Armagnac: An In-Depth Look at the Regions, Grapes, Styles and Producers

Armagnac is a brandy that hails from the Gascony region of Southwestern France.  Traditionally, Armagnac is consumed in a snifter, but today it is often served in a shorter, narrower glass like a sherry copita.  Armagnac is commonly served straight and is typically consumed after a meal.  Its sublime flavors and bold alcohol make Armagnac a true digestif, providing immense gustatory pleasure while simultaneously aiding digestion.  Just recently, documents were discovered showing that distillation took place in the Armagnac region more than 700 years ago, making it the oldest known eau de vie in France.  Often compared to Cognac, Armagnac differs from its cousin in a number of important ways.  In fact, comparing Armagnac and cognac is a bit like comparing red Burgundy and red Bordeaux.  While both are red wines, the grapes, soils, textures and flavors are very different. 

The Region 

Gascony is an unspoiled region located about an hour and a half southwest of Bordeaux and just to the east of Toulouse.  It is spread through the departments of Gers, Les Landes and the Lot et Garonne.  Gascony is a highly agricultural region, where rolling hills are adorned with green corn, yellow sunflowers, neat rows of vines and golden expanses of wheat.  The Gers is the number one producer of duck in France, meaning that all the bird’s derivatives are held in high esteem.  Traditional plates include Magret de Canard, duck confit, gratons (duck cracklings), gesier (duck neck) and, of course, foie gras in its three forms: canned, in terrine, and fresh.   Other common plates are cassoulet, game (particularly game birds), cepes (similar to porcini mushrooms) and black truffles.  Duck fat is favored over butter or olive oil.  As one might expect, the cuisine is rich and pairs beautifully with full-bodied red wines from the area, such as Madiran, Côtes de Gascogne, and Saint Mont.

Tourism is not a big industry in Gascony; in fact, many people tend to bypass the region while they speed to the Atlantic beaches or the refuge of the Pyrénées.  Instead, Gascony is a place where people go to relax and appreciate its uncorrupted character rather than to party.  Certain culinary meccas exist in the region, however, including Michel Guerard’s Michelin "3-star" Le Pres d’Eugenie and Restaurant Michel Trama in Puymirol.

The grapes in the region that will be used to distill Armagnac include Baco 22-A, Ugni Blanc, Colombard and Folle Blanche.  These grapes have higher yields than grapes that will be used for table wines.  Harvest is just about always by machine and within three months of crush, the fresh, cloudy and highly acidic wine will be passed through the still.

The Terroir 

Armagnac is comprised of three appellations: Bas-Armagnac, Ténarèze and Haut-Armagnac.  The Bas-Armagnac (literally Low-Armagnac, a reference to its altitude rather than its quality) is the westernmost region, and is located principally in the Landes department.  Immense pine forests stretch for scores of miles all the way to the Atlantic Ocean, planted because of their ability to grow on the area’s sandy soils.  The pure sand ends around the border of the Bas-Armagnac, where small pieces of limestone, called boulbenes, appear with a layer of tawny-colored, iron-rich sand known as sables fauves.  These soils, weak in both nutrients and water retention, yield grapes with low sugar levels and high acidity.  The Ténarèze, located further east, sees a slight rise in altitude as well as a shift from sand to clay and limestone.  With additional nutrients and better water retention, the Ténarèze has soil much better adapted to the production of quality wine.  Producing grapes with higher sugar and lower acidity levels, it’s no surprise that this area has seen newfound prosperity over the past 25 years, with the rise of Cotes de Gascogne Vin de Pays/IGP wines.  The Haut-Armagnac runs along the eastern border of the Ténarèze and the southern border of the Bas-Armagnac.  It is the largest appellation in Armagnac, yet very few vines remain.  Most farmers prefer to cover their flat, limestone parcels with wheat, soybeans, irrigated corn or whatever other crop the government is willing to subsidize.

The Grapes 

Folle Blanche was once the favored grape of Armagnac.  Its high acid and low sugar levels make it ideal for distillation.  It buds early, making it susceptible to late spring frosts, and is sensitive to certain maladies like oidium and mildew.  Its yields are relatively low.  In short, it is not a cost-effective grape to grow.  However, it does produce a distillate with a fine texture and high-pitched aromatics.  Due to its capriciousness in the vineyard and its near-eradication by phylloxera, Folle Blanche now encompasses only 3% of the plantings in the Armagnac region.  When replanting was implemented after the root louse struck, Folle Blanche’s fragile rootstock had difficulty producing in the sandy soils.  A local teacher, Francois Baco, developed a hybrid grape, crossing Folle Blanche with an American hybrid, Noah, which flourished in upstate New York.  Baco 22-A, his new hybrid grape, was resistant to disease, produced good quantities in most years, required minimal chemical treatments, and produced wines with high acidity and low alcohol.  Its distillate was rich and fat, albeit a bit rustic.  It quickly became the favored grape of Armagnac and remained that way for most of the century.  Baco began to lose favor in the 1980s with the increase in popularity of Côtes de Gascogne wines.  These highly aromatic wines, made mostly with Ugni Blanc and Colombard, were floral, fruity, bright, lively and inexpensive, quickly finding a marketplace in countries demanding inexpensive alternatives to Sauvignon Blanc, which they often resembled.  Producers in the Ténarèze began ripping up their old Baco and planting more Ugni Blanc, Colombard, Gros Manseng, and even international varieties like Chenin Blanc, Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc.   Armagnac for these producers began to take a back seat to their wine production.

