European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - February 13, 1986, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Sir pm photo Tracy mar Valentine s Day pour your heart out with a gift of Cognac by a. Kominicki Cognac contain More than a Pound of Limousin Oak will no staff writer null. To. I f the French name Brandy As one of their greatest accidents and the claim May hold Little boast. As the legend goes the drink was discovered by peasants in the Charnel a Valley around 1600 when they boiled Down their Low Quality wine to make it easier to haul off to Market. The boiling turned the nourish wine into something truly palatable and before Long the practice of drinking distilled wine the dutch called it Burnt wine or Brand Wijn became a popular alternative to liquor made from Grain. The Brandy of the Charente what we know As Cognac remains arguably the world s Best. One reason is the area s Chalky soil which nurtures the St. Emilion Folle Blanche and Colombardo grapes that serve As the basis of Cognac. Another is the vines themselves ancient growths that May have twisted through the Charente As Long As 60 million years ago. And then there is the Oak of the nearby Limousin Forest the Wood used in making the casks for aging. Although the Oak allows evaporation about 25,000 bottles of Cognac evaporate every Day into what locals Call the Angel s share the Wood is vital in achieving Cognac s taste and bouquet it s estimated that 25 Gallons of aged Cogna contain pulp the real secret of Cognac s taste though is in the blending the careful mixing of an assortment o vintages to smooth the edges and bring the whole to a polished uniform finish. It is blending that allows Cognac producers to offer smooth consistent tasting brandies year after year. Straight Cognac the Brandy of one area of one year is rare. The length the Cognac is aged goes a Long Way in determining the Grade. Quality and Price. Most firms produce three grades of Cognac in bulk today. The lowest ranking bottles Are usually tabled simply Cognac is bottled when the Brandy is still Young and a bit rough. This Grade is commonly used for mixing with soda or More recently with cola or juice. A step up is three Star a confusing rating that Means about five years of barrel aging. Some firms sell three Star Cognac under the rating is a third Grade is sop or very Superior old Pale somewhat contradictory since the longer Cognac Ages in the cask the More Tannin it gets from the Oak and the Darker it becomes. A sop in America you occasionally find sep for extra from one of the better known firms is usually a Cognac 20 years old. Remember though that because of blending the Brandy inside actually will not be 20 years of age but rather the firm s interpretation of a Brandy two decades old. A sop usually contains cognacs that Are both older and younger than 20 years. Additionally a few brands Market grades such As to for extra old and Reserve that have been Given extra aging and consequently higher Price tags. Lucky shoppers May also run into a British bonded Cognac shipped to England in casks and aged in bonded warehouses before being bottled. Sometimes called old landed because it hit land before being bottled this bonded Cognac is some of the finest around. Its taste and rarity few cask shipments have been made since world War ii explain the usually High Price. Ages and ratings have you confused there s a simple Rule of thumb at reputable stores the better the Cognac the higher the Price. Remy Martin for example markets a Grande Champagne Louis Xii Cognac that comes in a hand blown Baccarat Crystal decanter and Sells for $500. The Crystal enhances the Cognac and prolongs its life the company says. If $500 won t impress your Valentine consider Duret s $1,300 gift set that includes three bottles of Cognac and four engraved shifters packed in their continued on Page 8 stripes Magazine february 13,13s6