Ever Wonder? - The Difference Between Cognac and Brandy

I was recently asked about brandy and Cognac and their various designations. So, let’s take a closer look at the similarities and differences between them.

It’s easiest to start off with brandy. Brandy refers to a wide range of spirits, made mostly from grape wine but sometimes also from other fruits (e.g., apricot brandy).

The name brandy is a shortened form of brandywine, which an anglicized form of Dutch brandewijn, which means "burnt wine". And, this is precisely what brandy is - burnt wine. Well… sort of.

To make brandy, wine is heated in a still until it separates into its components using the distillation process. So, put simply, brandy is distilled wine.

Like wine and whisky, brandy is often aged in wooden barrels, which increases flavor, complexity and color intensity. Unfortunately, the color of ‘aged’ brandy is sometimes created in low-quality, un-aged brandy by using food coloring such as caramel color (This is greatly frowned upon by most quality brandy producers!). For those producers that actually do age their brandy, the length of aging and the type of barrel used are both important elements in determining the final quality of the brandy.

Now, let’s get to Cognac. All Cognac is brandy, but not all brandy is Cognac. Cognac is brandy that is made from the white wine grapes grown in the Cognac region of France.

Cognac is produced primarily from the Trebbiano grape (known as Ugni Blanc “ooo-nee blonk” in France), along with very small quantities of Folle Blanche and Colombard. French wine makers also have the option of using up to 10% of other grape varieties that include Folignan, Jurançon blanc, Meslier St-François, Montils, and Semillon.

The product of the Cognac distilling process is referred to by the French as eau-de-vie (“oh duh vee”), which means the “water of life.” At this point, it has a maximum alcohol content of 72.4% ABV (148.4 proof!) and is completely clear. The barrel aging process adds the color and enhances flavor. Pure, distilled or demineralized water is added to Cognac to make a finished product that is 40% ABV.

There are several designations used to differentiate Cognac. The “VS” designation means it is “Very Special” with two years minimum aging. VSOP is “Very Special/Superior Old Pale” and must be aged for a minimum of four years, while XO is “Extra Old” with a six-year minimum aging requirement if it was produced up to 2018; after 2018 that changed to a ten year minimum.

There are lots of brands of brandy but there are four major producers of Cognac that control approximately 90% of the market; Hennessy, Martell, Rémy Martin & Courvoisier.

Enjoy brandy or Cognac at room temperature in a bowl-shaped glass to capture its wonderful aroma. Cheers!

Ever Wonder? What's the Difference Between Sherry and Port Wine?

I was recently asked about the differences between Sherry and Port. And while they may at first seem similar, they are actually quite different.

Both Sherry and Port are fortified wines meaning that distilled spirits, like brandy, are added to the wine. But that’s where the similarities end. Sherry and Port come from different places, are made with different grapes and are made in different ways.

Sherry comes from the Jerez region of Spain, where the primary grape is Palomino - a white grape. Fortification takes place at the end of fermentation. Most Sherry is then aged in a solera system, where vintages are blended together to ensure the consistency of the final product. Sherry's flavor ranges from bone dry to syrupy sweet. Dry Sherry ages under a cap of flor yeast, preventing the wine's contact with oxygen. These wines are usually crisp and refreshing. Other Sherries are aged in contact with air which gives them a nutty, rich flavor.

Port is produced in the Douro Valley region of northern Portugal, hence the name Port. The primary grapes used in the production of Port are red grapes and include Touriga Nacional, Touriga Francesa and Tinta Roriz (Tempranillo), but more than 80 varieties are permitted. With Port, fortification takes place midway through fermentation. This kills the yeast which ends fermentation. Being that fermentation was not complete, a bunch of residual sugar, not yet consumed by the yeast, remains in the wine, making it sweet. Styles of Port can be broken down into Ruby or Tawny. Ruby Ports are younger and tend to have more syrupy sweet profiles. Tawny Ports undergo extensive barrel aging which lightens their color and imparts more nutty, caramel, and spice flavors.

So, while both Sherry and Port are fortified wines, they are quite different. Cheers!


Ever Wonder - What is Jug Wine?

While strolling through the wine section of my local grocery store, I was asked “Do you know what Jug Wine is?” My attention was drawn to a sign above the shelves that identified the section as “Jug Wine.”

My first reaction was to state that it’s cheap bulk wine. But, the immediate follow-on question that I got was “What type of wine is it?” I had to shrug my shoulders and say “I don’t really know. Probably some blend of grapes.” Turns out, both of my responses were correct.