 Ugni Blanc and Colombard both make very good eau de vie, albeit with slightly less character than Baco or Folle Blanche.  I often find a slight herbal note with pure Ugni Blanc, and prefer Colombard for its richer texture.  Unlike grapes that are transformed into wine, in the Armagnac grape texture is more important contribution than aroma or flavor.  In this way, I like to view Folle Blanche as the soprano, Ugni Blanc as the alto, Colombard as the baritone and Baco as the bass.

The Wine

While quality wines for the table generally have relatively high pH, good  sugar levels and well-balanced acidity, the finest Armagnac brandies result from wines that have low alcohol (8-9 %) and high acidity.   As one is converting wine into alcohol—approximately 5 liters of wine are required to produce one liter of Armagnac at 45% alcohol—the grape varieties are high-yielding, normally in the neighborhood of 90-120 hl/ha (6-8 tons/acre).  Diminishing yields leads to higher alcohol levels and a spirit with less finesse.  In fact, the alambic armagnacaise (Armagnac still) has difficulty distilling wine with greater than 10% alcohol, and it is necessary to dilute the wine with water during very hot years. Armagnac vintages are often better in years that are considered to be mediocre wine years.

The grapes are normally harvested in September.  The wine is fermented in stainless steel or fiberglass tanks.  It is illegal to add sulfur to the wine once its fermentation is complete, and the wine is usually distilled sur lie.  This isn’t wine that looks or tastes good; cloudy and sharp, it is normally distilled in November or December while acidity is at a maximum and oxidation has not affected the freshness of the wine.

 
Denis Cames, an itinerant distiller in the Gers and Les Landes, keeps his eye on the alcohol-meter. Distillation is easier than it might appear: the wine basin needs to be kept full, the flame needs to be kept at a relatively constant temperature and, if the existing alcohol degree begins heading above 54%, a valve is adjusted to provide a faster flow of wine to lower the degree.  If the degree falls below 51%, the flow of wine needs to be decreased.  In the meantime, there is time to eat, watch television or even sleep. 

Distillation 

Distillation is a process in which a base liquid is heated so that its purest elements are captured while its heavier, less pure components are left behind.  When a liquid with an alcoholic content is distilled, the resultant distillate is higher in alcohol, as the purest, lightest components of the spirit have been condensed.  Along with the alcohol comes the concentrated aromas of the wine.  Centuries ago, Armagnac was distilled twice in small pot stills.  That changed in the mid-1800s with the invention of the column still, which made the conversion of wine into strong alcohol not only faster and less expensive, but also more transportable.  No longer did a farmer have to sit in front of his own fixed still for a month or more to convert his wine into alcohol in batches.  Now a travelling distiller could visit his property for two or three days and quickly perform the alchemic conversion, allowing the farmer to attend to other chores on the property.  The column still in Armagnac is comprised of 8 or 9 plates through which incoming wine descends and the outgoing spirit passes.  Heavier alcohols fall back into the boiling base matter, while the lighter, purer alcohols are allowed to rise to the top.   The spirit that exits the still is normally between 52% and 60%.

A large difference between the pot still and the column still lies in latter’s less efficient separation of the heads and tails from the heart of the distillate.  The heart is the purest part of the spirit, containing lower levels of congeners, acids, esters, methanols and other substances that can permeate the spirit with unpleasant flavors.  These aromas can dominate a spirit in its youth, but they can evolve positively with time and become intriguingly complex.

An alambic still at the Domaine d'Ognoas that dates to the early 1800s and is still in use today.  The wine is preheated within the right column, then passes over to the left column where it trickles down through a series of plates before reaching the heater.  The vapor then rises through holes in the same plates, with the purest, lightest vapors, now mostly free of heavier compounds like acids, congeners and esters, making their way to the top before crossing back to the right-side column where it is cooled by its descent and indirect contact with the incoming wine.  It finally leaves the still at 52% to 54% alcohol, on average.

