Armagnac
Armagnac
Armagnac is the oldest wine eau-de-vie produced in the South West of the France, in the heart of Gascogny. It is produced by distilling white wine in an Armagnac still and aged for many years in oak barrels before coming to market. It comes in blends, or, as is specific to Armagnac, in vintages. The local soils and distillation method meet rules defined by the AOC obtained by Armagnac in 1936. Above all, Armagnac is a craft product, made in small quantities by vine growers and wine merchants who carry on the old methods and techniques. The diversity of the local soils and grape varieties impart a rich and diverse character on the eau-de-vie, similar to the natural surroundings and craftsmen who make it. For (much) more detail, visit the connoisseurs corner.
In the 17th century, the English forbade any wine other than Bordeaux to be taken on the Garonne river. To get round this, the Dutch distilled the wines to produce brandy, which was not covered by the embargo. To avoid the fluctuations of good and bad years, Armagnac was kept in storage in oak barrels. It was discovered after several years that, as with Cognac, the oak had wrought a miracle, adding roundness, developing aromas and giving it the lovely bronze colouring. The marriage of oak and brandy from Gascony gave birth to Armagnac, well-known today on all the best tables in the world.
The work of Maître Vital Dufour: “ A very useful book for preserving health and staying fit ”, written around 1310, was found in the Vatican archives. This old medical student was Prior of the monasteries of Eauze and St Mont. “This brandy, if it is taken for medicinal purposes and sensibly, is reckoned to have 40 qualities or efficacities. Among these therapeutic qualities, the following are noteworthy:
- It sharpens the spirit, if taken in moderation, brings the past back to mind, makes a man joyous above all, preserves youth and delays senility.
- It stops headaches, especially those associated with colds, when consumed in a brûlot or a hot toddy.
- If it is kept in the mouth, it loosens the tongue, and gives confidence to someone who is shy…
- It cooks an egg, and preserves cooked or raw meat… if herbs are put in it, it takes on the qualities of those herbs. It takes redness and heat away from the eyes, and stops tears from falling.
- It cures hepatitis and gout if drunk sensibly.
- It cures wounds if applied to them.
- The frequent anointing of a paralysed limb with the brandy returns the limb to its normal state.
- It calms the toothache and removes bad odours.
- It removes red blotches from the throat if gargled frequently.
- It takes away earache and deafness, and heals the fistula of a chancre…
- It removes stones from the bladder or the kidneys, provided it is taken soberly from time to time.
- And also, if the leper takes it in moderation, his leprosy will get no worse.
- It is useful for a pregnant woman, if she drinks it in moderation from time to time”.
In more recent times, theses submitted to the Universities of Vancouver in Canada and Bordeaux in France have demonstrated its anti-radical capabilities, and shown the protective role which Armagnac has regarding the aggregation of platelets in the blood, a factor in cardiovascular illnesses. It is the “ French paradox ”, or more exactly, the “ Gascon paradox ”. Between the 15th and 17th centuries, there is increasing evidence of trade in Armagnac: it was to be found in numerous markets in Gascony.
