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Master Sommelier Theory 2025 > Spirits - French > Flashcards

Spirits - French Flashcards

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1
Q

What is the ABV for Cognac’s base wine?

A

must be 7-12%

target range is 8.5% to 9.5% ABV

may NOT be chaptalized

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2
Q

List the areas of production for Cognac

A

Grande Champagne,
Petite Champagne,
Borderies,
Fins Bois,
Bons Bois, and
Bois Ordinaires (Bois à Terroirs)

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3
Q

Cognac soil type by region

A

Grande and Petite Champagne: limestone and soft chalk

Fins Bois: groies (hard red limestone) and clay

Bons Bois and Bois Ordinaires: sand

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4
Q

What are the main grapes for Cognac?

A

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

usuasly made from a single variety, unlike Armagnac

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5
Q

In what kind of still is Cognac distilled?

A

Cognac is distilled twice in an alembic Charentais copper pot still

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6
Q

What are the two fermentations in Cognac called?

A

The first distillation, or premiere chauffe produces a spirit of 28% to 32% ABV called the brouillis. Several batches of brouillis are returned to the boiler to be distilled again, to extract the “soul” of Cognac.

The second distillation, or bonne chauffe, is divided into several parts: the têtes (heads), coeur (heart), secondes (second cut), and queues (tails).

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7
Q

Cognac age designations

A

VS (Very Special) or *** indicates at least 2 years in cask,

VSOP (Very Special, or Superior, Old Pale) indicates at least 4 years in cask, and

XO (Extra Old) currently indicates at least 10 years in cask.

because Cognac is often a blend of several vintages, the age statement refers to the YOUNGEST portion of the blend

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8
Q

What is Fine Champagne Cognac?

A

min 50% eau-de-vie from Grande Champagne, remainder from Petite Champagne

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9
Q

What are the regions of production for Armagnac?

A

Haut-Armagnac, Bas-Armagnac, and Armagnac-Ténarèze.

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10
Q

Armagnac allowed grapes

A

Ugni Blanc, Baco Blanc, Blanc Dame, Colombard, Folle Blanche, Graisse, Jurançon Blanc, Mauzac, Mauzac Rosé, Meslier Saint-François,

Armagnac is usually a blend, unlike Cognac

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11
Q

Armagnac base wine ABV

A

7.5-12%

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12
Q

How is Armagnac distilled? How does it affect the resulting spirit?

A

Most Armagnac is distilled once in a copper continuous still. This produces a more flavorful, less pure, and less alcoholic spirit than double distillation in a pot still

it may also be distilled twice in a pot still

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13
Q

Armagnac continuous still - size

A

Continuous stills may include 2 or 3 boilers, but may not exceed 40 hl capacity

Spirit produced in the continuous still may not exceed 1.5 times the size of the boilers

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14
Q

Armagnac ABV after continuous still

A

52%-72% abv

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15
Q

Armagnac pot still - size

A

first: 140 hl (5% tolerance), volume of base wine not exceeding 120 hl

second 30 hl (5% tolerance), volume of spirit not exceeding 25 hl

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15
Q

Armagnac pot still - ABV after second distillation

A

65%-72% abv

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16
Q

Armagnac age designations?

A

VS or *** indicates that the spirit rested in barrel for between 1 and 3 years,

VSOP signifies 4 to 9 years of age, and

XO or Hors d’Age denotes spirits that spend at least 10 years in barrel.

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17
Q

What is petits eaux?

A

A mixture of distilled water and Armagnac added to the blend of Armagnac or Cognac prior to bottling, to achieve the appropriate strength of spirit

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18
Q

List 3 Armagnac producers

A

Delord
Chateau de Laubade
Chateau de Millet

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19
Q

Define Calvados? List the AOPs

A

an eau-de-vie distilled from apple and pear cider and produced in the Normandy region of northern France

Calvados AOC, Calvados Domfrontais AOC, and Calvados Pays d’Auge AOC.

