CMG Grande Réserve Cognac

CMG Cognac 2000 Vintage

What makes the Greiffenclau family Cognac superior?

Simply put:

• Uninterrupted tradition of winemaking for 28 generations
• Best soil in Cognac
• No outside suppliers, all controlled by one process on a SINGLE ESTATE
• Lowest yields per hectare in Cognac, ensuring rich and concentrated fruit
• High quality management standards

Usually the process of making cognac starts with wine derived from many different sources and levels of quality. These wines of widely varying provenance are then used by the large distillers to produce a number of well-known labels.

The production process for the "Comte Matuschka de Greiffenclau Cognac" is very different and more complex, requiring detailed knowledge of each vine and square meter of soil, and subjecting grapes to an age-old scrutiny process that no automated method can come close to recreating.

800 years ago the family began its long relationship with the grape. Back then water was not always considered to be safe to drink, so wine was imbibed by all as a substitute. Wine was therefore a staple product of everyday life.

The family has no intention of producing greater quantities of Cognac; they will not manufacture more than 12,000 bottles a year. Their goal is to constantly maintain a level of quality high above the norm, and to achieve nothing less than perfection in all products. Therefore they insist on taking responsibility for the entire process. And the process starts with the treatment of the soil.

The grapes are grown on the family estate which benefits from the ideal microclimate of the Petite Champagne d'Archiac. The vineyards are constantly monitored by a dedicated About Cognac of oenologists.

On most of the estate there is Trebbiano and Ugni Blanc, or St. Emilion as it is called in the Cognac region. St. Emilion is one of the oldest grape varieties on the planet, and can be traced back to at least Roman times. It is highly capable of producing great wines, as long as it receives the proper treatment.

Creating a special Cognac starts in the vineyard. It is first of all critical to understand that the vine plant is a living creature, which may live for 70 or 80 years. As the Greiffenclau family has taken care of vine plants for more than 800 years, they have developed significant know-how in this area. They monitor their plants closely and regularly. They do not fertilize the soil, and do not use pesticides. Instead they plant herbs and wildflowers to activate the microbiology of the soil.

Even though the roots of vine plants may grow as deep as 12 meters (39 feet), the shallow roots at depths of 0.2 - 0.4 meters (7 inches - 16 inches) feed the plant with minerals. To have access to those vital minerals, bacteria and other microorganisms must have an environment in which to flourish, as they pre-digest the minerals for the plant. The healthier the plant, the better quality the grapes.

The next step is to further improve the quality of the grapes by reducing the yield. To fully appreciate this, it's again important to understand the vine plant. The vine's biological objective is to duplicate itself. Therefore, one must wait until after it has blossomed, then reduce the number of grapes. The Greiffenclau family then handpicks the leaves around the grapes so that the wind and sun can dry the grapes after rain. This also prevents attacks from various fungi, which need a humid environment in which to propagate themselves. Yes, this process is slow and expensive, but it also saves the family from using lots of fungicides as well.