Croizet cognac: a guide to alcohol
About the Croizet brand
Croizet cognacs are among the most famous and high-quality alcohol brands in France. The history of their existence goes back more than two centuries. But few people know that we owe the emergence of such wonderful drinks to Leon Croizet, a man who managed to fulfill the desire of his life.
Croizet cognacs have repeatedly won gold medals at professional exhibitions. Pierre Croizet's cellars are full of spirits aged for over 100 years, which allows the brand to produce top-class cognacs.
The cognac house bottles its products in both regular bottles and decanters, packing them in gift boxes.
Cognac is aged in barrels made of Limousin oak, which has a hard, medium-grained, high-tannin structure. The capacity of such boxes reaches 450 liters, and they are still made by hand.
The history of Croizet cognac
Leon Croizet belonged to a family of hereditary winegrowers who owned significant land in the French province of Grand Champagne.
At an early age, Leon began to understand the peculiarities of viticultural art, and, having a very delicate taste from birth, he was soon able to determine any halftone of cognac.
After Napoleon I came to power, Leon Croizet became his honorary sommelier. In 1805. the talented Croizet, with the light hand of Bonaparte himself, opened his own cognac house.
Initially, the business was focused on the production of cheap cognacs, which were supplied in large quantities to the countries of Scandinavia. But time passed, and young cognac spirits, stored for a long time in cellars at a depth of 55 meters, became better. This allowed Croizet to enter the markets of the Old World and Asia.
In 1871, Croizet handed over the reins of the company to his grandson Benjamin Leon Croizet. The grandson enthusiastically took up the further development of the family business. He was searching for new blends, experimenting with grape varieties, and it was this last passion of his that helped to save the cognac business throughout France.
In the last quarter of the XIX century, almost all vineyards located in the province of Cognac were destroyed by phylloxera. This little gnat literally wiped out the entire cognac industry in France. Many production facilities were closed. But Benjamin Leon decided to fight the scourge. He planted his vineyards with American grape vines and surrounded them with a high stone wall. These actions became key in the process of successful control of phylloxera. After a while, the neighbors followed suit, and by 1881 the "grape plague" was defeated. In 1883, Benjamin Leon Croizet was awarded the Legion of Honor for his invaluable service to the French wine industry.
In 1892, Leonie Croizet, the granddaughter of the company's founder, received rare Grand Champagne cognac spirits as a wedding gift, and it was thanks to these spirits that Croizet was able to obtain the right to sell its own old cognac varieties in 1963.
In 2008, the Croiset brand was accepted into the Syndicate of the Great Cognac Brands, which already includes such brands as Hennessy, Rémy Martin, Martell and Courvoisier.
Today, the Croizet cognac brand has managed to preserve its individuality. Nowadays, when the vast majority of French cognac producers purchase raw materials from third-party companies, Croizet produces its products using a "full cycle". 58 hectares of fertile land in the Grand Champagne province are completely planted with 430 thousand vines of Uni Blanc grapes, which is considered the undisputed leader among cognac grape varieties. Thanks to this, Croizet specialists can control absolutely the entire process of making a noble drink.
Types of Croizet cognac
Below, Vzboltai describes the basic series, to keep up to date with the entire current line of Croizet cognacs, please visit the official website of the manufacturer: https://www.cognac-croizet.fr/en/3-cognacs
Cognac serving temperature +20 °C.
Croizet VS
Aging: 3 years.
A harmonious drink that has all the characteristic features of Croizet cognacs is a blend of distillates from the four main cognac regions of France. Grande and Petite Champagne distillates add elegance to the flavor, while Fins and Bons Bois distillates form the bulk of the bouquet. The cognac was awarded a silver medal at the San Francisco Spirits Competition.
Croizet VSOP
Aging: 5 years.
Soft, very pleasant cognac. Its highest quality is due to both the use of the best raw materials and long-term aging. Distillates from Grand Champagne play a decisive role in shaping the flavor and aroma properties of cognac.
Croizet HO
Aging: 10 years.
Cognac that has been aged for many years in the company's wine cellars. As a result, the blend, composed mainly of distillates produced in Grand Champagne, with the addition of spirits from Pitts Champagne and Bordeaux, has become the richest and most balanced composition of various flavor and aroma components.
Croizet Extra
Exposure: 20 years.
The cognac is amber in color. Perfectly balanced, soft taste of cognac has a long spicy aftertaste. Aroma: spicy and fruity with tropical fruit and dried fruit aromas.
The cognac is recommended to be served as a digestif.
Interesting facts about Croizet
The total production area is approximately 150 hectares. It also houses vineyards, warehouses, storage facilities, offices and distilleries.
Croizet's blending masters sometimes cork several bottles themselves and give them original names.
Croizet Trading House is authorized to sell millesimals (made from grape varieties grown in the same year). The company began selling such cognacs in the 80s of the XX century.
In 2011, a kind of record was set in China for the price of auction cognac Croizet. A fan of Maggie Vong products paid $157,000 for one bottle of Croizet amber drink. The uniqueness of the purchased drink was that it was made back in 1852., and in 1892, it was registered in France. was presented as a wedding gift to the daughter of the founder of the trading house Leonie Croiset.
At the moment, the company is in the hands of the 7th generation of the Croizet family - Philippe Eymard. He is the great-great-great-grandson of Leonie Croiset (daughter of Leon Croiset), who in 1892 became the wife of Dominique Eymard.
The Croizet trademark has offices in 120 countries around the world. The total number of products produced last year amounted to more than two million bottles.
Despite the fact that the main exports of cognacs are directed to Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong and China, almost all leading restaurants in France and the Old World prefer Croizet cognacs.
Update: 26.10.2021
Category: Brandy and Cognac