Distiller, full-time job in wintertime
He/she wakes up early morning, generally between 4 and 6, each day, during the distillation time. As for a single-handed round world race, he/she crosses non-stop several weeks or months depending from the quantity of vine to be distilled. Even if modern facilities such as computer controlled devices, and gaz heating allow to sleep at home and no more in […]
November in the heart of a golden autumn
November is the kick off month for distillation. After the harvest time, distillation is a magic moment as well. In the vineyards, last fireworks in golden and brown colors take place before winter, a great inspiration for pictures… and many business travels this month, visits in museum, so as a stroll in Pays Basque for week end, as we […]
Here’s the time of distillation
Day and night, till march 31st, the winegrowers who are also distillers, live according to the tempo of theirs stills and the process called “double chauffe” or “repasse” in french i.e, two separate heatings, in a special “charentais” copper still. The distillation is a particular moment which appeals to emotional senses of sight and smell : a sweety […]
In the privacy of cognac distilleries
The scottish photograph, Mark Unsworth, is the guest of Cognac Museum till mid january. Famous specialist of food and beverage world, and more specially of the distilleries of Islay island where he lives and works, he has brought a fresh look on cognac distilleries of small properties. And for him, it has been the story of a nice discovery.
October means harvest month in cognac
October month is very busy in cognacvineyards. Harvest time is on. Depending of the previous seasons, harvest begins early october or mid october, but always in this month. We felt really good as living a never-ended summer, and the morning mist gave the landscape a fairytale atmosphere…
Cognac harvest days, the crunch time
After a year of hard work, hoping that the weather conditions would be nice enough till the cognac harvest time, the single most important decision of the winegrower is to choose the right day to begin harvest. It looks like a very subtle balance betweeen professionnal skills and intuition, and requires a fair amount of experience. Needless to say that […]
September in cognac vineyards, the indian summer
As for many of us, september means “back to work”. Fortunately we live in a so lovely countryside in Charente, that with sunny and warm weather, it seemed to be still holidays time in cognac vineyards … A lot of nice things to do and to see, and first of all, the famous “circuit des remparts d’Angoulême”. A race in the town for classic and vintage cars, […]
Black colour means wealthy in cognac
At first glance, visitors are often surprised by the black walls and roofs in cognac landscape. Far from being a sign of dirt or neglect, this colour means wealth : cognac sleeps inside. Nearby vineyards, and well protected, some green oaks, hazelnuts or linden trees, grow in the utmost secrecy. On winter time, men and […]
Back on a bright august in cognac… and Tuscany
Last business week before the holidays, and we enjoy a lot the long summer evenings, dinning outside with friends and talking of this and that… It seems that we live 2 days in one… In the vineyards, the winegrowers work in the morning time, when the temperature is not too hot. Frederic explains us the trimming and […]
Musical july in cognac
After a grey and rainy june, rather unusal for the season, july came with sun and heat in its luggages. First musical moment of the summertime in the region, the Cognac Blues Passion Festival. International blues, rock-pop headliners came in Cognac, such as emerging young artists, playing in the starry night. Iggy Pop, Marianne Faithfull, The […]