You’ll find that these jug wines are commonly sold as “Burgundy” for the red ones or “Chablis” for the white ones. These are trademark name of their wine brands and definitely not French wines. In France, red wines from Burgundy are made from Pinot Noir and wines from Chablis are made from Chardonnay. Some makers of the jug wines go so far as to call them “Reserve” which is just a bit of a stretch since that term is not regulated in the U.S.

So I did a little digging and learned, for example, that Gallo's Hearty Burgundy is a blend of Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Tempranillo, Petite Sirah, Teroldego and Zinfandel, while Carlo Rossi Burgundy is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Ruby Cabernet and Syrah.

Another blending wine is Barbera. In California, in the ‘60s and ‘70s, Barbera was one of the most successful grapes being grown in the Central Valley, where it became a major blending component in jug wines. Unfortunately, Barbera still gets a bad rap because of this. Yet, it’s one of my favorite varietal wines, especially from the Amador and El Dorado Counties of California.

So, yes, jug wine is inexpensive bulk wine that’s a blend of different grapes. And, it’s very popular as a table wine in the U.S. So, enjoy! Cheers!

Ever Wonder? - What Exactly is Vermouth?

Wormwood

Photo by Simone Garritano on Unsplash

You probably know Vermouth simply as an ingredient in a cocktail such as a Martini or Manhattan. But, did you know it’s actually a wine?

According to records, vermouth was first produced in the late 18th century for medicinal purposes with aromatics playing the healing role.

While Vermouth makers each use their own mix of aromatics in their offering, such as herbs, bark, roots, citrus and spices, the Wormwood plant is a classic ingredient. Wormwood, shown in the image, is credited for the original naming of Vermouth since the German word for Wormwood is “Wermut.”

But, all Vermouth starts as a white wine. It is aromatized with various blends of natural botanicals and then fortified (i.e., extra alcohol is added).

While all dry Vermouth is white not all white Vermouth is dry. Some Vermouth is intentionally sweet, including red vermouth that is cola-brown in color and has a distinctive cola flavor.

So yes, Vermouth is most commonly known as an ingredient in cocktails, but it’s actually a wonderful aperitif on its own. Try it cold over ice. Cheers!

Marsala Wine - Not Just for Cooking

Chicken Marsala is a well known Italian dish. But, did you know that Marsala is also a fine drinking wine?

Marsala is a fortified wine that originated in the town of Marsala on the west coast of Sicily. True Marsala still only comes from Sicily and is produced from Sicilian indigenous grapes.

Marsala is most often thought of as a cooking wine.  But, there are actually five quality levels:

  • Fine - Aged for 1 year and commonly used in cooking

  • Superior - Aged for 2 years and used most commonly in cooking

  • Superior Reserve - Aged 4 years

  • Virgin or Solera - Aged 5 years

  • Virgin Stravecchio/Virgin Reserve - Aged for 10 or more years

Marsala wines are also produced in three levels of sweetness:

  • Secco - Dry (little to no residual sugar). This wine completes fermentation before it is fortified.

  • Semisecco - Semi sweet. This wine is fortified near the end of fermentation so as to leave a small amount of residual sugar.

  • Dolce - Sweet. This wine is fortified during fermentation. The higher level of the fortifying alcohol kills the yeast before fermentation is complete, hence sugar remains in the wine.

There are also three styles of Marsala wine:

  • Gold - Produced with white grapes (Grillo, Catarratto, Inzolia, Domaschino and Grecanico)

  • Amber - Also produced with white grapes but the grape must (i.e., unfortified grape juice) is cooked to the point where the natural sugars caramelize, giving the wine the amber color

    • Flavors of Gold and Amber Marsala include apricot, brown sugar, and vanilla

  • Ruby - Produced with up to 30% red grapes (Pignatello, Nero d'Avola, Nerello Mascalese, and Frappato)

    • Flavors of Ruby Marsala include cherry, dried fruit, honey, walnut and licorice. 

High-end Marsala wines are produced by a system called 'Soleras' where new and old wines are blended. This will be the subject of a future posting.

A glass of Marsala wine should be served at approximately 55 degrees F and is wonderful when paired with Parmesan, Gorgonzola, Roquefort and other bold cheese. And because it’s fortified, it doesn’t need to be kept in a refrigerator. Just store it in a cool, dark place and it will retain its flavor for a very long time.

So, don’t drink the cooking wine. Save it for great sauce reductions. But do seek out a nicer bottle and enjoy! Cheers!