$349.99
Tasting Notes:
20 % ugni blanc 80% Baco
Nice golden colour with amber tints.The nose is fresh and fine, with some mint, anise, linden and crystallized fruits (apricot, quince). Some more spicy notes on the second nose.On the palate, the flavours are more mature: liquorice, chocolate, coffee. Very long.
About the producer:
Francis and Marc Darroze roamed the estates on the best terroirs, that of the Grand Bas Armagnac and its tawny sands, to select, raise and bottle the most beautiful discoveries. Around 30 estates contribute to this extraordinary collection that complete and perfect their ageing in the Roquefort and Labastide d’Armagnac cellars. Rare and ancient barrels, where the eaux-de-vies leave the alembic from a small property, distilled by a reputed mobile distiller and that demand several decades of subtle and careful ageing in oak barrels for 15 to 50 years in order to express the qualities of the place and the vintage. No other Armagnac house can offer such diversity, and just from the fairly small area of Grand Bas Armagnac. The typical Armagnac farmer raises all the possible farm animals fed by many different crops plus a small vineyard the part production of which is distilled every year and aged in one or more barrels, which constitute the savings of the farm. A sick bull or a dying horse or tractor are repaired or replaced by the sale of a barrel. Multiply by the number of farms and years and you have the variety of the Darroze collection, so differentiated, because each farm is unique. Add to this no reduction , by water, only through ageing, no caramel colouring, the date of distillation and the date of bottling, because all that matters is the time spent in the barrel. Once in glass, nothing changes, nothing improves. A 1890 Armagnac bottled in 1900, is no better than a 2007 bottled in 2017, but collectors do not want you to know!
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Chateau Tariquet Le Legendaire Hors d’Age Bas Armagnac (Folle Blanche, Ugni Blanc, Baco) 42% 700mL
$129.99
Tasting Notes:
A pale gold colour with aromas of apple pie and orange flower on the nose, with hints of toffee emerging as the Légendaire breathes. A fresh, supple and lively attackof light caramel and liquorice, blossomingto reveal intense and dynamicnotes of roasted fruits and fine spices(nutmeg, grey pepper, cinnamon).
A superbly smooth finish..
About the producer:
Le Tariquet has been the cradle of an entire family since 1912. First of all, the home of Hélène and Pierre Grassa, who began the tradition with their love of fine Armagnac. Then, the home of their children Maïté and Yves, both fervent winemakers, who have now been joined by Yves’ sons, Armin and Rémy, the third generation of winegrowers in the family. Together they manage the Tariquet estate, which has always remained an independent and, now more than ever, family-owned company. They run the property with an eye on the future and have built a business that is well placed to meet market demand. With close to 900 hectares of land, they produce Tariquet white wines and Bas-Armagnac brandies that have won international acclaim. Tariquet were the first winemakers in France to apply the rules of modern winemaking ( No oxidation, temperatures, special yeast…) being taught in France universities of oenology, just before and after the 2nd world war. Most students, sons of vignerons learned but never really applied it, since back home the fathers would insist, with a slap, in continuing with the centuries old methods. Tariquet opened the ways, at first despised by most, then grudgingly admired for their, fresh clean fruity wines. Years later the new world would follow with their successful New World Wines.With such vision Tariquet would also be excellent at Armagnacs, concentrating with foresight on the vine varietal Folle Blanche, which before the Phylloxera crisis, represented 90% of cognac and Armagnac production and was famous for fast ageing, preserving freshness of floral and fruity aromas. But post phylloxera Folle Blanche was difficult rotting by 25% to 50%. Tariquet must be admired to have persisted to be today the main exponent of brilliant Folle Blanche Armagnacs
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