Also as only sparkling wine produced in the region Champagne can be called champagne, and cognac the brandy received in of the same name certified zone by strictly regulated operations can be exclusive.
Any cognac – brandy, but not any brandy - cognac
Brandy is, as a rule, the distilled grape spirit, but sometimes brandies overtake also from such fruit as apples, pears, cherries, etc. That brandy could become cognac, it should be received not just from grapes, and from certain grades – Fol Blanch, Uni Blanc or Kolombar. Cognac – the drink which is under "protection" of the sign AOC it means that its name is controlled in the place of origin. Unlike the names protected in the place of origin – AOP – it has to be not only is made in a certain territory, but also of the products received strictly from the same area. The place of "dwelling" of cognac – wine-making departments Charente and Seaside Charente. As the only exception serve barrels in which the distilled grape spirit is maintained, they are done of the oak which is grown up in the Provinces of Tronsye and Limuzen.
The earth of vineyards of both Sharant is considered so valuable that workers have to remove carefully it from footwear before leaving work.
Process of the cognac industry consists of several main stages. At first grapes are pressed and twice overtaken in copper cubes, then it is matured in huge oak casks by not less than two years.
For hold time from a barrel some part of cognac evaporates, the "gone" drink is called "add angels".
Assemblage and "age"
As the taste of drink depends in many respects on what was a grapes harvest to receive drink with stable quality, producers leave some share of cognac of different years of production. Mixing of cognac spirits "new" and "old" harvests is called an assamblirovaniye or an assemblage. If grapes had especially "a good year", the small share of drink is issued "clean", from distillate only of this harvest. Such cognac, as well as wine, is called millezimny, it is especially appreciated and on the label of drink the date of collecting is surely specified. The age of drink begins to be estimated from the moment of its corking in barrels. Harvesting comes to an end in October, alcohol distillation – by March. Officially it is considered that on March 31 all cognac of "this year" already is in oak tanks and on April 1 the next year to it year "is executed". Cognac with such small endurance is forbidden to sale and it is necessary to wait for a year more that drink could be poured in bottles. Labels on these bottles will be marked with the letters V.S., in a year on bottles it will be possible to read Superior, then follow V.S.O.P and V.V.S.O.P., with endurance in 5 and 6 years respectively. The cognacs which carried out in barrels more than 6 years will be marked as X.O. At a cognac assemblage the age of drink is determined on the "youngest" brandy in a bouquet.