Cognac is the most famous and noble strong alcoholic beverage. Many men love to appreciate this drink, give it your preference. And inventive ladies have found use for him in cosmetology. At the same time, many do not know what such a noble drink is made of.
Cognac comes from France. It got its name from the town of Cognac - it is located in the south-west of France. A strong drink appears as a result of double distillation of ordinary white wine. Then the drink needs to be aged in oak barrels.
The technology of making cognac is a real art. The process of making cognac is divided into several stages:
- collection of grapes for wine;
- pressing the received berries;
- distillation;
- aging in barrels;
- mixing.
What exactly is the delicious strong cognac made of, and most importantly - high-quality? The main component, as a rule, for the production of cognac is white grapes (Uni Blanc variety). This variety has a high acidity, grapes ripen very slowly. These grapes, among other things, are distinguished by their resistance to diseases, and therefore, high yields. It was not for nothing that he was chosen to create cognac.
According to the recipe, in addition to Uni Blanc, the following grape varieties are used: Folle Blanche and Colombard. Each variety brings its own special aroma to the cognac bouquet. For example, Uni Blanc is able to endow it with floral aromas, in addition, cognac immediately acquires subtle notes of spices. Folle Blanche significantly improves the quality of cognac with aging, giving the aroma of violet and linden, while Colombard adds strength and sharpness.
As a rule, the grape harvest begins in October. At the end of the collection, the berries must be squeezed out immediately. Special presses are used - they do not crush grape seeds. Therefore, the crushed seeds cannot get into the grape juice and thereby spoil the taste of the future noble drink.
After this procedure, the juice is sent to fermentation. It is forbidden to add sugar during fermentation. The process lasts about three weeks, after which the wines containing 9% alcohol or more are sent for distillation.
This process is very complex, it takes place in the "Charentes distillation cube". Bottom line: you get cognac alcohol. The finished liquid is kept in oak barrels for at least two years, then it can begin to bear the loud name "cognac". It is worth noting that the maximum residence time of the liquid is unlimited. But experts who have been engaged in the production of cognac for a long time, assure that the aging of cognac for more than 70 years does not affect the quality of the drink. So for more than 70 years there is no point in aging the cognac.
It is not by chance that oak barrels are chosen for aging. Oak is an incredibly durable material with a fine-grained structure and high extractive qualities. Cognac alcohol is poured into barrels, then they are placed in cellars for aging the drink. Only then the cognac only gets on our tables in the form we are used to, namely, in bottles.
By the way, cognac should be drunk from cognac glasses. First, for twenty minutes, the glass with the drink is warmed with your hands in order to fully enjoy the aroma of the drink. Cognac is eaten with chocolate. Some gourmets claim that cognac is perfect only in combination with a cigar, chocolate and coffee. And in the post-Soviet society, they have long believed that it is better to eat cognac with fresh lemon. But citrus has a specific sharp taste - it interrupts the exquisite bouquet of cognac, so it's better not to eat this drink with lemons.
