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Briat Castle – Bas Armagnac
Built in 1540, the Château de Briat is a former hunting manor commissioned by Queen Jeanne d’Albret for her son Henri de Navarre, later Henri IV King of France. The King offered it to his fellow officer Arnaud de Mâtines who saved his life at the battle of Coutras 1587. The Briat estate, where armagnac has been produced for centuries, changed ownership several times until 1864, when it was taken over by Raoul de Pichon Longueville. Due to their wine making expertise, the Pichon-Longueville family, who already owned the famous vineyard of the same name in Pauillac (Médoc), was able to improve upon the traditional process of wine making armagnac. Thus the present « Château de Briat » label was created by Baron Raoul de Pichon-Longueville, the maternal ancestor of the current owner Stéphane de Luze.
The Vineyard
BRIAT is planted with eight hectares of vines : Folle Blanche(45%), Baco 22 A (38%) and Colombard (17%). Yield are strictly limited in order to get consistent wines, rich in matter and aromas. The care of the vine, vinification, distillation and raising in cask are particularly well adapted as we always tend to search for the utmost authenticity of each vine. Depending on the year, around fifteen to twenty casks are distilled and raised in new oak for three years and then transferred in tannin less cask for another fifteen years.
Reaching their golden age, around twenty years, BRIAT vines now give the best grapes, being on the Red Sands soils.
The Armagnac
Vintage 1986 : 44° An elegant blend of Briat’s three grapes. A blooming vintage, fresh and vivid
Vintage 1987 : 46°.Winner of the Trofeo Habanos 2007 A great dominance of baco, with a little colombard giving a slight almond taste and a fairly good length.
Vintage 1988 : 46° Elegant with a pastry style, our latest eau de vie met a great success in wine fairs since January.
Cuvée du Baron : 46° Colombard vintage 1989. Small quantities available (3 cask), fruits and powerfull, needs to breathe in the glass before expressing it’s full potential.
Blended Hors d’âge : 43° Selectionned for the Trofeo Habanos 2006 . Blend of three vintages 1989, 1991, 1992, reduced with distilled water. A smooth and suave balance with hints of liquoriced prune.
Vintages and Cigars For me, nothing is worth the combination of a great spirit with a great cigar. Vintage « Great Bas Armagnac » allow « puros » from Havana to express all their flavors and sophistication. With some enthusiasts, we have tried and suggest the following alliances, convinced that you will find fabulous harmonies.
Vintage 1986 are being tested by a selection of undisclosed famous Habanos afficionados. TBA.
Vintage 1987 : Partagas Churchill Deluxe
Vintage 1988 For the alliance a smooth cigar with vanilla hints like a Flor de Copan , or something stronger and spicier like Cohiba’
Region
Armagnac
Address:
40240
Phone Number:
33
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