Cognac is useful if you drink it no more than 50 grams after a meal.

Cognac production technology

The main stages in the creation of cognac should be considered the preparation of cognac must and cognac wine materials, distillation or distillation of spirits, their aging in barrels and subsequent blending of already aged spirits.

The production of cognac is very similar to the production: the fundamental difference between cognac is that for cognac, grape pomace is used as a raw material, and for whiskey, dried malt is used.

Preparation of cognac must and wine materials

The preparation of wine materials for the subsequent distillation of cognac spirits practically does not differ from the preparation of dry white wines. The fundamental difference can be considered the absence of wine treatment with sulfates, which stop oxidation and fermentation. White wine, which will be used for distillation of cognac spirit, should have an almost colorless appearance (for white wines, a straw shade is allowed, for rosé wines - pink). The content of ethyl alcohol should not be less than 8%, the concentration of titratable acids - at least 4.5 g / l, volatile acids - at least 1.2 g / l.

Distillation and distillation of cognac spirits

Distillation allows you to increase the strength, obtain new chemical compounds in cognac, and also get rid of unnecessary substances. Cognac alcohol must contain a sufficiently large number of compounds, which in the future will determine the taste of the drink: esters, volatile and non-volatile alcohols, phenols, aldehydes, higher alcohols. In France, in the production of cognac, their total amount should not be less than 280 mg/100 ml of anhydrous alcohol, in Russia - at least 250 mg/100 ml of anhydrous alcohol.

One of the most important components of cognac is furfural, which is formed directly in the process of boiling wine: there is no furfural in wine, and it is formed under the action of high temperatures and as a result of dehydration of pentoses (pentose sugars).

The components of the enanth ester, cognac oil, fatty acid esters (capric and caprylic in the first place), as well as isoamyl alcohol, aromatic and terpene compounds further have the greatest influence on the taste of cognac.

Moreover, some substances do not get into the resulting cognac alcohol. Some of them simply do not evaporate, some settle on the walls of the distillation cube. In addition, for the production of cognac in the future, only the middle part of the alcohol is taken, with a strength of 62-70%. Compounds that have entered the lighter or stronger alcohol are simply removed.

Distillation can be carried out in:

in stills of the Charente type (as in the production of whiskey). In this case, there is a double distillation of raw materials;
in distillation stills of the Zabaryan system. In this case, the second distillation is not carried out;
in column installations with continuous supply of raw materials.

The cognac alcohol obtained as a result of distillation should have a colorless color, taste and aroma, devoid of impurities. The content of the main components must satisfy the following conditions:

ethyl alcohol - 62-70%
higher alcohols - 180-600 mg / 100 ml of anhydrous alcohol
aldehydes - 50-250/100 ml of anhydrous alcohol
volatile acids - no more than 80 mg / 100 ml
furfural - no more than 3 mg / 100 ml

The alcohol obtained as a result of distillation, if the ion satisfies these conditions, is sent for aging.

Cognac aging

Exposure is made in oak barrels created without glue and nails. Barrels, by the way, are the golden fund of each manufacturer and the cost of a barrel grows as the barrel ages. Barrels from the 18th century have been preserved in the cellars of French cognac producers. In places where barrels are stored, spiders are specially bred to protect the barrels from pests.

Not all cognac producers use barrels for this. In some cases, simple oak staves are used - large oak chips, which should serve as a source of tannins, while the sprit itself is stored in enameled dishes.

Excerpt cognac occurs at a temperature of 18-25%. In the first period of maturation, alcohols become yellowish, golden, in the future they acquire the color of strong tea; this is due to the oxidation of phenolic compounds that have passed into alcohol from wood. As a rule, cognac is first aged in new barrels, and then in old ones. The aging time in each barrel is determined as a result of laboratory tests and tastings.

Cognac aging is aimed at extracting tannins, oak tannins from wood, as well as their subsequent oxidation. As a result of oxidation, cognac has a “balsamic” smell. The bouquet of cognac is influenced by lactones (giving the cognac aging tones), coumarins (giving a recognizable woody tint), phenylethyl alcohol (giving the cognac a floral aroma).

Cognac blending

Cognac blending is a mixture of several already aged spirits. As a rule, alcohols of various aging ages are used, as well as softened water, alcoholized (middle-aged cognac spirits) and fragrant waters (“tail” distillation spirits), color, sugar syrup.

The resulting blend is poured into an oak container, which is also aged for up to a year. This process is called "marriage of spirits".

For blending, a huge amount of alcohol is used. For cognacs V.S.O.P. – up to 70 spirits from 4.5 to 25 years, for X.O. – 150 spirits aged 10-70 years, Paradis cognac uses 300 spirits aged 15 to 120 years.

The age of cognac is determined by the age of the youngest spirit. As for the average exposure time, the situation is as follows:

V.S - about 10 years.
V.S.O.P - about 20 years.
X.O. – about 50 years old.
Extra - about 60 years old.

After blending, cognac is exposed to cold, resulting in the formation of an insoluble precipitate. The aim is to obtain a cognac that will be resistant to reversible colloidal opacities when stored in bottles and at sub-zero temperatures. Processing takes place at a temperature of -10-14 degrees Celsius for 5-12 days. The precipitate is filtered. This process is also called cold filtration.

