This blog is based on the Spirits of New Mexico radio show that aired on January 1, 2022. We do on-air tasting of one or two wines to illustrate what is available in a particular wine region, or as a contrast of what influence a wine region has on a grape or blend. We also contrast wine styles as in the current blog. We use suitable glasses for the type of wine and do a double-decant of red wines to insure they have opened sufficiently for accurate judging.
Happy New Year and we hope it is for all of our listeners out there. If you still have a pounding headache from last night we’ll try to speak softly.
Today’s show we are doing something a little different. We’re covering spirits! I know the show is called the spirits of NM, but lately only Kevin has covered that part of our show. Our focus will be on French spirits, of which there are many. This is the time of year we often enjoy a more potent drink than wine to take the chill out of our bones so let’s begin with the basics.
This compendium was listed by Jeffrey Morgenthaler, the Food Republic’s Contributing Cocktail Editor. The editing and additions are mine and I added one to his eight spirits.
- Cognac: Cognac is probably the most recognized French spirit. Only French brandies from the AOC region of Cognac and following fairly strict production methods may call themselves Cognac. Predominately made from the Ugni Blanc grape, Cognac must be made in copper pot stills and aged in French oak for a minimum of two years. Seek out smaller producers, which have control over the growing, harvesting and production.
- Very Special -VS: Aged 2 years
- Very Superior Old Pale – VSOP: Aged 4 or more years
- Extra Old – XO: Aged over 6 years
- Armagnac: Cognac’s older cousin, or uncle, I’m not sure of the family connections. Armagnac is made from essentially the same varieties of grapes, but is distilled only once, as opposed to Cognac’s second distillation, resulting in a heavier and more flavorful spirit. Armagnac is a much smaller producing region than Cognac, so smaller scale producers are easier to find than in Cognac, where the market is dominated by big brands. Technical details: Armagnac is often distilled in a continuous Armagnacais still, while cognac is double distilled, following the Charentais distillation process.
- Grand Marnier: Created in 1880 by Alexandre Marnier-Lapostolle, Grand Marnier is a bitter orange liqueur made from a Cognac base. You can probably thank the Cadillac Margarita for the majority of its production demands these days, but some like to sip it straight.
- Cocktails: Cadillac Margarita, and the B-52.
B-52 cocktail: How do you get those beautiful layers of separation in a B52 shot? Pour the liquor over the back of spoon! Here’s how it works: Note: A tall glass works best
- Pour in the Kahlua first.
- Gently pour in the Irish cream over the back of a spoon. Pouring it over a spoon slows it down, allowing it to float on top of the Kahlua.
- Gently pour the Grand Marnier over the back of a spoon. This one will look a little less defined, especially if you’re making it in a cocktail glass.
- The most popular origin story for the drink is that it was invented in 1977 by Peter Fich at the Banff Springs Hotel in Alberta, Canada, who named it after the band The B-52s.
- Cointreau: Also a bitter orange liqueur, Cointreau differs from Grand Marnier because it is made from a neutral spirit base rather than a Cognac base. The result is a lighter, cleaner spirit that works especially well in cocktails.
- Cocktails: Sidecar, Cosmopolitan, Pegu Club or Margarita.
- Chartreuse: Categorized as an herbal liqueur, chartreuse has been made by Carthusian monks since 1605. Containing 130 different herbs, spices, roots and barks, it comes in two varieties: green Chartreuse is 55 % ABV and is spicier and drier than its cousin, yellow Chartreuse, a 40 % ABV sipper that is softer and sweeter than the green. Just to note it again, the green Chartreuse is 110 proof, which could be the shade of your skin if you imbibe too much.
- Cocktails: Last Word or Chartreuse Swizzle cocktail with the green variety.
- Benedictine: Like Chartreuse, Benedictine is also an herbal liqueur, though any monastic connections it claims are likely fabricated by the brand’s creator, Alexandre Le Grand. But don’t let the fact that this herbal liqueur isn’t being made in an abbey deter you from its rich, peppery, honey-sweet flavor profile. Benedictine is often consumed neat, in conjunction with brandy in a B&B.
- Cocktails: Singapore Sling. Benedictine and brandy
- Calvados: Hailing from the Normandy region of Northwest France, Calvados is an appellation-controlled apple brandy. The area has always been associated with apples and apple cider, but got a serious shot in the arm from the phylloxera bug of the late 1800s. Calvados can be wonderful in applejack based cocktails, but also as a between-course appetite awakener known as a trou Normand.
- Le Trou Normand or The Normand Hole is usually presented in a small glass such as a champagne glass and consists of a strong alcohol and a small scoop of Sorbet. In France it is often known as the hidden course in a large meal, but the idea is to cleanse the palette and stimulate the appetite.
- Absinthe: The so-called Green Fairy might be the most quintessential of all French-made spirits, even if it is originally a Swiss creation. Frankly, it’s difficult to discuss the history of French drinking culture without mentioning absinthe. What began life as a simple maceration of anise, fennel, wormwood and other herbs in alcohol took on an almost mythological status, complete with an artistic movement, international backlash, rediscovery, and finally acceptance again in 2007. Pernod Absinthe is one of the oldest producers with a classic flavor profile.
- Cocktails: Absinthe Frappe or a Sazarac cocktail.
