Not every strong drink made from grapes has the right to be called cognac. This noble drink has very stringent requirements so that it can rightfully bear such a name.
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We all know that there is "Armenian brandy". But it can be called that way only in the domestic market. When selling abroad, such a name is already unacceptable. To be called cognac, a drink must meet certain requirements.
1. First of all, this is a name controlled by origin, that is, “tied” to the French region, whose center is the city of Cognac. Climatic conditions and soil features of this region determine the taste of grapes that are used to make cognac.
2. Production technology. Of course, the exact technology is kept strictly secret. But the production method is the distillation of dry white grape wine and the further aging of the drink in oak barrels, as a result of which the drink darkens. During production, foreign impurities and excipients are not allowed. All the subtleties are taken into account: not every oak species is suitable for making barrels, but only one that has a certain degree of porosity, the distillate should not come in contact with metal objects, so that barrels are made without nails. Storage conditions are also very important, a separate person watches this in each cognac house. Then marrying occurs, that is, compiling a drink from a variety of cognac alcohols of different aging. This is a complex process that is trusted only by expert tasters.
Despite the strictly regulated technology, cognacs of each cognac house have their own personality and shades of taste.
Depending on the age of the drink, the following categories are distinguished: VS (very special), VSO (very spacial old), VSOP (very special old pale), XO (extra old). These letters must be indicated on the bottle.
Given the complexity of the preparation of this noble drink and attention to the smallest details in production, it is not surprising that cognac has such a high price. Most of the cognac is exported.