The Selection
A cru
A vintage
Men and Women
A cognac’s terroir is its soil, its climate and the traditions and family history of its men and women; each GROSPERRIN cognac is the living proof, the revelation, of this terroir.
Almost 4,300 farms, some of them very small, make up the rich and infinitely diverse fabric of the Cognac region. Individually, no one cru is better than the other. Grosperrin Cognac works with over 150 owners in all six crus – or growing areas – of the appellation.
Each cognac selected is the result of the perfect interplay of soil, climate and the men and women and their traditions. One of Grosperrin’s ultimate ambitions is to achieve the perfect expression of this terroir.
The crus
A Grosperrin cognac, be it a Grande Champagne or Bois Ordinaires, will always express the best of its cru. And not one crus better than the other.
The soil composition influences the humidity content and the quality of the wines. Because of their constant moderate humidity, the slopes of the Bons Bois or Bois Ordinaires produce some remarkable cognacs.
Most of the vineyards in Cognac grow on “Champagne”or “groies” soil. The latter comprises 50-70% fine soil and 30-50% small surface limestone fragments and is predominant in the Fins Bois cru. The unique characteristic of the lighter Champagne soil is its crumbly mix of surface limestone fragments and fairly soft chalky subsoil. The limestone content can sometimes be as high as 75%.
These are the basic cognac soil types but other types are found, such as the clay soil in the Pays-Bas, the argilo-siliceous soil in the Borderies and the sandy soil on the islands.
The vintages
Because vintage is important in Cognac, we include only the best in our collection.
The appellation extends from the Atlantic coast to the outer reaches of the Charente region. Its mild climate is conducive to vine growing but there are important nuances from area to area.
The islands benefit from cold years,e.g. 1991, because their maritime influence protects the grapes from frost. In hotter years, such as 1970, 1975 and 2003, the best results are achieved on the limestone-rich Champagne soils.
The people
Behind every cognac are the people who give it its character. Combine this with its terroir and vintage and you have a truly unique product. It is this uniqueness of character which Grosperrin Cognac strives to bring to the fore.
Traditionally, because the know-how is passed down through families, the cultivation, distillation and ageing methods differ from cru to cru.
For example, in the Bois Ordinaires cru, where the average size of a cognac operation is 5.8 ha, the growers are sometimes also oyster farmers with their sights on the sea. In the Fins Bois and Bons Bois crus, many growers are also grain or cattle farmers. In Grande Champagne, the average operation is over 25 ha,so vine growing is often the primary and sole occupation. Some pot still shapes are more common in certain crus.
