France - Cognac/Armagnac/Calvados

Question 1

What is the only hybrid grape allowed in an AOC in France?

Answer 1

Baco - in Armagnac

Question 2

What are the age indicators for Armagnac?

Answer 2

All below age indications refer to the youngest Armagnac in the blend.
VS / ***: 1-3 years old
VSOP / Napoléon: min 4 years old
XO: min 10 years old
Hors d'Age: min. 10 years old
XO Premium: min. 20 years old

Question 3

How old is VS Armagnac?

Answer 3

1-3 years old

Question 4

How old is VSOP Armagnac?

Answer 4

Min 4 years old

Question 5

How old is Napoléon Armagnac?

Answer 5

Min 4 years old

Question 6

How old is XO Armagnac?

Answer 6

Min 10 years old

Question 7

How old is Hors d’Age Armagnac?

Answer 7

Min 10 years old

Question 8

How old is XO Premium Armagnac?

Answer 8

Min 20 years old

Question 9

What is the oldest age designation for Armagnac?

Answer 9

XO premium

Question 10

In vintage Armagnac, what does the vintage refer to?

Answer 10

The date of harvest, not distillation

Question 11

What is the local name for Ugni Blanc in Cognac?

Answer 11

St. Émilion

Question 12

What are the 4 large Cognac houses, and parent companies?

Answer 12

Hennessy (LVMH), Martell (Pernod Ricard), Courvoisier (Suntory), and Rémy Martin (Remy Cointreau)

Question 13

Name 5 quality Cognac producers (beyond the big 4)

Answer 13

Camus, Hine, Delamain, Pierre Ferrand, Navarre, Guillon Painturaud

Question 14

What is the newest age designation in Cognac?

Answer 14

XXO Cognac - min. 14 years

Question 15

What does “Fine Champagne” mean in Cognac?

Answer 15

min. 50% eaux-de-vie sourced from Grande Champagne, with the remainder sourced from Petite Champagne

Question 16

XO Cognac must be at least what age?

Answer 16

10 years - increased from 6 years in 2018

Question 17

What are the various terms for Cognac with at least 6 years aging?

Answer 17

Napoléon / Extra / Royal / Très Vieux / Vieille Réserve:

Question 18

Cognac with min. 5 years aging may be called:

Answer 18

VVSOP / Grande Réserve

Question 19

What are the three terms for Cognac of at least 4 years aging?

Answer 19

VO / VSOP / Réserve

Question 20

The term “Supérieur” on a Cognac means it has been aged for how long?

Answer 20

a minimum of 3 years

Question 21

What terms may be used for Cognac with 2 years of age?

Answer 21

VS / *** / de Luxe / Grand Choix / Surchoix:

Question 22

What grapes are permitted in Cognac?

Answer 22

Colombard, Folle Blanche, Montils, Sémillon, Ugni Blanc; plus a max. 10% Folignan (Folle Blanche x Ugni Blanc)

Question 23

Which grapes are being phased out in Cognac (by 2020)?

Answer 23

Jurançon Blanc, Meslier-St-François, and Sélect

Question 24

Min. alcohol and aging of Cognac?

Answer 24

40%, min. 2 years in oak

Question 25

If Cognac is labeled with a subzone, what percent of the eaux-de-vie must from from that zone?

Answer 25

100%

Question 26

Soils of Grande and Petite Champagne

Answer 26

Limestone and soft chalk

Question 27

Soils of Fins Bois?

Answer 27

"groies" (hard red limestone) and clay

Question 28

Soils of Bons Bois and Bois Ordinaires:

Answer 28

Sand

Question 29

When was the Cognac AOP established

Answer 29

1936 - area delimited in 1909

Question 30

What are the four AOPs for Armagnac?

Answer 30

Bas Armagnac, Armagnac-Ténarèze AOC, Blanche Armagnac AOC, Haut Armagnac AOC

Question 31

What still types are allowed in Armagnac?

Answer 31

Continuous Still (Alembic "armagnacais"), copper pot still (must go through 2 distillations)

Question 32

Aging for Blance vs. Haut/Bas/Tenereze Armagnac

Answer 32

Blanche is 3 mo. in inert container, no color additives may be used. Haut/Bas/Tenereze must age for a min. 1 year in oak.

Question 33

Soil types in Armagnac

Answer 33

Haut - Chalk, clay, limestone; Tenereze - clay-limestone, boulbenes; Bas - silicious-clay soils with sand and boulbenes

Question 34

Who produces a Grande Champagne cognac?

Answer 34

Delmain

Question 35

Name an Armagnac producer from each subzone:

Answer 35

Bas: Château de Laubade; Haut: Château Arton (Haut armagnacs are few and far between); Château de Pellehaut

Question 36

Which armagnac region producers the most?

Answer 36

Bas

Question 37

Name 5 high quality Calvados producers

Answer 37

Christian Drouin, Adrien Camut, Eric Bordelet, Lemorton, Dupont