Brandy:






Cognac (pronounced /ˈkɒnjæk/), named after the town of Cognac in France, is the most famous variety of brandy.[citation needed] It is produced in the wine-growing region surrounding the town from which it takes its name, in the French Departements of Charente and Charente-Maritime.

According to French Law, to bear the name Cognac, the production methods for the distilled brandy must meet defined legal requirements, ensuring strict conformity with a 300-year old production process. It must be made from at least 90% Ugni Blanc, Folle Blanche or Colombard grapes; of these, Ugni Blanc, known locally as Saint-Emilion, is the most widely-used variety today. It must be distilled twice in copper pot stills and aged at least two years in French oak barrels from Limousin or Tronçais. Most cognacs are aged considerably longer than the minimum legal requirement of two years, because cognac matures in the same way as whiskies and wine when aged in a barrel.


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