Armagnac Trip
Armagnac is the oldest distilled water life in France
and in the past has been consumed for its therapeutic benefits. In the 14th century, before Vital Du Four, a cardinal, said he had 40 virtues:
It removes redness and eye burns and prevents tearing; it cures hepatitis, sober adhering consumption. It cures gout, cankers and fistula by ingestion; restores the paralyzed limb by massage; and heals the wounds of the skin by the application. He leads the mind, took part in moderation, recalls the past to memory, renders men joyous, preserves youth and delays senility. When kept in the mouth, it loosens the tongue and emboldens mind if someone shy from time to time allows it.
Between the 15th and 17th centuries, Armagnac was traded in the markets of Saint-Sever, Mont-de-Marsan and Aire-sur-Adour. Subsequently, the Dutch merchants began to promote trade more widely.
The Armagnac region is located between the rivers of the Adour and Garonne in the Pyrenees. Fallières the decree of May 25, 1909 describes the three districts:
• Armagnac
• Ténarèze Armagnac
• High Armagnac
The map of the vineyards of Armagnac
Grape varieties
The varieties listed in the specifications are white Baco B, the white lady B, Colombard B, mad-white B, fat B, white jurançon B, B mauzac, pink mauzac Rs, the Saint meslier -François B and Ugni Blanc B. In reality, only four of them have representative surfaces.
The Ugni Blanc (locally called the "Saint-Emilion"), is the most common. From Italy (where it is called Trebbiano toscano), introduced in the nineteenth century from Cognac, it allowed to reconstitute the vineyards devastated by phylloxera. Renowned for its acidity and its returns, but few aromatic, it is particularly suitable for making of brandy. In 2011, there are 3,024 hectares of planted Ugni Blanc in the Gers, Landes and hadans 299 176 ha in Lot-et-Garonne, part of which is used to produce local IGP (in assembly with more aromatic varieties) .
White Baco (also called the "Baco 22 A", according to the rank in the experimental nursery) hybrid Folle Blanche and American noah (it is a hybrid direct manufacturer), was created by François Baco, teacher Landes. This variety is a major producer, giving a fruity but foxy flavor (a little rough) to assemblies.
There are 436 acres of white Baco in the Gers and 241 ha in the Landes, serving only to make water spirits (the surfaces are cut).
Colombard gives very pronounced fruity aromas and spicy to assemblies. There are 5,714 hectares of planted Colombard in Gers (it is the white grape variety most present in the department, increasing), 373 ha in the Landes and 318 ha in Lot-et-Garonne: this variety is very minority in the assembly of Armagnac, it is primarily used to develop IGP Côtes de gascogne.
Mad-white ( "mad" because very vigorous) gives large amounts of acids and low alcohol wines, which makes it an excellent variety for them brandies. This grape was the basis of the vines before the phylloxera crisis; the difficulty of the graft and susceptibility to diseases that resulted have made it more rare. Its quality, however, is it to remain present in the vineyard:
there are only 101 hectares of white crazy in the Gers and 55 hectares in the Landes.
The Ugni Blanc 55% of the areas declared for the production of Armagnac, the Baco 22A 35% and 2% Folle Blanche. The other varieties are only relics of the Southwest varietals multitude distilled once and their surface is anecdotal.
Gradation
A VS, also known as three stars (***), is the youngest in the Armagnac family.
Very Superior Old Pale: very superior old pale. This is the accurate translation for this category of traditional native English-speaking traders.
Out of age and XO: Over 10 years. This is the minimum age of the youngest eau-de-vie in a Hors d'Age Armagnac. Often much older. The average age is normally beyond.