Aging in Barrel

When the spirit exits the still, it is clear in color and technically an eau de vie.  It then goes into barrel, where its interaction with the wood will give it color and various flavors, including vanilla and spice.  Most Armagnac producers use barrels that are bought from the local cooper, but the barrel staves actually come from Limousin, a forest further north.  The famed local oak (black oak) of Armagnac is difficult to find nowadays, as the nearby forests of Montluzun and Montguilhem have few serviceable trees.  A few producers have been able to make barrels out of fallen trees on their property, and some have sourced wood from forests in the area, but most of the oak staves come from trees that were felled outside of Gascony.

Aging takes place in above-ground cellars called chai.  Producers will normally expose the young spirit to new oak, or barrels that are no more than two to three years old, when the wood still has some nutrients to give.  After a year or two, the spirit is usually transferred to an older barrel, perhaps four or five years old, and several years later it will be transferred into an even more neutral barrel.  The tannin that newer barrels secrete is important for the structure of the spirit, yet exposure to too much new oak will create a spirit that shows too much dry, bitter tannin.

As the spirit ages in barrel, air gently passes through the oak pores and certain flavors within the spirit begin to transform.  Vanilla notes change to caramel then to toffee; the fruit flavors become less floral and primal and begin picking up additional concentration.  New flavors emerge, including those of dried fruit and notes like prune or apricot.  The alcohol level begins to slowly dissipate, creating a rounder, more harmonious spirit.  Oxidation permeates the Armagnac and produces nutty aromas known as rancio, akin to a well-aged sherry or madeira.  When the alcohol, fruit and nutty complexity begin to converge, an Armagnac is considered to be at its summit.

Darroze must be regarded as the most serious negociant in the region: old barrels are either sourced and purchased in their entirety or a certain quantity of a producer's distillation is contracted.  Afterwards, the spirits are transferred to Chez Darroze where they are raised with utmost attention and bottled at cask strength with a vintage date and the name of the originating property.  In addition, a number of excellent blends are also available.

Adulteration

As is the case with most spirits, there are a number of additives that may be blended to correct the final product.  These are generally meant to create consistency for large, highly commercial enterprises striving for consistency from year to year.  These additives include water, which lowers the alcohol level; caramel, a burnt sugar liquid that adjusts color; sugar syrup, which adds sweetness and lessens bitterness; and boisé, a liquid of boiled oak chips which adds oak flavor.   Most spirits released before their fifth birthday will probably have been adulterated with some or all of these additives.  Additives are less necessary for older spirits, which should naturally develop the color and flavor components they need after ten or fifteen years. 

Blended Armagnac and Vintage Armagnac

Armagnac may be blended from multiple vintages and released under names like VSOP, XO or Reserve.  These styles have become popular, particularly with resellers, who can hit lower price points.  The Hors d’Age moniker is commonly seen in Armagnac, and spirits with this labeling must be at least 10 years old.  Most blended Armagnac has a diluted alcohol content of between 45% and 40%.  Despite the presence of such blends on the market, Armagnac has traditionally been released with a vintage date and at cask strength.  This has not only allowed the region to capitalize on the ability to provide a perfect birthday gift for a lover of the spirit, but has also enabled the consumer to know the exact age of the spirit they are drinking.  Most vintage Armagnacs now have the bottling date listed somewhere on the bottle, which enables one to subtract the vintage from the bottling date to arrive with the exact age of the spirit.   Most vintages that are 20 years of age should be in the neighborhood of 45% to 48% alcohol.  For the uninitiated, this sometimes comes across as being rather strong.  But Armagnac should pack more punch than other brandies: it’s simply part of its fiery nature.

Serving Armagnac

As diners often start their meal with a cocktail or two, then move on to high octane wine with their meal, a strong after-dinner drink is often omitted.  Consequently, there has been an effort to find uses for Armagnac in ways that divert from tradition.  This is normally in the form of a cocktail, which gets Armagnac into the hands of the consumer before they sit down at the table.  A new appellation, Blanche Armagnac, was recently created with cocktails in mind.  While this eau de vie would have become proper Armagnac with barrel aging, Blanche Armagnac has a clear color and more neutral taste, making it a good alternative to vodka and other clear spirits in cocktails. 

Servers at restaurants also need to know that Armagnac exists on the menu and that they should plant seeds when they ask diners if they would like a dessert wine, after-dinner drink or coffee.  They shouldn’t expect that diners ask them for a brandy.  Instead, they might simply suggest, “Coffee?  An after-dinner drink?  An Armagnac perhaps?”

Servers should also be familiar with one or two of the Armagnacs on the list.  But rather than to focus on their technical aspects, they should know how to describe its texture and flavor in the same way they might with a wine.  We don’t describe Albariño to a guest by mentioning its Brix level at harvest time; instead, we talk about its peach and apricot notes, its medium body, and its crisp finish.  Likewise, when asked about Armagnac, a server should be able to speak about its forward aromas, rich, full-bodied texture and robust, long finish.  In addition, Sommeliers should look for Armagnacs at various price points to add to their spirits lists, and learn to understand the difference between good and mediocre producers.  Following is a short list off some good producers that any good wine buyer should be on the lookout for.

