Visiting the Cognac houses: a Charente experience not to be missed!

Renowned throughout the world, its vineyards stretch their verdant vines across the rolling hills of Charente-Maritime and Charente. On these ancestral lands grow white grapes, whose wine, double-distilled and aged in oak barrels, gives rise to an elixir with a marvelous amber hue. It can be enjoyed neat, " on the rocks, " but is also delicious in cocktails… We are, of course, talking about Cognac! There's nothing like a stay in the Cognac vineyards to discover the many facets of this spirit. Here, winegrowers, small producers, and renowned Cognac houses open the doors of their estates to reveal their production secrets and expertise. Let's head to the village of Chermignac in Saintonge to meet the Vallein Tercinier family, Cognac producers since 1850!

The Cognac vineyards, an exceptional terroir

Strictly delimited by decree since 1909, the Cognac production area covers 80,000 hectares of vineyards, primarily planted with Ugni Blanc, Colombard, and Folle Blanche grapes. This relatively vast vineyard extends beyond the area surrounding the town of Cognac and encompasses several thousand Cognac estates and distilleries between the Charente and Charente-Maritime departments (including the islands of Ré and Oléron ), and a few communes in the Dordogne and Deux-Sèvres departments. Granted Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée (AOC) status in 1936, it is distinguished by different crus, divided into six geographical appellations: Grande Champagne, Petite Champagne, Borderies, Fins Bois, Bons Bois, and Bois Ordinaires.

To view our selection of wine and Cognac producers, visit our section.

Cognac: a fascinating history

The limestone soils of the Charente region were already well-suited to wine production in antiquity. Inherited from the Romans, the vineyards of Aunis and Angoumois produced wines prized by the English, Dutch, and Scandinavians. As these wines suffered during long sea voyages, distillation was introduced in the 15^th century by the Dutch. Merchants imported this eau-de-vie, which, when diluted with water, became known as " brandwijn " (burnt wine), or simply " brandy." Three centuries later, the people of Charente invented the double distillation process by modifying copper stills. They further enhanced their eaux-de-vie through aging in oak barrels. A spirit with subtle aromas was born: Cognac. Thanks to the Charente River, ideal for trade, barges laden with barrels of cognac would travel down the estuary to La Rochelle, where they would be loaded onto sailing ships bound for the Nordic countries. Thus, after the salt trade, brandy became one of the pillars of the Charente economy.

Cognac brandy is made according to ancestral traditions, unchanged to this day.

Visit to the Vallein Tercinier house in Chermignac

If you're visiting the region, a stop at a cognac house is a must to understand the entire production process, from vinification to distillation. The Cognac wine region is dotted with castles, manor houses, and elegant stone buildings surrounded by vineyards that stretch as far as the eye can see.

Plan your stay in Saintonge:

We chose to visit the Saintonge region, specifically Domaine des Forge, a cognac house where blending and aging have been practiced as an art since 1850. Years of experience and expertise, coupled with a deep respect for tradition, have allowed the Vallein Tercinier family to produce exceptional Cognacs and Pineau des Charentes. In the courtyard of the estate's magnificent property, we met Guillaume Tercinier, one of the heirs to this family know-how, which has been passed down for five generations.

The tour begins with a visit to the distillery, which boasts eight distinctive red copper " Charentais " stills, each with its own boiler, swan necks, and coil. There, Guillaume passionately recounts the history of the estate, his family, and the Cognac vineyards. We delve into the heart of the matter, detailing the harvesting, winemaking, and double distillation processes, which preserve the fruit's flavor and concentrate the aromas. We then follow him into the impressive century- old aging cellar to discover the lengthy aging process of Cognac eaux-de-vie and the work of the cellar master.

The “Paradise” where the oldest cognacs are carefully preserved

Now it's time to put our theoretical knowledge of cognac flavors into practice! A tasting is essential to appreciate the subtleties of the different cognacs from the Vallein Tercinier family. Indeed, cognacs are classified according to their aging period: young VS (Very Special) are at least two years old, VSOP (Very Superior Old Pale) at least four years, XO (Extra Old) at least ten years, and XXO (Extra Extra Old) at least fifteen years, also known as Hors d'âge and Vieille Réserve. A true journey for the senses!

Tasting: Cognac presents an astonishing aromatic range represented in the "Aroma Wheel"

All ValleinTercinier family products are available for direct sale in the estate shop

Tourist routes and major Cognac houses

Among the iconic trading houses to visit in the region, you will find the houses of Hennessy, Martell, Rémy Martin, Courvoisier but also Hine, Meukow, Frapin, Camus, Baron Otard, Boinaud, Montifaud, Bourgoin and Les frères Moines, ABK6, Bache-Gabrielsen, Maison Frapin, Thomas Hine & Roullet-Fransacou and Tiffon-Braastad which proudly carry the colours of their eaux-de-vie throughout the world.

To discover the Charente and Charente-Maritime regions at your own pace, stopping at vineyards and chatting with the artisans, there are several wine and tourist routes. The Cognac Wine Route stretches from Saintes to Angoulême, while the "Cognac Trails" invite you to explore, village by village, the winemaking traditions and heritage of the Charente vineyards within the Cognac appellation.