A process genuinely different

Distributed exclusively through independent stores and top restaurants, Léopold Gourmel cognacs are elaborated so that the natural link from the roots to the bottle is never cut, ensuring that the product is “alive� and making the cognac more accessible to the consumers. Each step of the process confirms this ambition:

• The quality of exceptional vineyards

The wines at the origin of Léopold Gourmel cognacs come from the 1st growth Fins Bois where one finds the oldest subsoils of the region and where the roots of the vine go as deep as 20 to 30 meters( about 80 to 100 ft).The land is the most hilly of the region and the maturation of the white wine grapes benefits from an Eastern orientation. All those factors help the wine be stronger, richer, more aromatic, and more mineral.

• A natural approach to the wine growing

Because he wishes to distil natural products, Léopold Gourmel chooses a natural approach with respect to the environment . No chemicals , no pesticides will affect the grapes, from the pruning to the picking, from the maturity of the grapes to the respect of the berries, every step will search for the quality rather than the quantity.

• Treatment by block

Each block in a vineyard is different: age of the vine, climate,subsoil , exposure to the sun, to the rain, and to the winds. Each block is therefore treated separately, from the harvest to the wine-making and ultimately to the distillation to better translate the natural expression.

• Pure Vintage

Each cognac Léopold Gourmel is the result of a wine of the same year. To preserve the original flavours, the vintages are never mixed, in this way it differs from the cognac traditions that standardize the appellation.

• Respect of the maturity of the wine

Distillation can only start with well balanced wines that will reach their perfect maturity after resting on fine lees. The flavours are then optimum in intensity and complexity.

• A “fatâ€? or generous distillation

The traditional distillation in cognac produces spirits that, although perfectly pure are often neutral or too dry. Léopold Gourmel has decided to do the reverse, a “fat� distillation that will retains the maximum aromas yielding a spirit not only with a fruity nose but a rich deep base and a promise of a greater potential for ageing. As the vintages are not mixed, the vintage will evolve by itself .

• Casks that enhance the ageing.

Leopold Gourmel cognacs are aged in un-toasted extra fine-grain French oak casks. The wood comes from the oldest French oak trees , so-called Allier, that prevent oxidation, add very delicate notes of wood and enables the vintage to reveal its potential. Hence the delicacy, the finesse, the long finish and the very clear colour.

• Non chill-filtered

As one is about to bottle there could be some residues in the cognac. To remove them, but also to stabilize the aspect of the cognac in all type of conditions or temperature, the process commonly used by most spirit bottler is to freeze and then heavily filter the spirit before bottling. Doing so, one will remove part of the flavours and aromas. Leopold Gourmel , concerned by as natural a cognac as possible, will use a different technique with a light screening that means the cognac will taste the same in the bottle as in the cask.

• Reduction

Each year the cognac loses about 2 to 3% in volume, the so-called Angel’s share, but very little in alcoholic strength , about 4° every ten years. To bring the spirit from 70° to 40°, many operators add water in a very brutal way. Leopold Gourmel has found two major rules: reduce as slowly as possible, 6 years is better than 4 and etc. The most important is that if you pour the water, the weak one, into the spirit, the strong one, chemically you have a “saponification�, you give a soapy ,creamy taste to your spirit. On the contrary if you pour the cognac into the water, the strong into the weak, you witness chemically an “estherification�, you reveal the aromas, provided your spirit has some. The more you repeat the process the more flavoursome your spirit will be. At Leopold Gourmel, after 5 years of ageing at full strength the vintage is separated into two parts, one will be poured into water to reach 55°, the strong vintage, the second will be poured into water to reach 25°, the lower vintage. Over the years, and very slowly, the low vintage will be “alcoholised� with the strong one. Ultimately the range goes from 40° to 41° to 42° to 43° and after 28 years there will only be one lot left of the vintage .From year 28 to year 40 the cognac will then naturally lose its strength from 46° down to 40°: another secret of the delicate taste of Leopold Gourmel cognacs.

• 100% natural product

To better please the eye and the palate of the consumers, cognacs or other brown spirits are often “enhanced� by additives that will darken the colour, “age� the feeling, soften the taste. Faithful to its vision, Leopold Gourmel has decided to produce an authentic cognac free of any additives and has done this since its first distillation.

• A presentation that promotes the name Cognac.

Avoiding the flashy presentations that promote more the container than the product inside, Léopold Gourmel took the choice of a simple and modern presentation. The bottles are completely transparent which shows the beauty and nuances of the colour of the cognac. The labels are easy to read and educative, stating immediately the taste according to the years of ageing.