The Appelation Armagnac

Situated in the heart of Gascony, the Armagnac vineyard spreads from the southeast of Bordeaux over the 3 departments of the Gers, the Landes and the Lot-et-Garonne.

Armagnac , an eau-de-vie from white wine coming from white grapes :

A traditional vinification without any additives :

A vinification that leaves the acidic and low alcohol wine with its aromas and freshness just until the distillation stage.

The distillation

When ?

After the fermentation and before 31st January following the harvest.  A wine that is to be distilled must be low in alcohol and very acidic.

Distillation apparatus: the continuous armagnacais alambic counts for 95% of armagnac's production.

Description : In copper, patented in 1818 by the sieur Tellière, under the reign of Louis XVIII.

How it works : (1) Bring the wine of the year's harvest, (2) Fill the tank, (3) Flow of the wine down through the plates until it reaches the boiling chamber, (4) Rising of the eau-de-vie vapours, (5) Vapours go through the swan's neck pipe, (6) Transparent eau-de-vie leaves the alambic with an alcohol degree that varies from 53% to 60% vol.

Armagnac, its ageing in oak barrels :

An immutable process in several steps that takes place in a specific environment: the cellar

First stored in new oak barrels with a capacity of 400 litres, during a few years, just until the optimal dissolution of the components in the wood, the eau-de-vie can then be transferred into older oak barrels for a slower ageing

This mysterious alchemy between the oak barrel, the cellar master's work and the cellar, gives each Armagnac its identity.

 

Ageing parameters :

An important point for the preservation of the bottles :

Armagnac no longer ages once it is in the bottle. It is essential to keep bottle upright so that the eau-de-vie does not damage the cork.