The Development Of Brandy
Cognac emerged taking advantage of local advantages, and river transportation brought prosperity to trade
There is a pattern in the development process of the brandy real estate area, which requires a grape planting area, a wine producing area, or a fruit planting area before the production of brandy can begin at a certain opportunity. French cognac, like Bordeaux to the south, emerged with the convenience of river transportation. However, due to different opportunities, the two regions have taken different paths, one producing brandy and the other specializing in wine making.
The Charente region where cognac is located is not only known for its wine, but also for its salt production along the coast since the 11th century, when Dutch merchants controlled maritime trade. Engaged in wine and salt trading here, traveling by boat along the Charang River, driving economic development. The area of vineyards gradually expanded, and inland towns also developed along with salt. Due to He Yunzhi's transformation into a dry epidemic, it became a development stronghold. From the early 14th century to the 15th century, during the Hundred Years' War, cognac was recovered by France earlier, which took several decades more than the final surrender of Guar. Moreover, the French king Fran ç ois, who was born in the town of Cognac, provided his hometown with preferential privileges to intervene, and the government developed rapidly. Although the sleeping riots of the second half of the 16th century made this place a battlefield for religious warfare, the foundation of the cognac grape industry remained unshakable. When the distiller appeared in the middle of the night, he began to move towards the center of the world's brandy stage.
The southern part of France today is more deeply influenced by Rome, using clay jars to inject wine instead of the oak barrels invented by the Gauls. Oak barrels are an important element in the birth of brown spirits and are not a necessary condition for a broad brandy. However, later on, the southern wine producing regions of France did not develop a traditional culture of brandy that was as deeply rooted in folk life as the Cognac Hoya region in southwestern France.
With grapes, we only owe the opportunity
The most important brandy producing countries in the Americas today, including the United States, Mexico, Peru, and Chile, are all native grape varieties and have their own liquor culture. However, wine distillation technology and brandy culture still have their roots in Europe.
At the end of the 15th century, Columbus sailed several times to the Americas, and his fleet once carried grapes and olives to the region for cultivation. Under the barbaric strategy proposed by Hernan Cortes, the area of grape cultivation skyrocketed and continued to spread with frequent communication. As a result, grapes and wine also emerged in the New World, waiting to bring distillers from Europe, and brandy from the New World was about to be born.
Since wine was produced in both the old and new continents around the world, the conditions required for producing brandy have always been lacking in Dongfeng distillation technology. This east wind is really hard to wait for. Long millennia have passed, and it wasn't until a certain opportunity came when wine was distilled and even consumed that brandy was officially born.
Distillation technology, introduced to southern France through the Iberian Peninsula in the early Middle Ages, gave birth to the water of life in Yavini. At that time, it was used as a medicinal beverage, and Cognac and Yavini were often compared. Although Cognac was more famous and Yavini had a longer history, if it were to be awarded the title of the founder of brown brandy, Yavini was highly qualified to be elected. According to historical records, Yawenyi brandy can be traced back to 1310. It not only thrived early, but also underwent coordinated cultivation, and has already formed the prototype of modern brandy, marking the beginning of brandy.
After the 16th century AD, distillers were widely used to produce brandy, gradually evolving into different forms and continuing to spread to other brandy estates including Spain, Italy, Germany, and South America. This time, brandy was not only born, but also popularized, and even evolved into a complex form system made from different raw materials that intersected.
16, 17th century: maturity and development of distillation technology
Among the historical artifacts unearthed in Normandy, there is a set of distillation vessels that can be traced back to the 13th century, but it is difficult to determine that apple distilled spirits were already available at that time. Apple spirits became a daily drink, probably after the 15th century. The earliest existing written record of Normandy apple distilled spirits can be traced back to 1554, and its rise was earlier, but there is no written record. Due to the fact that the place name Cavados had not yet appeared, apple cider was known at the time as the "water of life" made from apple cider
In the western Atlantic region of France, there are many wine producing regions, with Normandy apple growing areas in the north. To the south, it passes through the Vial River, Charente and Cognac, Bordeaux, Avon, and other grape growing areas. To the south, there is also Jerez in the Andalusia region of southwestern Spain. The Dutch became the main trading people along the Atlantic coast in the 16th century, and wine from the south was brought north to England, The Netherlands and Nordic countries indirectly contributed to the development of cognac, but the fate of Normandy was not the same.
In the second half of the 17th century, under the rule of Sun King Louis XIV, France expanded its colonization, grew its trade, developed its literature and art, and achieved many historical achievements. However, behind it was a group of hardworking people who suffered from years of war, heavy taxes, poverty, and suffering. Even with a kick from heaven, the Little Ice Age once again descended on Normandy, and the climate became cold again. Some grape trees were frozen to death, so they planted more cold resistant apple trees, Grain was not harvested, all grains were consumed and beer was no longer brewed. Even nobles were forced to drink common people's apple cider, making the relationship between Normandy and apples even more difficult to part with.
To preserve wine, they do not hesitate to burn it
The cognac wine of the 16th century is different from today. It is made from the Corumba grape variety, with low alcohol content, fresh fragrance, slightly sweet, and bubbles, and is not suitable for long-distance transportation. In order to avoid spoilage, some people also believe that it is to save cabin space or avoid taxes. Anyway, the Dutch heat concentrated wine because they use branden to process wine (wijn). Therefore, in Dutch, it is brandewijn, while in French, it is vinbrule, which means (fire burned wine). Today, the term brandy comes from this.
When distilling and concentrating, not all flavor substances enter the distillate, so it is impossible to obtain the same wine after diluting it with water. The Dutch are not stupid, and they should have discovered that they cannot be reduced with water after concentration. In fact, burning cognac wine is for business purposes. The Dutch buy salt and cognac wine in Charlotte, wine from the Royal River in the north, and Bordeaux wine in the south, Distillation can preserve wine for a long time before the next vintage without spoiling, but do all wines need to be distilled? The Dutch, who are good at business, have found that direct sales of wine from the Royal River and Bordeaux are the most beneficial, and the commercial value of cognac wine after distillation is higher, which has given rise to a new form of burning cognac wine.
In the 16th and 17th centuries, cognac and Yavin on the west coast of Europe, as well as Herrez brandy in the southwest of the Iberian Peninsula, were steadily sold to northern Europe. The trade of spirits also began between the Italian peninsula city-states, and by the 17th century, all cognac brandy was exported in the form of distilled spirits.
The Dutch also used distillation technology in the Hertz wine region. Nowadays, the local liquor distilled using a pot still is still known as Holandas, which hides the Dutch roots and language relics from this period of history. At that time, the Dutch pioneered the brandy industry. However, 400 years ago, cognac and Herrez brandy were different from today. Although cognac in the early 17th century had already taken shape, there was still an important production key missing, which was the two distillations.
