Brandy originated in France. In the early 18th century, the docks on the Charente River in France became a commercial port for wine exports due to convenient transportation. Since the whole box of wine took up a lot of space on the ship at that time, the French came up with the method of double steaming to remove the moisture of the wine, improve the purity of the wine, reduce the space occupied and facilitate transportation. This was the early brandy. In 1701, France was involved in the Spanish War, the sales of brandy dropped sharply, and the wine was accumulated in oak barrels. After the war, people discovered that brandy stored in oak barrels had a more mellow quality, a stronger aroma, and a crystal amber color. In this way, the world-famous brandy was born. Therefore, the storage and storage period in oak barrels have become important aspects in brewing brandy.

There is a local proverb in France: Boys drink red wine, men drink Port. If you want to be a hero, drink brandy. People grant brandy the supreme status and call it the hero's wine.

Brandy usually means "the soul of wine". The word brandy can be divided into a narrow sense and a broad sense. In a broad sense, all alcoholic beverages fermented and distilled from fruits are called brandy. But now it is customary to call the wine made from grapes through fermentation, distillation, storage and blending as brandy. If the distilled liquor is made from other fruits, the name of the fruit will be added in front of the brandy, such as apple brandy, cherry brandy, etc.

How to make brandy:

1. Make brandy by distilling white wine. The fermentation process of raw wine is the same as that of white wine produced by traditional methods (it is not suitable to use white wine made from red grapes to distill brandy, because more fusel oil is generated during fermentation, and the texture of the steamed wine is rough). When fermented When it is completely stopped, the residual sugar has reached less than 0.3%. It is statically clarified in the tank, and then the upper sake is separated from the liquor legs. The sake can be distilled after taking out the liquor (the liquor legs must be distilled separately). Brandy is a kind of beverage with a special style. It does not have high requirements for alcohol content. Generally, its inherent aroma can be preserved in 60-70% (v/v) alcohol. Therefore, the distillation method of brandy has remained at On the pot distillation machine (another benefit of using pot distillation is that the pot is made of copper. During the heated distillation process, copper butyric acid, acetic acid, caprylic acid, capric acid, and laurate are produced. These salts are insoluble , so these acids that are not good enough to taste are removed, which is beneficial to the quality of the brandy).

Pot distillation uses direct fire heating to perform two consecutive distillation steps. That is, first steam the raw wine into low-alcohol wine, add the newly fermented raw wine into a pot with a capacity of 150-500L, and heat and steam until the steam contains very little alcohol, which takes about 8 hours or more. The alcohol content of the liquid (i.e. crude distilled original brandy) is 24-32% (v/v). Take part of the wine tail and store it separately, empty the pot, then put in the new original wine and the wine tail obtained from the last distillation, and perform the second distillation. In the same way, perform the third distillation. The main distillates obtained from the three distillations are combined and re-distilled. The re-distillation time is longer, about 14 hours, and 1%-2% of the head or part of the tail is also separated. The average of the main distillate The alcohol content is 58-60% (v/v), which is the original brandy. The original brandy is blended and prepared, then stored and subjected to a series of post-processing treatments, and finally bottled and shipped out of the factory.

2. Use grape skins or grape pomace as raw materials to make brandy. Put the skin residue in a bucket, seal the container, and let it ferment. Since the skin residue itself contains yeast, there is no need to add additional yeast. After the container is full, seal the mouth tightly and leave an air hole at the top to allow carbon dioxide gas to escape. Fermentation time generally takes 10-15 days, and if the temperature is suitable, it only takes 7-8 days. After fermentation is completed, it can be placed in a still for distillation, using the same method as above.

Characteristics of brandy:

1. Brandy has an elegant and mellow taste and a special aroma.

The aromatic substances in brandy first come from raw materials. France's famous Kognac brandy is brewed from the fine grapes of Ugni Blanc, Blanche and Glenbart in the Cognac region. These fine grape varieties contain unique aroma, and after fermentation and distillation, original brandy is obtained. Raw brandy refers to brandy obtained through distillation and has not yet been blended.

The elegant aroma of high-quality brandy also comes from another source, and it is a very important source, and that is oak barrels.

When the original brandy is stored in oak barrels, it undergoes a series of changes to become elegant, soft, mellow, and mature. In the wine industry, this is called "natural aging." During the "natural aging" process, two changes occur: one is the change in color, and the other is the change in taste. The original brandy is white. It continuously extracts the wood components of the oak barrels during storage, and the tannins contained in the brandy are oxidized. After five, ten or even longer years, it gradually turns into a golden yellow, deep color. Golden yellow to strong brown color. The newly distilled original brandy has a spicy taste and insufficient aroma. It extracts the aroma of oak from the lignin of the oak barrel, and combines it with the aroma produced by the oxidation of its own tannins to form a unique and wonderful aroma of brandy.

