History of the "de Greiffenclau" family

The history of the Greiffenclau family stretches back to the very beginnings of wine growing in Europe. Having served King Karl the Great (747 - 814), the family has been growing wine grapes in Europe for longer than any other.

The story began when Karl the Great ordered the family to grow wine in the Rheingau area, a valley along the Rhine River in Germany. The oldest surviving written document attesting to the family's wine growing history dates from the year 1211. In addition to inventing the classifications of Spatlese and Kabinett, the Greiffenclaus were consistently, century by century, among the best producers in Europe.

In the 20th century the family moved its wine business to the Cognac region of France. The family had a long-standing relationship with this region as Richard de Greiffenclau and the Cognac-born French King Francois I (who succeeded to the throne in 1515) had been intimate friends.

Many people do not know that Cognac is right next to Bordeaux. It is the second sunniest area of France, and it enjoys 2,100 hours of sunshine a year (Bordeaux itself has about 2,150 hours of sunshine). For comparison, the Rheingau has only 1,650 hours of sunshine. The family's Cognac also enjoys a reputation not unlike that of the great Bordeaux houses for their wines. Quite simply, it has long been regarded around the world as one of the highest quality and most traditional Cognacs produced.

Within Cognac, as with other areas, soil quality varies. The area within Cognac where the Greiffenclau family estate lies is called Cognac Petite Champagne de Archiac, and the best soil within this area is called Petite Fine Champagne, which covers the family's 14 hectares.

You may have difficulty finding a bottle of "Cognac, Petite Fine Champagne" on a retail shelf because it is quite rare. And even if you do find one, it will be a poor example of the greatest soil on earth if the vine plant has been exploited as it often is, or if it has been polluted by chemical fertilizers.

To add to the confusion, you may see the words "Fine Champagne" on the label. This is not a special region, but rather is the general definition of Cognac which originates from the areas of Grand Champagne (50%) and Petite Champagne (50%).

Limited Quantities Through a Triple Selection Process

Quantity restrictions are set in an effort to allow the vine plants to store as many extracts and aromas in the grapes as possible, and we abide by the same quantity restrictions as the famous estates in Bordeaux. The first selection of grapes is a reduction in the number of grapes per vine. Known as the "green harvest," this takes place in July. The second selection is done by pickers manually in autumn, and the third and final selection process is completed on the conveyor belt, where each grape is inspected and controlled.

The family produces no more than 12,000 bottles a year.