The Vine
It is only permissible to use Ugni Blanc, Colombard or Folle Blanche grape varieties (all white)
• Majority of grapes used(about 94%) are Ugni Blanc(previously called Saint-Emilion and which is called Trebbiano in Italy).
• Unlike fine table wine production, cognac has very high yield and produce light, desirable acidic wines which are perfect for distillation.
Fermentation
The grapes are brought in and the juice is fermented without any SO2 (sulphur dioxide) or any other additives. This ensures that the Grande Champagne wine for distillation is 100% natural and pure.
Distillation wine characteristics
•Delicate in fruity and flowery aromas.
•High acidity
•Low alcohol content 7–9%
•Storted on its lees before distillation
Double Distillation
First distillation
• For KELT cognac, the wine is distilled with its noble Grande Champagne lees(rich in flavours) in an alambic still (massive fixed copper kettle seated in a square brick furnace).
•Wine is heated and passes as steam up into a condensing tube (the coil).It takes about 10 hours.
• Condensed by cooling to form a milky liquid with alcoholic strength of 27-30% of alcohol/volume after eliminating the first fractions (Heads) and the last ones (Tails).
Second distillation
• Head which condenses first and Tail which condenses last are eliminated and only the “Heart” of the distillate is used. This is approximately 70% alcohol/volume.
• Colourless, very fruity and flowery infant Grande Champagne is produced.
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