Here we present you with our magnificent selection of Cognacs and Armagnacs, carefully chosen from the most prestigious signatures of the region. These bottles are available on the iDealwine website as part of fixed-priced selection but you can also find Cognacs and Armagnacs in our auctions on finespirits.auction.
COGNACS
MAISON DELAMAIN
This is one of the oldest Cognac houses, founded in 1762 by James Delamain and his step-brother Jean-Isaac Ranson, owner of an old Cognac exporting house. At the time, the house was called Ranson & Delamain. To this day, the house is managed by the direct descendants of the founder, Patrick Peyrelongue and his cousin Charles Braastad. After the Revolution and the Empire, Henri Delamain, James’ grandson, with his cousins (Roullet) founded Roullet & Delamain in 1824. Then, in 1920, the Delamain family became the only owner of the company and the name therefore changed to Delamain & Co. Thanks to this long family tradition, the Delamains have succeeded in establishing long-term, strong relationships with the best owner-distillers in the region, allowing them to obtain very high quality supplies from the terroir of Grande Champagne. Today, Patrick Peyrelongue – whose grandmother was a Delamain – runs the house with the same uncompromising attitude to quality, with his cousin Charles Braastad.
The house has retained its artisanal dimension, with everything still being done by hand. The Cognacs age in old oak 350-litre barrels, and each Cognac is aged separately depending on its origin and the date it was bought, for 18 to 24 months.
This Cognac is produced exclusively from Grande Champagne. It is delicate and elegant, with a nice roundness and harmony to it.
Vintages currently for sale on iDealwine: 1988 and 1995
REMY MARTIN
In 1724, Rémy Martin, a winegrower in the Cognac region, founded his eponymous Cognac house. It has been a family business for the past three centuries, owned by the Rémy Martin and Hériard Dubreuil families. In 1948, the brand decided to solely produce ‘Fine Champagne’ Cognacs, produced from grapes from the most sought-after vineyards in the region: Grande and Petite Champagne (each blend must contain at least 50% Eau-de-vie from Grande Champagne.
Louis XIII is the house’s high-end luxury cuvée. Created by Rémy Martin’s son and officially released in 1874, Louis XIII is traditionally aged in tierçons, hundred-year-old Limousin oak barrels. Its famous crystal bottle – nowadays recognized throughout the world – was inspired by a bottle found in the fields of the Battle of Jarnac.
Cognac XO Excellence Rémy Martin
Rémy Martin XO Excellence is a selection of up to 400 eaux-de-vie which allows to express the entire aromatic complexity of XO. This Cognac, produced from eaux-de-vie from Petite and Grande Champagne (respectively 15% & 85%) aged from 10 to 37 years, has exceptional aromatic richness, revealing sumptuous aromas of fig, jasmine and cinnamon.
VALLEIN TERCINIER
Domaine des Forges was bought by Louis Vallein in 1791. In 1850, his grandson Georges Vallein set up a company for bottling and selling the estate’s cognac. He was not only the estate’s owner but also its distiller and bottler. As his son Paul never married, his nephew Louis Tercinier took over when he returned from WWI, developing the house’s renown abroad. After WWII, he was joined by his son Robert. Business flourished and the company began exporting to new markets in the 1980s. Since the 1990s, grape-growing work and bottling activities have been shared between his children Louis and Catherine. Today, the house produces a comprehensive range of cognacs, including many highly sought-after vintage editions.
This Cognac is produced by the finest brandies and was bottled in 2022 at 51.3% ABV. Over the many long years ageing in a French oak barrel, it took on an amber colour and developed aromas of old port, cacao, praline and safron. The fresh, soft palate contains vanilla, liquorice and candied orange flavours. Just 657 bottles were produced from the barrel.
Distilled in 1989, this Cognac is crafted from the most raffined brandies in the region. After 32 years in French oak barrels, it was bottles at a cask strength of 47.7%. Its complex nose reveals notes of blood peaches and quince, while its intense palate emparts flavours of mango, passion fruit, spices and chocolatey hints.
ARMAGNACS
MAISON DARROZE
The Darroze house was created in the 1950s by Francis Darroze, a wine and Armagnac lover. In the 1970s, he built a cellar to age his Armagnacs. His son Marc, who had studied enology, joined him in 1996. Francis Darroze has since retired, and Marc now manages the family business single-handedly.
The house works in Bas-Armagnac. Over the years, they have gotten to know the region’s terroir and winemakers perfectly. The Darroze house works with around 40 domains, aging their Armagnacs in the family cellar for between 15 and 50 years. Contrary to many négociants, this house doesn’t blend different domains and vintages, so as to respect the identity of each terroir and each vintage. Every bottle thus carries the name of the domain, the vintage and the date it was bottled.
The cuvées currently for sale on iDealwine:
Bas-Armagnac Domaine de Gaube Darroze (in several vintages)
Bas-Armagnac Domaine de Bellair Darroze 1968
Bas-Armagnac Domaine de Bellair Darroze 1983
Bas-Armagnac Domaine de Paguy Darroze 2002
Bas-Armagnac Domaine de la Poste Darroze 1973
DOMAINE BOINGNÈRES
In the heart of southwest France, not far from the village of Labastide-d’Armagnac lies Domaine Boingnères where owner Martine Lafitte has planted 24 hectares of grapes destined for the still. Folle Blanche, Colombard and Ugni Blanc share the land as well as the composition of its brandies.
Bas-Armagnac Cépages Nobles 1972
With a beautiful mahogany colour, this Armagnac reveals notes of jammy fruits, dried flowers, leather and tobacco rise from the glass. The palate, smooth and intense, comprises of these same fruits as well as liquorice, almonds and cinnamon. The pure, long finish imparts spices and floral flavours.