2. There is another extremely important procedure for qualified brandy, which is blending. Blending, also called blending, is the finishing touch in brandy production. It achieves a high degree of harmony and unity in the feel, aroma and taste of the wine. How to blend is the secret of each wine manufacturer. Each factory has its own formula and its own blending experts. As a brandy blending master, you not only need profound winemaking knowledge and rich practical experience, but also an extremely sensitive sense of smell, taste and artistic appreciation. One characteristic of brandy is that it is not afraid of dilution. Adding white water to the brandy will keep the flavor and reduce the alcohol content. Therefore, people often add ice cubes, mineral water or soda water when drinking brandy. There are also some that add tea, the more expensive the tea, the better. The aroma of brandy combined with the aroma of tea has strong national characteristics.

Storage of brandy:

Newly distilled brandy has an unripe aroma and rough texture, and must be aged in oak barrels. Before aging, it should be diluted to about 50% alcohol content (v/v). 50g/100L iron-free sugar color can be added to the dilution water before use. Wine barrels should be placed in above-ground wine cellars for aging brandy, and should not be placed in underground wine cellars for storage. Because the underground wine cellar is poorly ventilated, the brandy cannot be fully oxidized, which affects the aging process. The most suitable storage room temperature is 15-25℃, and the relative humidity is 75-85 degrees. The longer the brandy storage period, the better. The longer the aging time, the smoother the style of the brandy, the more exquisite the aroma, and the higher the price. However, this does not mean that brandy can be aged in wooden barrels indefinitely. The wine itself also has a certain limit. The process from immature to mature to senile. It is first aged in new barrels for 1 year, then transferred to old barrels, and then aged for 5-10 years or even 20-30 years, generally no more than 50 years.

The reason why brandy wine has a mellow taste and rich aroma after aging is because the oak barrels used have a subtle "exchange effect" on the brandy, making the originally colorless wine magically turn into oak. The amber color of the barrel adds the unique aroma of brandy. But the brandy itself comes at a price, as some of it slowly evaporates over time.

It is said that in the Cognac region of France alone, about 20 million bottles of wine are evaporated a year. No wonder some people joke that these evaporated wines are secretly drunk by angels. Since oak has a great influence on the quality of brandy, wineries are also very particular about the selection of wood and the manufacture of barrels.

First of all, the felled oak must be dried for more than two years before it can be used to make barrels to prevent the moisture in the oak from seeping out and affecting the mellow taste of the brandy; and, all The wooden barrels should be made purely of oak inlays, without a single iron nail or a drop of glue, and they cannot be cut with a saw to ensure that the aging process does not affect the color and taste of the wine. This requires the master carpenter to use the principle of thermal expansion and contraction of natural objects to use the principle of thermal expansion and contraction of natural objects to bend the wooden strips with fire and attract each other to form a wine barrel. The maximum size of this wine barrel is 350 liters. suitable. When wine is put into wooden barrels, some of the oxygen in the air will enter, which will change the quality of the wine. This causes complex chemical reactions and develops the aroma of the wine; in addition, the dissolved substances in the oak barrel and its microorganisms have a great impact on the aging of the brandy and the production of the aroma. Part of the alcohol in the wine will also evaporate, reducing the intensity of the wine, and the color of the oak barrels will gradually penetrate into the wine, turning the originally colorless wine into a crystal amber color, and the taste will also be greatly improved.

The best brandy is made by blending a variety of brandies of different ages and sources. The blender must taste the wine stored in the barrel to judge the quality and style of the wine and determine the blending ratio. The winemakers all have their own recipes and will never share them with others. The blended brandy can be bottled after blending in a suitable container for 6 months.

Brandy, unlike wine, does not settle in the bottle and becomes a finalized product after bottling. As long as it is sealed, protected from light and stored at low temperature, it can be used for a long time. The general international standard for the alcohol content of blended brandy is 42-43 degrees, while my country's alcohol content standard is 38-44 degrees.

In order to highlight the aging period and raise the price of the wine, high-quality brandy must have eye-catching special marks on the label of the bottle. Each of these marks has different meanings.

★3 years old/★★4 years old/★★★5 years old

V.O.10-12 years old

V.S.O. 12-20 years old

V.S.O.P. 20-30 years old

F.O.V. 30-50 years old

X.O. 50 years old

X. 70 years old< /p>

E.Especial/O.Old/P.Pale light, clear, fingernail caramel color/S.Superior superior or soft/V.Very very/X. Extra extra, extra high-end/C.Cognal Cognac/F.Fine good, exquisite.

