3. Cognac Seminar

Cognac Seminar

$139/$169

This event is part of our Gastronomy & Wine program, an immersive exploration of French culinary arts and the captivating world of wines. Whether you are a beginner or an expert, our series is tailored to provide a deeper understanding of French grapes, refine your tasting skills and vocabulary, and foster confidence in conversations, selections, and pairings. We will provide you with an authentic French perspective and access to a splendid array of quality wines.
   
There are no refunds or exchanges available for the Gastronomy and Wine Program events. Should a guest need to cancel their registration, their registration fee can be applied to a future class. Cancellations are accepted up to one week prior to the event to avoid loss of purchase.

Instruction led by Duncan Reiss

Duncan Reiss is a seasoned Spirit Specialist at Vineyard Road, a prominent Massachusetts importer and distributor of fine wines globally. Duncan is passionate about building spirit culture by seeking out top quality, boutique producers of spirits from around the world. In finding small production and artisanal producers, he has captured the distinct and authentic character of those who work in concert with the land to explore memorable Cognac flavors. 
 
Duncan will be showcasing three distinct Cognacs, highlighting an array of tastes, distilling, and aging methods:

Frapin is the oldest family-owned estate in Cognac. Situated exclusively in the premiere sub-region of Grande Champagne they have been in continuous production in the same family since the year 1270. True estate Cognac, their products are entirely derived from their holdings in the region and they do not bring in any fruit, wine, or spirit from anyone else, they also age in house, with multiple different cellars in different locations. Their Cognac maintains a great balance of traditional French style, strong fruit expression, mixed with the softness of the barrel and age. 
 
Fanny Fougerat is one of the very few women bottling under her own name in Cognac. A fourth-generation distiller, she started bottling under her owne name in 2013. Previously her family was selling their spirit to the big houses for blending. A true representation of “Grower Cognac,” Fanny, her husband, and her small team are in control of the whole production process; they work the vines, produce a high-quality base wine, distill, and age all at the estate. Fanny’s style is unique in modern Cognac, in that she is focusing on sub-region-specific bottlings and not blending across them. The disparate terrior of each sub-region is allowed to blossom in a far more youthful, floral, and light style of Cognac that stands in opposition to heavily-oaked, vanilla bomb big brand brandies. 
 
Jacky Navarre is one of the last of the old breed of Cognac. In the same vein of “Grower Cognac,” Jacky produces some of the most intense and rich Cognac that can possibly be made. With obsessive control over all aspects of the process, the result is a fantastic expression of the true flavors and textures of Cognac. The hallmark of the Jacky Navarre style is long aging and incredibly rich and dark spirits. He ages his products for over 20 years in perfect cellar conditions to need very little proofing down, if at all, to reach the desired proof, creating a pure and uncut spirit.     

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