All wines made from grapes and various fruits by fermentation and distillation are collectively called brandy. The manufacturing method is to store the materials produced in the above process in wooden barrels for many years to make them mature.
So the predecessor of brandy is actually white wine. French-made liquor is the best, and natural French brandy is also the first. It is said that in the16th century, perhaps earlier, when the brandy trade was just emerging, the distillation technology used in perfume production had not been used in wine. At that time, the wine trade between La Roche and Holland was very prosperous at the dock of the Charente River. This kind of business is realized by this kind of sea transportation. But because of the war, the danger is great, and the loss is of course common. The whole case of wine occupies a lot of space in the engine room. So a clever Dutch businessman came up with a wonderful method, which is to remove the water from the wine and concentrate it into alcohol. In this way, it will not take up space when transported to the Netherlands, and the loss will not be too great in case of war. After reaching the destination, adding water becomes the original wine. But when the businessman arrived in Holland, his friends tried this concentrated wine and found it sweet, but it tasted bad after adding water. So the merchant decided to sell it as wine. The Dutch call this wine "BRANDE WINE", which means combustible wine. BRANDY is also simplified from the original Dutch words.
What's the difference between cognac and ordinary brandy? Cognac is actually an ancient town along the Charente River in southwest France, and it is also the most famous grape producing area. With unique advantages, it is suitable for grape planting regardless of climate and soil. Therefore, the wine and brandy brewed by grapes in this area are collectively called cognac to show their preciousness. In order to ensure the quality of brandy, the French government has made very strict regulations on the naming of cognac: only cognac produced and brewed in cognac area can be named cognac. Cognac is divided into six growing areas, and the quality of wine produced is also different. In order:
1 Grand Champagne Zone
2. small champagne, a small champagne area
3. Border areas-borders
4. Planting forest areas-excellent tree species
5.Bonsbois, a superior planting forest area.
6. The quality of ——BOIS cognac, a general planting area, is superior to other brandies, and it is also because of the traditional special distillation technology in this area for hundreds of years.
The distiller includes a large pot with a convex cover for collecting alcohol vapor, and a tube at the top of the cover is connected with the wine collector. The fuel is coal or firewood. All the equipment is made of pure copper according to the ancient method. Another ancient French brandy, Armagnac, has been distilled in Gasconi for 500 years. Armagnac brandy is usually stored in oak barrels for at least three years. Brandy needs to be aged in oak barrels to make the wine more mellow In this process, the texture of oak played a great role. Therefore, the choice of wood and the manufacture of barrels are also very particular. The best brandy is made from many brandies of different ages and sources. Their species and proportions are kept secret by winemakers. The bottleneck of cognac is printed with a star seal, from 1 star to 5 stars, indicating the storage life respectively; In addition, the mass is represented by omitted letters, such as:
E/ excellent
F: Very good.
very good
O/OLD is ancient.
E/ very special
/light color
Good S/SUPERIOR
Three stars are less than 4 or 5 years old.
The verb (verb's abbreviation) s (excellent) must be aged for at least 3 years.
Verb (abbreviation of verb) o (very old) aging 10- 12 years.
Verb (abbreviation of verb) Age 12-20 years old.
The verb (abbreviation of verb) S.O.P (very advanced aged malt liquor) is aged for 20-40 years.
Napoleon is 40 years older.
X.o (extra-old) aging is not less than 50 years x storage is more than 40 years;
S.f means kindness and virtue.
But because different companies have different standards, you don't have to believe it too much. Cognac can be used to make cocktails and other drinks. No matter what kind of wine it is mixed with, cognac always maintains its unique flavor.