A day trip in the Charente, while hopefully avoiding the virus!
Before the motorways came, much long distance travel through France involved the use of long, straight, two way roads, often lined with plane trees for considerable stretches. Low morning or afternoon sun flickering between the trees caused vision problems for drivers and accidents were, I believe, far from rare!
Fields of sunflowers everywhere. In this time of the season, their "sunny" seed heads are beginning to die off and dry out.
The most unprepossessing main entrance to Balluet, a family run cognac producer since 1845!! The quality is within!
This alambic is a kind of pot still, hand made in copper sheet, of a design peculiar to the Charente department. In simple terms, white wine (usually made using the ugni white grape) is boiled in the left hand pot and the alcohol vapour rises in the top tube and distils in the centre section, which has a downward spiral pipe inside. The distillate cools in the spiral and runs out to collect in the end tank. The first and last thirds of the produce in this tank are discarded; only the middle third is kept, transferred to oak barrels for aging.
Old and disused boilers. Despite the basic and industrial design, the builders had taken the trouble to apply moulded mortar gods' heads with beards of grape bunches.
Barrels of different sizes are used for aging. These barrels are 3000 litres, but Balluet use barrels varying in sizes from 600 litres to 25,000 litres! Often old red wine barrels are used, to add different attributes to the finished cognac.
These barrels hold, i think, about 12,000 litres each. Plenty of storage here, but aging can last from 5 years to 40 years and more for the older cognacs, so plenty is essential! We were told at another firm that cognac stops maturing after 80 years, at which point it can be decanted into glass jars!
This is a view of the chateau in the village (Neuvicq_le_Chateau, which is actually in the neighbouring department, Charente Maritime) taken from the top of the 20 metre high tower on the adjoining Balluet premises. There is quite a climb to the top, up several flights of a very narrow staircase and not for the faint hearted!
This neat little 360 degree panoramic map of the landscape visible from the tower. The altitude of 95 metres refers to the height of the village above sea level. It's an accurate painting, as can be seen by comparing the features on the photograph below!
Another view from the tower, showing the cognac sheds surrounded by vineyards of the ugni blanc grape, ripening and ready for harvest in the autumn.
Twenty year old cognac. It is only brandy made near the town of Cognac which can be named "cognac". We were fortunate to meet and have a quick chat with the current Monsieur Balluet. A very pleasant, but down to earth, gentleman with a serious and long term responsibility on his shoulders!
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