After cold filtration, the cognac is poured into glass containers and sent to the warehouse.

Making cognac at home

The process of industrial production of cognac is described a little higher. However, many are interested in the possibility of making and preparing cognac at home. It will not work to get real cognac, even of high quality, since high-quality cognac is, first of all, long-term aging and a high-quality blend of several alcohols. However, there are several recipes that allow you to get a drink that looks like cognac.

Consider the most interesting recipes for making cognac at home.

Cognac from moonshine, alcohol, chacha and vodka - the easiest recipe

There is no fundamental difference in the preparation of cognac from alcohol, moonshine and vodka. To prepare such cognac, we need:

vodka / moonshine / chacha / alcohol - 1 liter
oak bark - 4 teaspoons
ground nutmeg - a third of a teaspoon
cloves - 5 pcs.
vanilla sugar - a third of a teaspoon
plain sugar - 2 tablespoons
black tea - 3 teaspoons

You can buy oak bark at a pharmacy or make your own. Tea should be taken black, without flavorings. The alcohol base - vodka, chacha or alcohol - must be clean. Moonshine should preferably also be clean and be produced with a dry steamer - otherwise the cognac will have a distinct fusel and bready taste of kvass.

Making cognac at home:

First you need to make caramel from white sugar. Sugar is poured into an aluminum dish and slowly heated over a fire. Sugar should be constantly stirred, otherwise it will start to burn. After the formation of brown caramel, it is better to remove the dishes from the stove. Caramel will be used as a dye.
After that, water, vodka (alcohol or moonshine), and other ingredients must be added to the same pot. It is better to pour vodka last, as it will quickly lose alcohol from hot caramel. The resulting composition must be thoroughly mixed, and then left for a month in a dark place.
During the month, it is desirable to constantly stir the sediment in order to obtain the most homogeneous drink.
After a month of aging, homemade cognac must be filtered through cheesecloth.

Recipe for homemade brandy from grapes

Making homemade cognac from grapes is a more complicated recipe, but the resulting drink will be of much better quality.
First of all, you need to get wine. You can make it yourself, or you can use inexpensive store-bought wine. After that, it must be distilled through a distiller twice or thrice - the more distillation cycles, the better the quality of alcohol, however, its quantity decreases.
After the first distillation of the wine, it is necessary to measure the strength and find out the amount of pure anhydrous alcohol. In 10 liters of 63% distillate - exactly 6.3 liters of pure alcohol. This number must be remembered.
During the second distillation, it is necessary to collect the first 10% of the resulting alcohol (in our case, 630 ml). This amount of the first alcohol is called the "head", this alcohol must be poured out. It contains a fairly large amount of harmful substances, including methanol and acetone. The second distillation must be carried out until the strength of the resulting alcohol falls below 45%. As a result, we get a fairly high-quality cognac spirit. As a result, brandy alcohol should have a strength of 42-45%.

It should be noted that up to this stage, the recipe for creating homemade cognac almost completely corresponds to the industrial process technology.

After that, the insistence begins. And if well-known world brands carry out the infusion of their spirits in a barrel, then we use oak chips.
Unlike the first recipe for making cognac at home, you can’t take wood chips in a pharmacy - you need to find an oak tree yourself and get wood chips. Moreover, before use, it is necessary to let the wood chips rest for several months in the fresh air in order to reduce the natural amount of phenols inside the wood - a freshly cut tree has too many tannins.
Wood chips must be put in three-liter jars and filled with alcohol. Keeping them that way is worth at least a year.
After aging, it is necessary to color the cognac in a noble brown color. As in the previous recipe, this is best done with sugar color.

History of cognac

World history of cognac

1701 is considered to be the official start date for cognac production. The history of this drink is quite interesting. Since ancient times, the city of Cognac has been famous for the fact that a huge number of vineyards grew here, which inevitably led to the emergence of wineries. In the XIII-XV centuries, wines from the suburbs of the city of Cognac were popular with Flemish and Dutch merchants. However, there was one problem: it was the frequent deterioration of wines associated with the constant fluctuations in temperature and humidity, typical for transportation by sea.

French winemakers decided to use distillation - obtaining wine spirits that did not deteriorate over time during transportation (at a high concentration of alcohols, mold did not start in them); upon arrival, water was simply added to the spirits until the usual wine strength was obtained.

Due to frequent wars, the sale of wine was not a very stable business. Therefore, a large number of spirits were stored in oak barrels for a long time. It was noticed that such alcohols not only lost their strength, but also began to have new taste and aromatic qualities. The new drink had a more delicate taste, was more refined and pleasant than just wine alcohol diluted with water.

Cognac received the greatest development in the second half of the 19th century, when a huge amount of cognac was produced in France. At the same time, in England, in particular in Scotland, the whiskey market was developing in a similar way; as has been repeatedly said above, cognac and whiskey are related drinks.

