From the battlefield to 38.000 dollars for the bottle

Staff writer ▼ | May 17, 2008

Which cognac is the best? It depends on taste. Prices are another story. They goes from high to extra high to space high to 'Can you see so high?'

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the second half of the 17th century new distilleries for cognac production emerged in French region Cognac. Almost everybody planted its own brand of grapevine, from clerics and aristocracy to farmers. They all did that without any plan or rules and vineyards appeared on every step. But, from that chaos some of the grapevine sorts arose as the ideal sorts for cognac production.

Today only rare nectars deserve to hold the name cognac. It must be produced from selected sorts like Ugni Blanc, Fole Blanche or Colombard. The characteristics of those sorts are high level of sourness and small amount of alcohol. Today, cognac is produced along river Charente to its estuary in Atlantic ocean, and that area covers a large part of district Charente and part of Dordogne and Deux-Sevres where famous cognac cities Jarnac, Segonzac and Cognac lies.

In the beginning of the 19th century manufacturers were selling cognac in barrels, but around 1850 they started bottling and cognac finally got its name by region of its origin. Decree from 1909 established that cognac must follow a complex method from grape to vine, than from vine to eau-de-vie (water of life) and all that must be made exclusively in France's Cognac region.

Lovers of cognac didn't ever complained about that rule. That policy brought some famous cognac brands which all carry family names: Origine, Brillet, Braastad, Courvoisier, Camus, Delamain, Dudognon, Francet, Frapin, Gaston de Casteljac, GuerbÃ©, Hennessy, Hine, Larsen, Martell, Moyet, Paul Giraud, RÃ©my Martin and Jaques Delorme.

And which of them is the best, who can tell? It depends on one's taste. Prices are another story. They goes from high to extra high to space high to "Can you see so high?" But, there's no room for complaining because some of them comes in beautiful and deservingly bottle and packages, not to mention their divine taste.

Price of a bottle of Dudognon Heritage Cognac Grande Champagne is one million pounds. Handmade bottle is work of goldsmith Jose Davalosa. It is made of platinum, 24 carat gold and 6500 diamonds. With the valuable cognac it contains it weight 8 kilograms. The name of the cognac celebrates the name of the France king Henri IV and the cognac is made just of Ugni Blanc sort. The family Dudognon has two factories that produce 200 barrels a year. Some parts of their production goes on RÃ©my Martin, Delamain and Hine brands.

Last year Hennessy launched its limited edition The Beaute de Siecle for celebrating its 100th anniversary. One glass of Hennessy's limited edition The Beaute de Sieclea allegedly cost 5.000 pounds. Hennessy manufactured only 100 bottles. The cognac is filled into a crystal bottle which is settled into wooden box decorated with glass and aluminium. The bronze key opens the box and the bottle lifts on the velvet stand. A true performance, indeed.

cognac

RÃ©my Martin also did a spectacle putting on the market its Louis XIII Black Pearl Limited Edition cognac. They changed design after 25 years and now the bottle comes in the exquisite red box with the Baroque style glass. The Louis XIII Black Pearl Limited Edition is sold in two months to buyers with invitation for 8.000 dollars. RÃ©my Martin, through its distributor Asahi Beer, offers to Japan market 30 bottles of its Louis XIII Black Pearl Magnum cognac. The bottle will cost astonishing 38.000 dollars for a 1,500ml. 358 bottles will be sold globally.

And just for the end, what happened on November 11, 1918? Germany and France signed piece in Compiegne forest and that was the end of the First World War. History data said that they celebrated with Martell. Who'd say... ■

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From the battlefield to 38.000 dollars for the bottle

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