Every story has its legend and the pruning of vines is no exception. According to the myth, the inventor of this wine-growing practice was none other than a donkey.

wordsCyranoAugust 9, 2018words, pruning

Words from Armagnac: Appellation [æpɪˈleɪʃən]

If one sticks to its literal meaning, the word appellation is the action of designating someone or something by giving it a name. Its legal meaning defined since 1909 became even more significant in 1935 when the term «d’Origine Controlée» was attached to it: the appellation became a label of identity.

wordsCyranoJuly 26, 2018words, appelation, appellation

Words from Armagnac: Maître de chai [mɛtʀ d ʃɛ])

A skilled craftsman, the cellar master beguiles and exudes an aura of mystery around him. Though however captivating the idea of the silhouette in the shade of the barrels, the reality is far from this storybook image and doesn’t say enough about the responsibility of the one that brings Armagnac to its ultimate maturity.

CyranoJuly 12, 2018words, chai

Words from Armagnac: Pièce [ pjɛs ]

Piece of theatre, piece of cake or even pièce de résistance, the pièce we are talking about however, is fashioned specially in wood for ageing Armagnac! Whether it is a barrel, tun or cask, it is in this that the eau-de-vie combines with the wood and takes on the aromatic elements that will mark its memory.

CyranoJune 21, 2018piece, chai, words

Words from Armagnac: Serpentine [ ˈsɜːpənˌtaɪn ]

There is nothing quite like the coiled, multicolored serpentine ribbons that carpet the ground of a carnival or other festivals. In Armagnac however, the serpentine is nothing like a streamer. It is a copper tube that coils around on the right-hand side of the alambic, the primary tool for distillation.

CyranoJune 7, 2018serpentine, words