The meanings of these marks are not all very strict. Not only is the age of the wine represented not strictly determined, the same mark also has different meanings in different regions and manufacturers.

Cognac

As we all know, the most famous origin of brandy is France. However, when people mention the best brandy, they do not refer to French brandy in general, but to French brandy. Cognac. Cognac is a region in southern France, located in the Charente department. The soil, climate, rain and other natural conditions in the Cognac region are particularly conducive to the growth of grapes. Therefore, the grapes produced in this region are second to none in the world, but this does not mean that good grapes can definitely produce high-quality brandy. Cognac is the oldest and most famous brandy producing area in France. The production of brandy in the Cognac area has a long history and unique processing and brewing technology. The reason why Cognac enjoys a high reputation is due to its raw materials, soil, climate, distillation equipment and methods. Closely related to the aging method, Cognac is known as the "King of Brandies".

Cognac is amber in color, clear and transparent, has exquisite taste, heroic style, and very unique characteristics. The alcohol content is 43 degrees.

Cognac is made from three famous white grape varieties: saint Emilim, colombard and Folle Blanche, with Charente The pot still is distilled twice and then stored in new oak barrels. After one year, it is moved to old oak barrels to avoid absorbing too much tannin.

Cognac is the best brandy. Cognac products are strictly restricted and protected by the French government. According to the decree promulgated by the French government on May 1, 1909: only in the Cognac region (including Charente Province) and the 7 nearby districts) can be called cognac and be subject to state supervision and protection.

The seven production areas and their quality and yield are:

Producing area quality and yield

Grande Champagne (Grand Champagne) first level 14.65%

Petite Champagne (Little Champagne District) Level 2 15.98%

Borderies (Border Forest Area) Level 3 4.53%

Fins Bois (High-Quality Forest Area) Level 4 37.82%

Bons Bois (good quality forest area) level 5 22.19%

Bois Ordinaires (ordinary forest area)

Bois Communs level 6 4.38%

There are many famous Cognac brands, which are sold all over the world. The common ones are:

Remy Martin V.S.O.P, Martell V.S.O.P, Hennessy V.S.O.P, Nana Courvoisier V.S.O.P, Polignae V.S.O.P, Bisquit V.S.O.P, Longneck F.O.V, Ribbion Martell, Remy Martin Club , Hennessy X.O (Hennessy X.O), Martell X.O (Martell X.O), Remy Martin X.O (Remy Martin X.O), Camu's X.O (Camu's x Ⅲ(Par- adise)], Hennessy Paradise, Martell Paradise, V.S.O.P (Otard U.S.O.P), Otard X.O (Otard X.O), Hine V.S.O.P (Hine V.S.O.P), Hai Hine X.O., Came's V.S.O.P, Courvoisier Napolone, Augier V.S.O.P, Louis P'or Napolone, etc.

There are many miscellaneous brands below V.S.O.P level, and the quality is also uneven.

Armagnac

Second only to Cognac is Armagnac, which is located in the south of Cognac, in the Gers department in southwestern France. , famous for its dark brandy. Although it is not as famous as Cognac, its style is very close to it. The wine is amber in color, black and shiny, and has a strong taste due to its short storage time. Aged or distant Armagnac brandy has a fragrant aroma. Its style is steady and calm, mellow and rich, and has a long aftertaste. Keep the cup for a long time, sometimes up to a week, and the alcohol content is 43 degrees. Locals prefer Yayi. Armagnac is also a brandy variety protected by French law. Only local brandy produced in Armagna can have the word Armagnac on the trademark. Famous products of Yagna from Landy include: Castagnon, Chabot, Janneau, Sauval and Semp.

Brandy in other countries and regions:

In addition to Cognac and Armagnac, there are many other countries and regions in the world that produce Portuguese distilled liquor, which can be called brandy (Brandy).

French brandy (Franch brandy): refers to the brandy produced in other regions of France except Cognac and Armagnac. Compared with the brandy of other countries, it is of high quality.

Spanish brandy: Spanish brandy is the best after France.

Some Spanish brandies are distilled from sherry. At present, many of these wines are distilled and mixed with wines from various origins. This wine is significantly different from Cognac and Armagnac in taste, being sweeter and earthy.

American brandy: Most of it is produced in California. It is made from grapes produced in California. It is fermented and distilled to 85proof. It is stored in white oak barrels for at least two years, and some are coked. Colored with sugar.

In addition, Portugal, Peru, Germany, Greece, Australia, South Africa, Israel, Italy and Japan also mainly produce high-quality brandy.