SINGLE ESTATE COGNAC
With 370 hectares of vines, the Domaines Francis Abécassis are today one of the largest independent producers in the Cognac appellation.
Francis and his daughter Elodie have put together a first class team where everyone’s particular skills, attention and love for the product are essential to the creation of refined Cognacs. Each of their areas of expertise is highly respected and every step in the production is carried out independently in order to adapt the production methods of these Cognacs to their specific terroirs.
The Abecassis family has therefore put together a truly remarkable collection of estates that they have highlighted to produce the exceptional Cognacs: ABK6, LEYRAT, REVISEUR and GRANDS DOMAINES.
Sustainable growing methods for the vines
The work in the vines is a daily one, every day of the year.
The Abécassis family devotes particular attention to the vines in order to obtain healthy and balanced grapes. Sustainable growing methods are used in order to best respect the environment and the vineyard. Every gesture is therefore thought through with a view to producing a wine with respect for the terroir and nature. At maturity, the Ugni-Blanc grapes are harvested plot by plot and immediately pressed on site in order to avoid the transport and overly long treatment procedures. Our vinification cellars are provided with modern equipment to control the temperature specifically for producing great wines for distillation.
A distillation adapted to the terroir
To enhance the characteristics of the terroir, each estate has its own distillery and dedicated distiller that use specific and adapted methods of distillation.
The Domaines Francis Abécassis employs small capacity alambics that do not exceed 25 hl that allow each batch to be distilled separately. The particular shape of the alambics will give the typical attributes of elegance and rich aromatics that each Cognac must have.
Tradition and savoir-faire have an essential role to play in this part of the production. During the Charentaise distillation, otherwise known as double distillation, the wines are distilled twice: the first heating gives birth to the « brouillis » that are then reintroduced into the alambic to become the « bonne chauffe » (good heat). Our distilleries are not automatic and therefore the talents of each master distiller are hence necessary to detect and select the best eaux-de-vie. As a true artist, he observes, smells and tastes, looking for perfumes and the particular style of the estate.
The precious time for ageing
Having the space and the necessary time to age a Cognac is a real privilege. On our estates, we have a total of twenty cellars and some 3500 barrels with a potential of about 3 million litres of eau-de-vie maturing. Every cellar has its own particularity. Dry or humid, it brings different attributes to the Cognac and alternating from one to another will develop varied aromas. The young eau-de-vie is first placed in new oak barrels to acquire colour and personality, then it will be moved into slightly older barrels of 5 to 10 years to give more aromatic complexity. After this it will change again into much older barrels that will gradually give suppleness and roundness. Only the Cellar Master, custodian of an ancient savoir-faire, will decide when to move it from one to another, therefore guaranteeing its harmonious evolution dedicated to the creation of a great Cognac.
From the art of blending to bottling
The Cognacs of Domaines Francis Abécassis owe their international renown to strong singularities giving richness and a delicateness whose complexity appeals to all the senses. In his quest for the perfect balance, our Cellar Master meticulously selects eaux-de-vie with subtlety, bringing together different years, barrels and styles depending on the taste profile sought for each creation. Then he places the blend in large barrels for several months in the « Blending cellar ». This additional time is particularly important to gently marry and harmonise the aromas, refining their elegance to achieve the desired radiance of the blend.
