Unicognac Pineau des Charentes Blanc Pineau des Charentes NV 75 cl

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Another similar beverage would be Macvin du Jura, an AOC certified vin de liqueur produced in the Jura region of Eastern France. To produce this liqueur wine, the juice and must of Savagnin grapes are reduced in half by boiling and the resulting liquid is then fortified with brandy. When the wine reaches 16% alcohol in volume it is allowed to age in oak casks for six years and there is no fermentation process. Next, Pineau des Charentes must age in oak barrels. It’s at this stage that it acquires its final aromas. Whites are aged for at least 18 months with 12 months spent in barrel, while Reds are aged for at least 12 months with 8 months spent in barrel and often, longer. In fact, it was the discovery of Pineau des Charentes while holidaying in Cognac that inspired Sheila and Neil Hornsby to set up drinksoffrance.co.uk, selling French specialities that are hard to find beyond their native regions. Pineau is also found as a home-made product in the neighbouring Deux-Sèvres and Vendée départements. There is also a similar drink called "Troussepinette" that is made in the Vendée, which is often flavoured with pine or fruits such as pear. Elsewhere in France analogous drinks are made ( Macvin in Jura, Floc de Gascogne in the Armagnac area; there is also Pommeau, similarly made by blending apple juice and apple brandy), but these products are much less well known nationally and internationally than Pineau.

The great finesse of an old or very old rosé or red Pineau means it is best set of by a sweeter, nutty or fruity cheese such as Ossau-Iraty or an aged Gouda or Permesan. They also go very well with chocolate desserts. White Pineau is made from the traditional Cognac grapes, Ugni Blanc, Colombard and Folle Blanche, with the occasional inclusion of Bordeaux’s white grapes, Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc. It is aged for at least 18 months, including 12 in oak barrels. In the Charente-16, named for the train station in Cognac, France, Brian Means stirs tequila with Pineau des Charentes, dry Curaçao and banana liqueur. More Recipes → While Pineau des Charentes enthusiasts would be the first to highlight the drinks range and versatility, there are traditional ways to enjoy the beverage. In the past Pineau neat has been served with a slight chill or an ice cube to bring temperatures to an even 50 Fahrenheit. Younger Pineau may be enjoyed more as an aperitif whereas aged Pineau can function as an accompaniment post-dinner. Pineau des Charentes should be served chilled (8–10°C) in a tulip-shaped glass such as a sherry glass. The taper of this type of glass better enhances the aroma of the wine. [3] See also [ edit ]The most common form of Pineau des Charentes is white, made from white grapes such as Ugni Blanc and Folle Blanche. White pineau is aged in oak barrels for a minimum of 18 months. However the red or rosé form is also very popular within the region itself. This is made with red grapes, typically Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Red pineau is aged for a minimum of 14 months. Grapes ripening in the Charentes sun These are made in the same way as red and rosé Pineau but must be aged for a minimum of 5 years oak barrels for old Pineau des Charentes and 10 years minimum for very old Pineau des Charentes. The tasting profile is similar to the red and rosé Pineau above but, with age, the colour develops into a lighter, more mahogany colour, but with red hints. The flavours develop further with oak aging, which becomes dominant over the fruitier flavours of the younger styles. Aromas and flavours of prunes and chocolate notes develop. Serving Pineau des Charentes In the production of PDC, the grapes are pressed and then undergo a light fermentation. After pressing and fermentation the grape must juice is mixed with Cognac eau de vie which must be a minimum of 1 year old. This is known as “assemblage” or blending. The addition of alcohol stops the must fermentation. The resultant product must have be between 16% and 22% alcohol by volume but, normally, most is sold at 17% by volume. Types of Pineau des Charentes

Pyrenees: in the area between Adour and the Pyrenees. Here you will find Côtes de Gascogne, Madiran, Jurançon, Pacherenc du Vic-Bilh and Irouléguy, the latter of which is in real Basque country in the foothills of the Pyrennes, close to the Bay of Biscay. Legend has it that pineau des Charentes was created by chance in 1589 when a winemaker accidentally dropped some grapes into a barrel containing brandy. The resulting taste after a period of ageing was found to be so good that it became regular practice – and a new drink was born. Swirl a glass of Pineau and you’ll notice how the viscous liquid runs in rivulets down the inside of the glass; these ‘legs’, as they are known, indicate a fairly high alcohol content, which in Pineau’s case is usually about 17%, similar to that of vermouth. However the red or rosé form is also very popular within the region itself. This is made with red grapes, typically Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Red pineau is aged for a minimum of 14 months.

Pineau des Charentes is one such category I’ve recently discovered, which had previously been completely unfamiliar. Not particularly well known outside of France, this is a curious little category of aperitif, combining the juicy fruitiness of fresh, unfermented grape juice with the potent flavor of distilled and aged Cognac. To gain the AOC guarantee of authenticity and quality, both the wine and the Cognac must come from the same estate and vineyard. The year that is indicated on the bottle is in reference to the year of the Cognac and not the grapes, as these are pressed the same day. Pineau must also be bottled in the region of Charente, much the same as Cognac can only be produced within the region. The red and rosé varieties, very popular locally, are made from the grapes Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Merlot, and are aged for at least 14 months, including a minimum of 8 months in oak barrels. The finished drink is again between 16% and 22% ABV (usually 17%) and varies between a deep mahogany brown colour and a very dark pink. [1] Production [ edit ] The influence of the Atlantic Ocean is surprisingly strong even this deep inland and it merges with continental and alpine elements across such a large area to provide moist spring weather and wet winters counterbalanced by hot summers and long, sunny autumns just as the grapes are ripening. Naturally, the area is great enough in size for the soils to be incredibly varied across it. Alluvial and marine soils, often gravel and limestone respectively, are common factors in many areas, the former often on rising terraces above rivers or ancient watercourses.