The Armagnacs
Armagnac is obtained by distilling wine. Its qualities depend on the distilled wine, which itself depends on the harvested grapes.
Close
Armagnac is obtained by distilling wine. Its qualities depend on the distilled wine, which itself depends on the harvested grapes.
Domaine Tariquet is located in the heart of Armagnac, just as Armagnac has been the beating heart of Domaine Tariquet since it was founded.
Eauze is the capital of Armagnac, around which the production of this legendary eau-de-vie has been centered for centuries.
Who was the first to have the foresight of heating white wine to extract an alcohol that, as it aged, would reveal unexpected fragrances and perfumes? Let’s talk about it.
It seems likely that we can thank the Arab culture who seem to have invented the alambic still. Or perhaps we could go back even further into Mesopotamian antiquity, where a similar process was used to create floral waters, essential oils, medicines, etc. The people of Gascony have used this process to an equally noble, if rather different pursuit.
Armagnac production is steeped in a tradition created over hundreds of years. It all starts with the care taken in growing the grapes. The more expressive the grapes, the better the wine, and the more nuanced the eau-de-vie will be after the wine is distilled.
After their fermentation and prior to being distilled , the finished wines are kept on fine lees at a low temperature and protected from oxygen.
By keeping the lees in suspension in the wine, the aromatic potential and textural density of the eventual eau-de-vie is increased.
The geographical denomination of Bas-Armagnac is located on the western part of the Armagnac region.
This terroir is unique due to the presence of Sables Fauves, clay-siliceous soils composed of mixed sands coloured by iron oxides. The eaux-de-vie produced from the grapes of this terroir benefit from the great delicacy that makes the reputation of Bas-Armagnacs.
The copper alambic has been synonymous with distillation for centuries.
In Armagnac, distillation is carried out continuously, and in a single pass. Referred to as “Armagnac distillation,” this process is one of the strongest symbols of the Armagnac appellation. It is the method used at Domaine Tariquet.
In what has become increasingly rare, our stills are heated by wood fire, nourished by acacia that has been recovered from the vineyards when we replace the trellis posts.
The wine, when heated to boiling, releases vapours, a mixture of alcohol and aromatic compounds. As they rise, they pass through copper tubes, then through the “swan neck” at the top of the still, before condensing in a coil cooled by the fresh wine which continually feeds the still. As the vapour cools it returns to a liquid state. The alchemy has worked: the eau-de-vie flows from the still in a thin stream.
This distillate can only be called Armagnac after it has aged in oak barrels.
Five to six litres of wine must be distilled to obtain one litre of eau-de-vie. This means that the “evaporation” that takes place inside the still consumes a significant volume of wine produced during the harvest a few weeks prior. This volume is then permanently lost.
The estate’s traditional distillation produces an eau-de-vie between 53% and 56% alcohol per volume. Conversely, most other distillation methods in the world of spirits reach alcohol levels of 60% to 70%, and sometimes even higher.
The goal of the “Armagnac” method is to preserve more of the original wine. When tasting the distillate, one should find the flavours on the wine and the unique character of each different grape variety.
Ageing, “élevage” in French, begins just after distillation.
A freshly distilled eau-de-vie is transparent. To become Armagnac, it must be aged in oak barrels, as required by the Appellation.
Armagnac is France’s oldest eau-de-vie, dating back more than 700 years. It owes its life to a number of different cultures and civilisations. The grape vine was brought by the Romans, the still by the Arabs, and the barrel can be traced back to Celtic know-how.
The wood barrel, originally designed simply for transport, turned out to be an astounding partner in the production of eau-de-vie when made of oak.
The barrel also delivers flavour and tannins which enhances both the aromas and texture of the original wine and, consequently, the eau-de-vie.
Hence the importance of paying attention to how the wood is sourced and how the barrels are manufactured. The staves of our barrels come from French oak forests, mainly from the Allier and Nièvre forests, which are celebrated for the finesse of their wood grain. They are assembled by French coopers, whose know-how is recognised worldwide.
We only use lightly toasted barrels, known as “blonde” toasting that, on the one hand, preserve the eau-de-vie’s more subtle aromas revealed by the single distillation while, on the other, avoiding any transfer of strong barrel-driven flavours.
The distillate acquires its amber colour, a characteristic of Armagnac, when in contact with the wood of the barrels in which it will remain for several years.
At Domaine Tariquet, we use traditional 400-litre barrels, referred to as the Armagnac “piece, as well as 228 litre barrels (best known as the Burgundy “piece.”) rarely used in Armagnac.
Once filled with the eau-de-vie, they will rest in several centuries-old cellars dedicated to Armagnac. Each cellar has its own identity, not only architectural which needed to be restored or preserved, but also its own hygrometric qualities. This last point is essential because it plays an important role in the personality and style of the Armagnac that is maturing in the barrels.
Descending into these cellars fills one with a feeling of entering another space and temporal dimension. The enveloping smell of wood from the barrels immerses the visitor in a refined atmosphere.
Alcohol is very volatile and slowly evaporates through the pores of the wood. Consequently, the alcohol content of the distillate and the volume of liquid decreases over time. This loss of volume is what we call, rather poetically, the angels’ share. Angels, apparently, have quite the thirst for eau-de-vie as their share amounts to around 2% per year. This can represent a significant volume loss over 10 to 20 years of ageing.
Altogether, our cellars house nearly 5,000 barrels and around twenty wooden vats, the equivalent of 20 to 25 years of annual sales sitting in wait.
This is yet another example of the long-term philosophy of the Grassa family : looking to the future and paving the way for future generations.
Throughout the ageing process, the Armagnacs are tasted every 12 to 24 months. We can thus follow the evolution of each barrel and select the barrels for the future blends.
The barrels are emptied and refilled every 24 months. This allows for an aeration of the Armagnac as it is transferred from one barrel to another. As the Armagnac matures, the cellar teams transfer it to increasingly older barrels whose wood releases fewer tannins and aromas, while continuing the development of patina and notes of rancio.
The ageing our Bas-Armagnac, a skill passed on from generation to generation, grants our eaux-de-vie structure, elegance, and finesse all at once.
Depending on the desired style and taste profile, our Bas-Armagnacs will age in barrels for 3, and up to 30, years before being bottled.
The cutting, selection and assembly of different barrels, an essential step and know-how inherited from the most distant tradition.