History of cognac in Russia

The first distillation of wines was carried out in Russia at the beginning of the 19th century, with a slight delay in relation to world experience. This happened in the North Caucasus, in the city of Kizlyar - the alcohol obtained as a result of distillation - it was called "kizlyarka" - after aging in barrels was almost identical to cognac.

The first Georgian cognac was created by the outstanding inventor G.K. Bolkvadze, who also opened the first distillery. His "Natural Caucasian cognac" was awarded in 1878 18 medals and 5 Grand Prix at the World Exhibition in Paris. Industrial production was established by D.Z.Sarajishvili, who was the first to create a plant for the production of cognac. He built factories in Tbilisi and Kizlyar, Yerevan and Geokche.

Another well-known producer of cognac was N.P. Shustov: it was he who controlled the alcohol market in Moscow, and also sold drinks in other large cities of the Russian Empire.

The distribution of domestic cognacs was strongly hampered by high competition with French products, which were massively imported from abroad. However, despite this, the Russian Empire saw the growth of distilleries until 1914. By 1916, the policy of excise stamps and prohibition almost completely suspended the production of cognac and the development of the industry.

In 1936, the wine-making activity was under the control of the People's Commissariat of the Food Industry, and from 1936 to 1947, a fund of cognac spirits was created. In 1948, the production of cognac was separated into a separate industry, and a rapid growth in production began. In 1965, the documents "Technological instructions for the production and quality control of cognac", as well as "Basic rules for the production of cognac" were developed.

After the collapse of the USSR, Russia lost a large number of its own factories. To date, the largest plants are the Kizlyar plant, the Derbent plant, the Novokubansky and Khutorok state farms, Praskovetsky, Prokhladnensky

List of all cognac brands

List of brands of Abkhaz cognacs List of brands of Azerbaijani cognacs List of brands of Armenian cognacs

The technology by which genuine cognac is produced is a rather complex, multi-stage process, sometimes acquiring the features of true art.

Over the five hundred year history of this drink, a number of rules and canons have been formed, strictly observed by the modern descendants of many generations of old masters. Some of these rules are even reflected in today's French law.

Pressing, fermentation and distillation

Cognac production technology, as a rule, involves the use of a special variety of white grapes "Ugni blanc". With high acidity and a relatively slow ripening period, this grape is characterized by high yields and resistance to various diseases and pests. Some small cognac enterprises use Colombard, Folle blanche and Montil for their needs. However, these grape varieties, which give brighter, more aromatic and richer grape spirits, are extremely capricious and require careful care.

Immediately after the grape harvest, which takes place in October, the grapes are sent to the winepress. Only horizontal pneumatic presses are used here for squeezing juice, since the operation of these devices, unlike screw ones, does not lead to crushing of grape seeds.

Next, the squeezed juice is fermented. This process takes approximately three weeks. At the same time, it is strictly forbidden to add any sugar to the wort. As a result, a young, very sour wine is obtained, having a strength of 10 degrees, which is subjected to distillation.

The distillation of the resulting wine into alcohol is carried out in archaic, but not less effective, copper alambicas. At this stage, the future cognac undergoes a double distillation. After the first distillation, raw alcohol with a strength of 27-32 degrees is obtained, which is subject to re-processing. It is at this moment that the fate of the future drink is decided, which entirely depends on the sophistication of the master distiller. The fact is that re-distillation involves the competent isolation of the so-called middle alcohol fraction, the only one suitable for subsequent conversion into cognac. This part of the distillate, with a strength of 68-72 degrees, safely separated from the alcohol "head" and "tail", eventually ends up in the famous cognac cellars of the French province of Charente.

Aging and blending

Carefully selected cognac spirits are aged in special handmade barrels made from the famous Limousin and lesser known Tronsey oak. At the same time, before filling with alcohol, the barrels are fired. This is done to soften the wood in order to facilitate the process of interaction between alcohol and the container containing it.

The drink “ripens” in special cognac cellars. The aging period varies between two and seventy years. In principle, you can do this longer, but the quality of cognac will not be affected by further stay in the barrel.

During its confinement, the drink, with the ease inherent in grape spirits, absorbs the substances contained in oak wood, which gives it a characteristic color, taste and smell. Interestingly, the parameters of cognac are also affected by the level of humidity maintained in the cellar. The lower the humidity, the harder and more structured the drink becomes, the higher it is, the more rounded and softer the taste becomes.

Upon reaching the planned age, alcohol from the barrel is poured into large glass bottles, after which it is transferred to the part of the cellar called paradise. Here, the drink can be stored for an indefinite amount of time until required.

The blending method is used to create the majority of cognac brands produced on an industrial scale. In order to give the drink the stable qualities inherent in a particular brand, alcohols obtained from several grape harvests are mixed. The aging period of such a blended drink is determined by the age of the youngest of the alcohols that make up its composition.

If, however, when creating cognac, alcohol obtained from the harvest of one year was used, then such a drink is called millezim. It is valued much higher, but it is subject to much more careful state control.

At the end of the cognac manufacturing process, bottles with less demanding drinks go to supermarkets, specialized stores or duty free boutiques. The more respectable inhabitants of cognac cellars return to the local paradise, where they can painlessly wait for their buyer for centuries.