Remy Martin cognac: history, secrets of creation, types
The French cognac house "Rémy Martin", along with "Martell" and "Hennessy", is one of the oldest and most famous producers of "living water". Three hundred years of tradition and luxurious taste of alcohol make the brand not just recognizable, but truly exceptional.
In terms of sales and popularity, the legendary producer ranks second in the world, slightly behind only Hennessy.
As for the characteristics of the drinks, many tasters rate Rémy Martin cognacs higher than the main competitor's samples. The most popular products of the House are VSOP. Every third bottle of this category sold in the world is a cognac by Remy Martin. It is probably not for nothing that the brand's drinks were so highly valued at the French royal court.
The story of Remy Martin
Before taking the first steps in the cognac field, the founder of the House was successfully engaged in winemaking. In 1724, a young entrepreneur Remy Martin from the Cognac region dramatically changed his life by starting to sell spirits under his own name. This event marked the beginning of a great brand.
The drinks of the talented winemaker were so good that in 1738, the French king Louis XV granted him the exclusive right to plant new vines in recognition of the superiority of exquisite products.
In 1830, the first instance of the "Grande Champagne" category was created. The name of the sub-region is deliberately included in the names of such drinks to confirm their exclusive qualities, as the Grand Champagne grape is considered the best for creating cognacs.
The business started by Rémy Martin has been passed down from father to son for several generations. By the beginning of the XX century, production volumes increased significantly, and the supply of drinks outside Europe - to the United States and Asia - was organized.
The most famous representative of the family name after the founder was Paul-Emile Remy Martin, who in 1870 developed the original logo with the image of a centaur. The choice of the emblem was no accident: Remy's descendant, an avid astronomer, took the image of his own zodiac sign, Sagittarius, as a basis.
In 1924, the first cellar master André Renaud, who later became the head of the company, appeared at the cognac house. A few years later - in 1927 - the famous product "Rémy Martin Fine Champagne Cognac VSOP" was created.
The drink was a blend of cognac spirits from the Petite and Grande Champagne regions. The cognac of this quality was an immediate success, and to this day it is considered the leader in the VSOP category.
After 20 years, the company's management decided to produce exclusively cognacs from Petit Champagne and Grand Champagne blends.
In the second half of the XX century, the company actively introduces new technologies, which was facilitated by the new cellar master Andre Giraud. Work was also underway to expand sales markets and establish contacts with local winegrowers. In 1972, a unique black "frozen" bottle was created for the main "pearl" of the Rémy Martin collection - VSOP cognac.
In the early 2000s, Pierrette Trichet was appointed the "mistress" of the cellar, who became the first woman to hold such a position. He passed on the subtleties of the craft to his follower, who grew up in the Cognac region, Baptiste Loiseau. At that time, he was only 34 years old.
Secrets of creating Rémy Martin drinks
To obtain cognacs of exclusive quality, it is not enough to simply follow the traditional recipe. A real cognac is born from a combination of many factors, among which the professionalism and experience of the craftsmen is important. The manufacturing process includes:
Preparation of raw materials
The best fruits of Uni Blanc and Folle Blanche are harvested in the "cru" regions: Grand Champagne and Petit Champagne. Their territory is covered with chalky soil, which reflects sunlight and allows the berries to ripen to the maximum degree of flavor.
In order to obtain the necessary amount of raw materials, Rémy Martin established long-term partnerships with suppliers back in the 60s. For this purpose, a special alliance "Fine Champagne" was created, which includes about 1000 winegrowers. The company's employees constantly advise them and share the experience gained over 3 centuries.
Harvested in late September/early October, when the heat subsides, then pressed and left to ferment for 5-7 days. The result is a dry, sour white wine containing 7 to 9% alcohol, which is ideal for distillation.
Distillation
This stage is performed in October-March. At Remy Martin, wines with lees (residual yeast) are distilled in small copper stills. Distillation is carried out twice, separating the "heart" of the product.
The whole process takes about 24 hours. This way, pure, transparent spirits of maximum depth and aroma are produced, with a consistent taste, balanced composition, great aging potential and strength of about 70%. It takes about 12 kg of grapes to create one liter of "water of life".
Selection of spirits
From the samples provided by thousands of growers, Remy Martin specialists select the best ones: elegant, rich, with outstanding characteristics that can continue the brand's style.