- Saint-Germain is one of the more unique French spirits to taste in Paris. This classic elderflower liqueur was named after the Parisian neighborhood, Saint-Germain-des-Prés.
Saint-Germain liqueur was officially launched in 2007. Though according to local legend, the creator of this Parisian favorite is supposedly the great grandson of Chambord’s creator. Saint-Germain liqueur has a mild, floral flavor, which makes it a popular addition to various cocktails. But the elderflower essence is definitely not lacking because each bottle contains over 1,000 handpicked elderflower blossoms!
What we are tasting: Château de Laubade Signature Armagnac 42% ABV, $28 at Total Wine
While I looked longingly at the Château de Laubade VSOP and XO versions, my pocketbook settled for the VS. Considering the high esteem the chateau enjoys I couldn’t go wrong.
Grapes: 260 acres of single estate vineyard in Bas Armagnac.
- 4 traditional grape varietals: Ugni Blanc, Folle Blanche, Colombard and Baco.
- Ugni Blanc or Trebbiano is the most widely planted white grape in France and Italy; noted for high acidity, fresh and fruity. Mainly used for Brandy
- Folle Blanc is yet another offspring of Gouais Blanc, hit hard by phylloxera
- Colombard is grown on France’s west coast and used primarily in Brandy
- Baco or Baco blanc & Noir is a hybrid grape of north America and Folle Blanc crossed by Francois Baco. It is very popular in colder regions of New Mexico and more northerly states.
- Sustainable agriculture: organic manure produced by 600 ewes.
- Produced exclusively from the property’s grapes.
- Home-made single continuous distillation, grape varietal by grape varietal.
Château de Laubade Signature is a blend of the finest Ugni-Blanc and Folle Blanche eaux-de-vie (water of life) with some Colombard and Baco.
A part of the blend was aged in “second fill” barrels previously used to age dry white wines from the Lesgourgues family Graves, Bordeaux property: Chateau Haut Selve. This contributes to the superb smooth and velvety texture of Laubade Signature.
Tasting notes: Golden color with brown glints and great brightness. Intense and rich nose of fresh fruits: peach, apricot, plum. Spicy notes of vanilla and licorice with hints of ivy and linden. Supple attack followed by a powerful evolution in the mouth with a wooden and toasty finish.
About from website: Château de Laubade was built in 1870 and is composed of 260 acres of continuous vineyards. It is located in Sorbets d’Armagnac, the heart of the noblest area of the appellation, the Bas-Armagnac.
At Chateau de Laubade, vine cultivation is environmentally-friendly and all agriculture is sustainable. Every year, a herd of 600 ewes is scattered throughout the vineyard to produce organic fertilizer, which is not only beneficial for the soil, but a tradition that winegrowers have used for thousands of years.
You also have the benefit of all that wool.
In addition to the vineyards, Laubade also owns the surrounding forests and uses this local wood to make all their barrels. This is very impressive because barrel-making is nearly an art and very time consuming.
The Lesgourgues family has been running the estate since 1974. Throughout the generations, some prestigious figures have striven for Château de Laubade’s fame, always being highly involved in the vanguard techniques in terms of agronomy and crafting brandies.
Since 2014, Château de Laubade has been one of the very first Armagnac houses to receive the prestigious distinction “Entreprise du Patrimoine Vivant’.” Chateau de Laubade is also the only Armagnac house coopering its own casks.
Since 1998, Arnaud and Denis Lesgourgues, the third generation, have been actively involved in the quest of excellence and to make Château de Laubade an undisputed force in the Armagnac category.
Chateau de Laubade was also the only Armagnac house to be awarded “World Class Distillery 2010 – 2019.”
What we are tasting; D’Ussé VSOP Cognac $47 to $65
D’Ussé website: Naturally aged for at least four and a half years, the bold and full-bodied blend of D’Ussé VSOP Cognac is made from a selection of the finest eaux-de-vie, (water of life) including some that were carefully matured in the cellars of the Château de Cognac. On the nose, it reveals a powerful bouquet, rich in woody notes layered with touches of cinnamon and floral notes. Distinctively and unexpectedly smooth, each taste reveals hints of spices and almonds with undertones of honey and dried fruits as the grand finale. Troncais and Limousin oak are used to age the eau de vie for a minimum of 4.5 years.
Limousin is the most common French oak. Troncais is more difficult to obtain outside of France.
The bold, yet remarkably smooth character of D’Ussé Cognac was founded by Shawn “JAY-Z” Carter and conceived by the senior-most cellar master working today, Michel Casavecchia. One of the world’s greatest authorities on Cognac, he has been curating spirits for more than 20 years at the prestigious Château de Cognac. This 200-year-old venue — one of the oldest Cognac houses in France — is where Casavecchia created D’Ussé.
Analysis
We only sipped a little bit of these two spirits since we had a radio show to do. I found the Armagnac a little richer and the cognac a little smoother. I also mixed some of the cognac with Fever Tree ginger ale. Before you gasp – oops, too late – this was recommended on the Rémy Martin website so I went with it.
The actual cocktail is listed here:
- 1-¾ oz Rémy Martin VSOP
- Ginger ale
- Angostura bitters
- Lemon wedge
Admittedly I substituted the D’Ussé and couldn’t find the bitters, but it was pretty good nonetheless.
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