Armagnac

Armagnac Koreska-Gillet

Authentic Bas-Armagnac

Well-made Armagnac is  a sophisticated and complex brandy, gorgeous  surely but seductive more importantly, one that exudes an earthy attraction and sensuality. One may indeed become very fond of other Brandys. One becomes passionate about Armagnac.

A traditional but very modern spirit

  • 42 hectares of vines entirely dedicated to the production of Bas-Armagnac
  • Fantastic soils and micro-climate perfectly adapted to Ugni Blanc and Baco grape varietals.
  • We have our own alembic still on the property (very rare for an independent producer).
  • All of the grapes are pressed, fermented and distilled at the domain exclusively for the production of Bas-Armagnac – nothing else.
  • The Armagnac is aged in medieval cellars of traditional beaten earth on the property, using hand-crafted oak barrels from the Limousine forest
  •  Bottling, labelling, corking and stamping is carried out entirely by hand
  • 100% Craft production

A very natural product

Our Armagnacs are 100% natural. They are made from the pure juice from our vines, fermented then distilled and put into barrels for ageing.
No caramel, sugar, chemical or other additives are used in the process.

 

The origins


France’s oldest eau-de-vie by a country mile and among the seniors from Europe, we can trace its first documented accounts to 1310 and a certain Maître Vital Dufour, Prior of Eauze, who extolled the “40 virtues of this ‘Aygue Ardente’ “, the ‘burning water’ with innumerable healing properties.

The single distillation process ensures that it reflects the local ‘terroir’ by maintaining fresh, aromatic character traits that, whilst requiring long ageing, mature into soft and melting pots of rich Gascony goodness with no sharp edges and velvety smoothness.

It is also very much a small batch production. There is no ‘sameness’ between different vintages, other than the inherent generic qualities of supple richness, fruit-driven structure. Even the finest Whisk(e)y producers cannot emulate this.
 
Finally, the low temperature (72-80°C), single heating guarantees a result which is rich in esters, retaining more of the natural grape-fruit flavours (hence the long ageing), which mellow out over the years. 




Our product range

KORESKA-GILLET Armagnac means: 
  • An unparalleled range of vintages; from 1893 to 2010
  • A huge collection of cask strength, single estate, single vintages, which is unmatched elsewhere.
  • A high profile international brand.
  • Ultra-Premium Quality Bas-Armagnac
  • Emphasis on the fruit aspect thanks to master-blending techniques
  • No harsh alcohol, just a smooth drinking experience
  • Each vintage is different and has its own particular character
  • The same care and attention goes into the range of blends as goes into the single estate cask vintages.


The Terroir


Today, the vineyards on the estate are exclusively dedicated to producing Bas-Armagnac and total some 22 hectares, with more being added every few years. 

Thanks to the particularly fine regional tawny-sandy soils, we grow two varietals of grape: Ugni Blanc, with its delicately perfumed floral qualities and Baco, a rich and complex 19th century hybrid (Folle Blanche crossed with Noah), unique to the Bas-Armagnac region.

We are fortunate enough to have a microclimate amongst the vines that is perfectly suited to Armagnac production: the gentle rolling slopes help to avoid extreme frosts, whilst also facilitating easy systemic access to the water table and the generous Gascon summers allow us to harvest early, keeping residual sugar levels to a minimum, thus promoting low alcoholic natural fermentation, essential to premium Armagnac distillation.


The Alembic


The Domaine is one of the increasingly rare properties in the region to possess its own alembic on the property; a solid copper, secular still which will soon celebrate its 100th birthday.

It is in the still room, that the team of Master-Distillers, gather every early November, stoke up the fires in the still hearth and work around-the-clock to produce pure white Armagnac; a continuous distillation process that lasts for at least a month or more, depending on the harvest yields.

Our distillation process is precise: one single, low temperature heating to produce distillate at 56 % alcohol. It is at this percentage that we are able to produce our finest White Armagnac.

Once distilled, it is then transferred into hand-crafted, medium-burned, French oak barrels. The burning of the barrels on the interior surfaces changes the quality and the quantity of the volatile components in the young Armagnac.

A medium burn yields Armagnacs of great complexity and depth, replete with grilled aromas, spices, vanilla, cocoa and a light sugar taste underpinned by mellifluous tannins. 



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