The tasting continues throughout the winter: a special commission meets several times a week to taste 20-30 samples of "living water" in one session.
Aging
Limousin oak barrels are used for the maturation of spirits. They have optimal air exchange characteristics, promote the development of aromas, and give drinks a rich vanilla flavor.
The age of the trees used for making barrels is at least 100 years, and the wood is "rested" for 2-3 years to eliminate uninteresting tannins. The selection of oak containers is done by specially trained people in cooperation with the cellar master.
Remy Martin cognacs are aged longer than the legal period for the full disclosure of their potential.
Temperature and humidity differ from cellar to cellar, which allows us to create unique flavors. Also, as the spirits mature, the barrels are often replaced with older ones that are appropriate for the age of the drinks.
It is noteworthy that about 8 thousand bottles of cognac evaporate daily in the cellars of Remy Martin. These losses are called "angel's share".
Creating a blend
This work is carried out exclusively by the cellar master - the only person capable of reproducing blends for each product in the collection. To understand the level of professionalism, it is enough to note that some Remy Martin blends include more than 1000 spirits.
The uniqueness of the bouquets of the great cognac house is confirmed not only by the love of consumers, but also by law.
Fine Champagne cognac, made exclusively from the "living water" of Grand Champagne and Petit Champagne (the share of the former is at least 50%), is the only blend protected by the AOC ("appellation d'origine": the highest category of French classification).
Types of cognacs from Rémy Martin
The main line of Rémy Martin includes 5 drinks:
VS Supérieur
A lively, aromatic cognac with pronounced fruity notes was created in 2007 by Pierrette Trichet. 100% produced from grapes harvested in the Petit Champagne region.
The aroma is dominated by floral shades with a touch of apples, peaches, vanilla and fresh mint.
Taste: bold, balanced, fruity, with light oak tones and a rounded aftertaste.
Drink neat, on the rocks or as part of long drinks with ginger ale.
VSOP
Cult cognac "Fine Champagne": bold, elegant, multi-layered, with a silky texture and rounded aftertaste. A symbol of the art of the Rémy Martin blend masters.
The first version was created in 1927. In 2010, it won a gold medal at the Spirits Business Cognac Masters competition in the UK.
The aroma is dominated by notes of vanilla, complemented by accents of ripe apricot, baked apple and flowers.
Taste: powerful, harmonious, with rounded notes of ripe fruit and a delicate sound of liquorice. In terms of tasting, the drink is universal: you can drink it solo, on the rocks, in cocktails, with ginger ale.
XO
A luxurious cognac with a velvety texture, created in 1981 by André Giraud, is a blend of 400 different spirits of Grand Champagne and Petit Champagne. Winner of 2 gold awards at international competitions in the USA and the UK.
The aroma surprises with a wealth of fruit and floral notes, dominated by late summer fruits and jasmine.
Taste: multilayered, refined, slowly opening, with accents of juicy plums, candied oranges, hazelnuts and cinnamon.
It is better to enjoy this unique cognac in its pure form, consumed at room temperature or with ice.
Carte Blanche à Baptiste Loiseau
Smooth, harmonious, deep cognac that embodies the spirit of the House of Remy Martin, created by the youngest cellar master - Baptiste Loiseau. The blend, aged for 27 years, was bottled with its natural strength preserved 41.1%.
The aroma contains delicate notes of plum, gingerbread and cloves.
The taste is intertwined with hints of sweet spices, cinnamon and honey. Beautiful in its purest form.
Centaure de Diamant
A wonderful soft Fine Champagne cognac with a satin texture and a long aftertaste was created by Pierrette Trichet in 2010. "A "gem" in the House's collection, winner of two gold medals at the International Wine and Spirit Competition.
The flavor combines delicate floral notes of honeysuckle and iris with subtle accents of hazelnut and dried figs.
The taste impresses with an explosion of many shades, in which the tones of candied fruits sound the brightest. Tasting is recommended in its pure form.
Cellar N° 16
For Duty Free stores, the company produces exclusive cognacs "Cellar N° 16" with intense vanilla notes and "Cellar N° 28" with dried fruit and honey accents.
Update: 22.03.2019
Category: Brandy and Cognac