Producers vs. Negoçiants

An Armagnac producer is one that grows their own grapes, makes their own wine, distills at their own property and ages in their own chai or cellar.  Most producers will have Armagnac vintages going back 20 or 25 years.  A negoçiant, on the other hand, may or may not own vineyards, and may or may not make the wine.  Most have an inventory of older vintages that they have purchased from other small growers, negoçiants or cooperatives.  Producers in Armagnac are like growers (RMs) in Champagne, while negoçiants are like the larger and more highly available champagne houses.

Bas Armagnac Producers
The sandy soil structure of the Bas-Armagnac yields grapes with higher acid than those grown on clay and limestone; thus, Armagnac from the Bas-Armagnac tends to be rounder and more supple, and shows more finesse than brandies from the other regions.

Domaine Boingnérès: Martine Lafitte, who took over for her father Leon during the mid-nineties, is a stalwart defender of Folle Blanche—more than half of their vineyards are planted with the grape—and a relentless proponent of traditional upbringing, without reduction or rectification.  The Armagnacs of Boingnérès are intense, focused, linear and precise.  These are highly prized by connoisseurs. 

Laberdolive: The reputation of this small domaine was created by Gerard Laberdolive, one of the first producers to sell his Armagnac to top restaurants outside the region.  Although Laberdolive once owned a couple of properties, all of the estate’s production now comes from vineyards surrounding the family’s house in Labastide d’Armagnac.  While they still possess some very old vintages made with Baco and Folle Blanche (now housed in glass demi-johns), the more recent vintages are made with Ugni Blanc. 

Château de Ravignan: Ravignan has some wonderful vintages from the early eighties, produced predominantly from Baco.  Careful aging in neutral oak within the château’s well-ventilated chai helps to give an exotic note to the spirits. 

Château de Tariquet: With approximately 1,000 hectares under vine, Tariquet is the most important wine producer in the region.  In fact, it was Yves Grassa who is credited with putting the Côtes de Gascogne on the winemaking map.  Not surprisingly, their soils are a bit more like Ténarèze than Bas-Armagnac, and their Armagnacs have perhaps a bit less depth than some producers located in Les Landes.  Overall quality is very good, however, and they are widely available throughout the country.

Château de Briat: Chateau de Briat was built in the in the 1500s and once served as a hunting retreat to Henry IV, King of France.  The estate was purchased by Baron Raoul Pichon-Longueville in the 1860s and was passed along through the years to descendents in his family line.  The most recent, Stephane de Luze, now helms the estate after the tragic death of his father, who was died in an automobile accident in 2003.  Briat’s Hors d’Age, made strictly with Baco, offers a hedonistic mouthful of Gascon flavors, including plum, chocolate and maple toffee. 

Ténarèze
Younger spirits from the Ténarèze tend to lack some of the supple depth that one finds in the Bas-Armagnac.  That being said, Armagnacs from the Ténarèze can live longer than those from the Bas-Armagnac, and still show plenty of life up until their fortieth birthday.

Château de Pellehaut: The Beraut family, producers of high-quality wines, also make top-notch Armagnac at their Château de Pellehaut.  The Reserve bottling, produced mostly from Ugni Blanc and Folle Blanche, acts as a nice entry-level bridge between Armagnac and Cognac, with a delicate, medium-bodied texture and long finish. 

Château Busca-Maniban: Busca-Maniban is a long-standing domaine that has recently increased their presence on the market.  Armagnac made with Ugni Blanc is available in a wide variety of vintages. 

Negoçiants

Château de Laubade: Château de Laubade is the largest Armagnac-only producing domaine in the region: releases marked “Château de Laubade” come from the four grape varieties grown and raised on their property.  Older vintages are simply marked as “Laubade”, and have been purchased from neighboring properties.  An excellent Blanche is also available in many markets.

Darroze: Darroze has to be considered the top negoçiant in Armagnac. Francis’ father had an extraordinary restaurant in the region where Armagnacs from local producers were served.  Francis purchased these in larger lots and began selling them around the world.  His son Marc has now taken over the affair.  Methods have remained the same: Darroze contracts Armagnacs distilled at the property (usually with heavy Baco proportions), then the young spirit is shifted to the Darroze chai, where they are meticulously raised.  Releases are at cask strength and they always bear the domaine name and bottling date. 

Charles Neal is a wine and spirits importer based in San Francisco, CA.  He is the author of Armagnac, The Definitive Guide to France's Premier Brandy and Calvados, The Spirit of Normandy.  In addition, he has contributed to The International Wine Cellar and The Art of Eating magazines.