Cognac and Oysters

 

We had our last breakfast and boarded the bus for Cognac bright and early. It was a two-hour drive through some pretty countryside. Maria told us a bit about Cognac on the way. The special brandy is distilled from white grapes that are too acidic and low in alcohol to make good wine. Hennessy, where we will visit was founded by an Irish soldier from the Hundred Years War. We later learned Hennessy is the largest producer in the world. 

We were split into groups and our group started 30 minutes later. We were told to go exploring. We walked up some cobblestone streets and along the River, where swans were swimming. We didn’t make it too far when it was time to return for our tour. 

Yanna was our tour guide, and the tour was a mix of slick videos and her presentation. We took a short boat ride to the cellars across the Charente River. She told us the town had gotten rich in the salt trade and built walls to protect all the riches. Some of the gates are still standing. King Francois I was born there in 1494 and brought prosperity to the town. 

Hennessy was started by Robert Hennessy in 1765, and his son James took over the business and gave it its name. Cognac is made primarily from high acid white grapes that are not good for making wine (Ugni Blanc, Folle Blanche, and Colombard). Once fermented, the liquid is twice distilled before aging in French oak barrels. After distillation the Eau de vie is a colorless liquid with a fruity smell. We saw a fascinating video showing the creation of the barrels, which is all done by hand. The oak has a subtle impact on the Eau de vie, imparting nutty and toasty flavors. We saw the cellar with the barrels which had a strong brandy smell. This was explained as the angel’s share - a natural evaporation of a small portion of the alcohol. They also have an area called “paradise” a locked area where the best Eau de vie is kept. Some was kept in basket lined bottles to keep out the light. One such bottle was labeled in the 1800s. Julie stuck her phone close to the wrought iron gate to get a picture and Yanna warned her that if the phone fell behind the gate, she wouldn’t be getting it back  

We saw the small bottles that the master blender uses to perfect the blend. They are trying to achieve consistency - the same taste from year to year. Once the cognac goes into bottles, it stops aging. There is a tasting committee that helps insure quality and consistency. They taste 30 - 50 bottles every day at 11 am. After our very informative tour, we tasted two different Hennessy Cognacs, both straight up, on the rocks and in a cocktail. Sue liked the cocktail best - it tasted like a brandy sour. Nick had heard incorrectly that if you didn’t want cognac, you could opt for a beer. Mary went with that option only to find out it was grape juice on offer, not beer. 

We had less than 45 minutes before we had to get back on the bus at 2 pm, and we were hungry. We tried the closest restaurant but they were very busy and turned us away. We were about to return to the bus very grumpy when we ran into a couple from our tour who were on their way to a bakery to pick up sandwiches. We tagged along and got delicious ham and cheese sandwiches that we ate on a park bench near the River. We got to the bus about a minute late, and a number of people straggled in after us. 

We drove an hour and a half to Marennes for a very interesting visit and tasting at an oyster farm. Our enthusiastic guide, William, donned wading boots and entered a pond. The area is old salt marshes that have been converted for oyster farming. He had oyster tables set up with the apparatus and pouches they use to farm the oysters. (This was just a model; the actual farms are out in the sea, accessed at low tide.) He described all the steps they take to keep them separated and of the proper shape. After 3 years they can sell them or put them on their estuary ponds and further refine them. He showed us they also can grow prawns and clams in the ponds. And he picked some wild herbs and gave us a taste - very salty.  After our tour, we were seated at long tables with 6 oysters and white wine. Mary’s not a fan so Nick, Julie and Sue got extras. They seemed saltier than US oysters but quite delicious. 

We got back on the bus and drove about 45 minutes to Rochefort, for 2 nights in La Corderie Royale Hotel. We have the night on our own to explore Rochefort.