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20
Q

Calvados distillation and aging?

A

Calvados is traditionally distilled twice in a copper pot still and aged in oak casks.

Fine / Trois Étoiles / Trois Pommes / VS: min. 2 years old
Vieux / Réserve: min. 3 years old
VO / VSOP / Vieille Réserve: min. 4 years old
Hors d’Age / XO / Très Vieille Réserve / Très Vieux / Extra / Napoléon: min. 6 years old

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21
Q

Describe the difference between the Calvados appellations

A

Calvados Pays d’Auge is the premier region of production and limits perry (pear cider) to a maximum 30%.

Calvados Domfrontais, the most recent appellation, requires a minimum 30% perry and a minimum three years of aging in cask.

Calvados Domfrontais is always produced by continuous distillation.

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22
Q

What are typical yields for cognac wine?
maximum?

How much distillate is this?

A

100 hl / ha

results in about 10 hl/ha of distillate
maximum 16 hl/ha of alcohol

because of this, vines aged 20-30 years are optimal, anything 35-40 years and older are pulled because production is too low

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23
Q

Why did Ugni Blanc replace Folle Blanche as the preferred grape for Cognac?

A

Folle Blanche was ideal because of it’s high acid and lower alcohol, resulting in aromatic, elegant distillate. However, the Folle Blanche vines did not take well to American rootstock following phylloxera- it’s bunches were too small and prone to rot. Ugni Blanc performed much better on the new rootstock

