Types of brandy
Amber color and wonderful flavor of brandy is not an age attract connoisseurs of alcohol. But not everyone knows what different kinds of brandy, which means the encryption on its labels.
Thus, we consider the classification and types of brandy. It is designed and installed by the National Bureau Interprofessionnel brandies. Choosing a French cognac, pay attention to what letters are on the label.
VS (Very Special) or Trois Etoiles («Three Stars") - brandy with exposure in the cask for at least 2.5 years.
VO (Very Old), Reserve - very old.
VSOP (Very Superior Old Pale), - a very high quality, light, brandy with exposure in the cask for at least 4 years;
VVSOP (Very-Very Superior Old Pale), Grande Reserve - is translated as: more high-quality, old, pale, pale brandy, aged for at least 5 years.
XO (Extra Old), Extra, Napoleon, Hors d'age, Tres Vieux, Vieille Reserve - an extra-old, sustained for at least 6 years. (Extra, Napoleon, Grand Reserve Cognac do not mean the name and brand in the classification).
brandy with exposure of more than 6 years old is forbidden to classify as National Interprofessional Office of brandy believes that it is impossible to control the blending process at this stage. But the special pride of French cognac houses are luxury cognacs, aged up to 25 - 60 years. The labels of these drinks are often exclusive excerpts put in place their own names: «Remi Martin Louis XIII», «Delamain Reserve de la Famile», «Hine Family Reserve», «Camus Jubilee».
Speaking of the "age of cognac," are due to the age of the youngest component in the blend. It should be noted that the period of exposure for all brandy is from April 1 o'clock in the morning, following the official termination of the distillation of wine harvest.
In France, which is traditionally regarded as the best producer of cognac, there are several large producers of cognac houses.
"Hennessy" (from 1765) - the market leader, "Remy Martin" (since 1724) - only the elite alcohol, "Courvoisier" (since 1835) - the official supplier of the French imperial court, "Martel" (since 1715) - at its head, had already had eight generations of the family Martel, "Hain" (since 1763) - still delivers his brandy at Buckingham Palace, "Gauter" (since 1755) - known fact that stores its barrel of brandy at a constant humidity.
In addition to this classification, brandies differ in the place of origin. Thus, if the label says "Grande Shampagne", then the drink produced in the province of the Grand Champagne. Here the grapes are grown the most delicate and subtle flavors. If you see a sign "Fine Shampagne", you know - this brandy is made from a mixture of grapes grown in the Grande Champagne and Petite Champagne, and the content of grapes from the Grande Champagne region must be at least 50%. Other land on which grapes are grown, are usually not listed on the bottle.
In Russia and CIS countries adopted a different classification of cognacs: - Ordinary cognac - with time for at least 3 - 5 years, the number of stars observed from 3 to 5.
Ordinary cognac special items - they are an excerpt of not less than four years, the volume fraction of 40-42% alcohol, sugar content not exceeding 1.5%, they correspond to four stars.
Vintage Cognac - with time for at least 6 years, the volume fraction of alcohol in them, 40-57% sugar content not exceeding 2.5%. This form is divided in turn into:
By region of origin of these brandies are divided into:
Russia (Dagestan, Stavropol, Chechnya), such as brandy Kizlyar;
Ukrainian (Odessa and Kherson, Crimea);
Georgia (Kakheti regions, Imereti, Samegrelo), the most famous brand Eniseli, Tbilisi, Sakartvelo, Vardzia;
Azerbaijan - a cognac brands Gek-Gel, Baku, Azerbaijan;etc.