Visiting Pierre Vaudon's cellars feels like coming home. Knowledge, craftsmanship and transparency combined with a very good location of the vineyards (the terroir) create masterful cognacs. In June 2021, we had the pleasure of tasting extensively with Pierre Vaudon some of Paradis' treasures. We enjoyed these sublime cognacs and how much we wished we could do something with this. Now, between wanting something and being allowed to select something there is a big difference. We felt great confidence in each other and were convinced that we could aspire to a wonderful collaboration. We were allowed to select some phenomenal cognacs that we would bottle each time on our Belgian national holiday. In Charente, a word is a word and so it was. In 2021 we had the '71, in 2022 the '48, in 2023 the '28 and now on 21/07/2024 the '20 was bottled! This exceptional cognac has magically stood the test of time!
Tasting Notes:
Nose: An enchanting nose full of aromas of old leather, tobacco, overripe persimmon, papaya and dried fruits. Subtle notes of toasted nuts, walnuts and a hint of truffle complete the profile. The presence of rancio is unmistakable.
Taste: On the palate, a true symphony of flavors unfolds. Complex layers of roasted and sweetened nuts, dark chocolate and dried figs are blended with a powerful rancio tone that settles deep into the taste buds. There is an almost mysterious balance between sweetness and acidity that feels like a delicate dance of flavors taking their time to evolve on the tongue. Again, ripe fruit sets the tone. The layering of this cognac is phenomenal!
Finish: The finish is long, rich and silky smooth. This is where the cognac shows its true age and grandeur. There is a grandiose power going on in this cognac!
Explanation label:
This cognac is a masterpiece that feels timeless. The years have not only outlived the distillate, but enriched it with an intensity you can hardly grasp. Each sip seems like a step back in time, where magic and craftsmanship meet in a glass full of history.While tasting, time will stand still for a moment and everything else becomes secondary.
about the producer:
François Voyer’s 28 hectares of vineyards are located in the Grande Champagne region, the Premier Cru of Cognac, known for producing eaux-de-vie with aromatic power and qualities suitable for long-term aging. François Voyer Cognac is a family-run Cognac house that is passionate about every detail of its production.The cognac house François Voyer transferred to its cellar master and oenologist Pierre Vaudon in 2017 to perpetuate its identity.
Their cognacs develop the typical aromas as they age. The notes of pear, banana or even blackberry in the white eaux de vie are quickly complemented after distillation by the first aromas of oak from the barrels. This combination reveals floral aromas in the young cognacs, which then develop into fruity aromas (peaches, plums, apricots, walnuts and hazelnuts). The aging process leads to spicy (cinnamon, pepper) and complex notes (leather, incense, cedar).The vineyards are in Verrières and Ambleville, and cognac has been produced there since 1870. There is mainly Ugni blanc planted. But recently Folle Blanche was also reintroduced, for the first results we have to be patient.
10% to 20% of each harvest matures for 3 years in new barrels and then in old barrels to refine the aromas. For this, they use French oak from the Limousin region, but also from forests such as Bercée, Le Gâvre or Reno Valdieu. The natural atmosphere in the cellars is more or less humid and influences the finesse or suppleness of the bouquet. Moisture softens eaux de vie, while dry cellars refine them.Every year, 10,000 bottles evaporate from François Voyer’s cellars. In 1 hour, 1 liter of brandy evaporates from the stock. Through natural evaporation, these cognacs reach 40% full in 50 to 60 years. Distilled water is regularly added to the youngest blends. As a result, young, reduced cognacs will be less dense in flavor than old cognacs concentrated by natural evaporation.
The range is classic, with a range of younger expressions, as well as exceptionally old assemblages and vintage bottles. The House of Voyer cherishes traditional knowledge and has an enormous focus on perfectionism. This combined with hard work and you have an excellent match. Definitely one of our favorite cognac houses as they brilliantly manage to set the bar very high throughout the entire range and bottle absolute uncompromising and very recognizable quality.