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24
What are benefits and drawbacks of using copper stills in Cognac?
copper is a material that is easy to work with, an excellent conductor of heat, and unlikely to be damaged by fire or acidic substances. Copper also fixes the fatty acids in the wine, creating a hazy solid that can be filtered out after the first distillation. It reacts with many undesirable sulfur compounds, ensuring that they do not end up in the final brandy. Yet this reactivity is also the main drawback of using copper; stills typically have a life span of only around 50 years.
25
What is the premiere chauffe? How long does it take? abv after?
the first distillation in Cognac, takes up to 12 hours to distill and yields a brouillis that is about 26% to 32% ABV.
26
What is the bonne chauffe? How long does it take?
Second and final distillation in Cognac. The bonne chauffe takes up to 14 hours to distill, with 25 hectoliters of brouillis typically yielding about 7 hectoliters of brandy. The first portion that comes out, the têtes, is full of impurities and often set aside. The coeur starts to flow at around 78% ABV and is cut off at around 60% ABV, yielding a brandy at a maximum average ABV of 73.7%. Typically, the coeur is drawn off at 17 to 20 degrees Celsius, since most of the unwanted compounds were removed when the brouillis was distilled.
27
what is the product of the premiere chauffe?
brouillis
28
Describe the character of Tronçais oak in Cognac production
Tronçais oak tends to be mostly sessile, from very tall, old trees. Its grain is extremely fine, about one millimeter, and its tannins are not as easily extracted as those of Limousin oak, but Tronçais oak does add fine aromas of wood, coconut, and clove
29
Describe the character of Limousin oak in Cognac production
The preferred style today Limousin oak tends to be pedunculate, with a wider grain of about three to four millimeters, which allows it to let more air in and allows for more tannins to be extracted, making it less suitable for cheaper Cognacs, which can absorb too much tannin too quickly. Conversely, this higher concentration of tannins makes Limousin oak ideal for long-aging brandies
30
What type of barrel might you use for Cognacs aging longer periods?
Limousin is preferred- higher concentration of tannins
31
What is the most commonly used size of barrel to age Cognac?
350 L 270 L - 450 L are allowed to be used though
32
Why is a humid environment ideal for aging Cognac?
Humidity promotes more alcohol loss in the angel’s share without reducing the aromatic content of the brandy, accelerating aging and creating a mellow, rounded Cognac. A drier chai will promote more water loss, leading to a spirit that will retain a youthful character. This is why Cognac's chais are located close to the Charente River
33
name for Cognac barrel house
Chai
34
What are the 7 age designations of cognac?
35
Why is Perry typically off dry?
Compared to cider apples, pears for perry have a relatively higher content ratio of sorbitol to other sugars, such as fructose. Because sorbitol is not readily fermented by yeast, it is not converted to ethanol, so perry tends to have more residual sugar than cider produced from the fermentation of apples
36
What additives are allowed in Cognac and Armagnac?
Sugar, Caramel, and Oak Chips may be used for final adjustment and coloring Distilled and de-mineralized water may be added to reduce alcohol prior to bottling
37
Part of Cognac cellar where producers mature the best and oldest Cognac
the paradis
38
What does the year indicate on vintage dated Cognac?
year of harvest, not the year of distillation
39
Cognac min alcohol
min 40% abv same for Armagnac
40
Armagnac min abv
40% same for Cognac
41
synonym for Ugni Blanc in Cognac and Armagnac
St. Emilion (trebbiano toscano)
42
Cognac VS aging
also *** / Sélection / VS / De Luxe / Very Special / Millésime: 2 years from April 1 year following harvest
43
Cognac Superieur aging
3 years
44
Cognac VSOP aging
4 years also Reserve / Vieux / Rare / Royal
45
Cognac Vielle Reserve aging
5 years also Reserve Rare / Reserve Royale
46
Cognac Napoleon aging
6 years also Très Vieille Réserve / Très Vieux / Héritage / Très Rare / ‘Excellence / ‘Suprême
47
Cognac XO aging
10 years also Hors d'Age and Ancestral
48
Cognac XXO aging
14 years
49
Armagnac VS aging
1-3 years also ***
50
Armagnac VSOP aging
4 years also Napoleon
51
Armagnac XO aging
10 yeaars
52
Armagnac Hors d'Age aging
10 yeaars
53
Armagnac XO Premium aging
20 years
54
Vintage Armagnac rules
vintage indicates year of harvest, not year of distillation min 10 years in oak
55
Armagnac max yields
12 hl/ha of pure alcohol (Cognac is 16)
56
Armagnac Tenareze AOC soil
clay-limestone and boulbenes
57
Haut Armagnac AOC soil
chalk, clay, limestone
58
Bas Armagnac AOC soil
silicious-clay soils, sand, and boulbènes
59
Blanche Armagnac AOC what is it? aging additives
no color additives distilled and de-mineralized water may be added to reduce alcohol prior to bottling must be aged in inert containers for a min. 3 months (the final spirit must be colorless)
60
Esprit de Cognac AOC what is it?
AOC for very strong Cognac- made from a 3rd distillation in Alambic Charentais still min 80% abv no aging requirements ONLY used for production of sparkling wines to adjust final alcohol content
