Bourgoin’s Cognac begins in their estate-vineyards. Their vines are planted only in the best pockets of chalky, Creataceous soils found in their corner of Fins Bois. They have been organically farming their ugni blanc vines since 1986, and make all their base wine using indigenous yeasts and with no added sulfites, no acidification, and no malolactic fermentation. Alcoholic fermentation takes place in temperature-controlled outdoor vats for four days without malolactic fermentation and without added sulfites.

The wine is then double-distilled in a 20 hectolitre copper Charentais still, turning 100 hectolitres of wine into 10 liters of eau-de-vie. This eau-de-vie is aged in their cellar for five years in wide-grained French oak barrels from the Limousin forest. It is slowly down-proofed with local Fontaine Jolival artesian spring water to 43% ABV with nothing else added: no sugar, caramel coloring, or boisé.

Banana leaps out of the glass along with yeasty baked brioche. The palate is naturally rich and harmonious, with notes of red fruit, spice, and butterscotch.