61
Fine de Bourgogne AOC grapes
Blanc: Aligoté, Chardonnay, Melon, Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc, Sacy, Sauvignon Blanc Rouge: César, Gamay, Gamay de Bouze, Gamay de Chaudenay, Pinot Noir N, Tressot BUT no grape may be mentioned on the label
62
Fine de Bourgogne AOC base wine requirements
Created from the lees-saturated wine left over after racking. Total amount sent to distillery must be less than or equal to 3% of total wine produced.
63
Fine de Bourgogne AOC how is it distilled?
both copper pot and column stills may be used min 72% after distillation
64
Fine de Bourgogne AOC aging
min 3 years in oak barrels less than 60hl Vielle: 4 years Tres Vielle: 6 years Hors d'Age: min 10 years
65
Marc d'Alsace AOC aging
min 3 months aging may not age in wood
66
Marc d'Alsace AOC grapes abv
Gewurztraminer min 45%
67
what is Pommeau?
mix of apple juice and apple brandy - like a mistele - then aged for around 2 years at a min made in Bretagne and Normandie finished product is 16-18%
68
Lambig
a Breton brandy produced by distilling cider. ages min 2 years in oak. also called Fine Bretagne (like Calvados in Normandy)
69
Cognac still capacity - first distillation
The still used for the first distillation must not exceed a capacity of 140 hl (5% tolerance), with a volume of base wine not exceeding 120 hl
70
Cognac still capacity - bonne chauffe
The still used to distill the bonne chauffe must not exceed a capacity of 30 hl (5% tolerance), with a volume of spirit not exceeding 25 hl
71
Cognac - abv after bonne chauffe
(second distillation) no more than 73.7% alcohol
72
when must Cognac distillation be completed?
by March 31 year following harvest aims to keep base wines fresh, as sulfur dioxide is not allowed
73
what percentage of grapes must come from a Cognac subzone listed on the label?
i.e. Grande Champagne 100%
74
what is "early landed" Cognac
Comes from the phrase “early landed, late bottled”. Cognac that is partially aged in the AC but shipped in barrel to another country to continue aging/be bottled (historically England) *a common historic practice, although Hine (and sometimes Delamain) is the only player doing it now in significant capacity. Cognac must age at least 2 years in the AC then can depart to wherever
75
oldest Cognac house
Martell, est 1715
76
who created Cognac's subzones?
Henri Coquand in the 1850’s - first to conduct geological studies of this kind for any winegrowing region
77
most planted subzone of Cognac?
Fins Bois around 34,000 ha
78
Premier Cru de Cognac
unofficial term for Cognac from Grande Champagne
79
Cognac grower-producer
Bouilleur de Cru
80
Cognac negotiant
Bouilleur de Profession
81
why are spirits from Column stills more neutral?
In continuous distillation, specific chemical components can be continuously drawn out the column along their way through the different trays, that will serve as concentration zones. As a result, and if the column offers sufficient tray capacity, great levels of “purity” can be reached using a column still. This essentially means that the distillate will highly be concentrated in ethanol and neutral in taste, once stripped from other chemical elements.
82
Cucurbite
name for the pot part of the pot still - or the boiler
83
what is the Chapiteau in Cognac
or the "hat" of the pot still - creates a first condensation within the still, holding back heavier vapours
84
Col de Cygne
or swans neck - part of the pot still. links chapiteau to condenser
85
what is a Serpentin in Cognac
aka the coil or worm- part of the condenser that feeds spirit into the spirit safe
86
what is the product of the bonne chauffe?
(second distillation in Cognac) produces eau-de-vie
87
Martell style vs Hennessy style
Martell removes a significant portion of the heads at the beginning of the bonne chauffe- results in a lighter eau-de-vie Hennessy distinguishes 4 fractions in the distillation cycle – in addition to heads and heart, the tails are broken down into two categories: “Secondes” and “queues”. The secondes will be distilled with the brouillis for the Bonne-Chauffe – or second batch – while the heads and queues will be recycled with wines.
88
why do higher/ wider copper stills produce a lighter spirit?
their design encourages more "reflux," which means that as the vapor rises, it repeatedly condenses and re-vaporizes on the larger copper surface area, allowing heavier compounds to fall back into the still while only the lighter, more volatile vapors reach the condenser, resulting in a lighter final product
89
Cognac in glass bonbonnes - why?
25L size - often only used for top product. When the Cognac has reached its desired phase of evolution through barrel aging, the maitre de chai will moved it to bonbonnes to stop the process.
90
what is boisé in Cognac?
a mixture made from boiling oak chips to create a dark syrup that is added during early stages of maturation in barrel. creates the impression of oak aging
91
who makes vintage Cognac?
Hine Delamain
92
what are groies in Cognac?
Hard red limestone and clay typically found in Cognac’s Borderies
93
first stone fruit brandy to get a PDO?
Kirsch de Fougerolles
94
What are the chai in Armagnac production?
Above ground barrel aging cellar

Master Sommelier Theory 2025 (61 decks)

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