AN IRREPLACEABLE KNOW-HOW
Florence Castarede: "Armagnac is for us much more than a business; it is a true passion, an heritage, a patrimony which we want to protect and develop day after day".
A FAMILY AFFAIR
Our family owns two multi-hundred-year-old storehouses:
- One by the Baise River at Lavardac: dedicated to ageing, this storehouse, a true "eco-museum", has been kept and maintained in the same spirit as when it was created in the 19th Century. It is viewed by specialists as an exceptional place for ageing thanks to presence of the Baise River that allows remarkable conditions.
- The other one located in the Region of Bas-Armagnac, at Mauleon d'Armagnac, where the Castle of Maniban can be found. This Domaine, that belongs to us, is surrounded by three different vineyards: Folle Blanche or Piquepoult, Colombard, Saint-Emilion or Ugni Blanc.
A SHARED SECRET
Armagnac, the oldest French Brandy, is obtained through the distillation of white wines of the Gascony region. Aged for years in oak casks, it develops fabulous flavors and aromas.
Formerly called "ardent water" or "immortality water", Armagnac became famous in the Middle Ages for its therapeutic qualities. Consumed in moderation, this brandy feeds, stimulates and delights the spirit.
After all, Armagnac gave stamina to the Musketeers of Armagnac and to the Cadets of Gascogne, didn't it?
FULL OF HISTORY
The Chateau of Maniban was built in the 16th century.
This property, of about 20 hectares in Bas Armagnac, is providing the finest Brandies.
Our old paintings from the time of Henri 2 are classified historical monument.
A RARE COLLECTION OF VINTAGE
Our House owns the most important collection of old vintages: more than forty of them are authentified. The majority is kept in our storehouses, quietly waiting for the delicate moment of bottling. The oldest one goes back to 1881.
A collection of bottles relative to the last 50 years, from 1929 to 1979 can be discovered in one of the most prestigious gourmet shop Place de la Madeleine in Paris.
THE RECOGNITION
For 20 years, our Armagnac Company has been awarded medals in the different professional wine contests in France and abroad.
It can be found in the most prestigious places of French and foreign gastronomy.
The press has always regarded the Castarede House as a very high-grade Company.
It was our Armagnac 1900 that was served during the most expensive dinner of the end of this century at the Gavroche; furthermore, "l'Amateur de Bordeaux" has selected our vintage 1900 as one of the twelve bottles to be bought in the third millennium.
TOP QUALITY ARMAGNAC
We only market superior quality Armagnac:
VSOP: normally 5 years old at least; ours is 10 years old at least.
XO: normally 6 years old at least; ours is 20 years old at least.
Hors d'Age: normally 10 years old at least; ours is 20 years old at least.
The vintages: specificity from Armagnac, they correspond to the year of distillation. Each vintage has its own characteristics. Its quality relies on the producer's know-how. The date of bottling is specified on each bottle.
THE SEVEN MYTHICAL PERFUMES
The seven aromas are to be discovered in each bottle. As a natural result of both the ageing and a traditional distillation, they express the characteristics of the soil and of the best three gascon vines.
Inhale these seven magical perfumes: hazelnut, peach, violet, vanilla, lime, prune and pepper. By rubbing and heating the glass with your hand, these subtle aromas will slowly emit their fragrances, and put their mark on the end of a quality meal.
On the following day, the perfume will be spread all over the room where you left the glass. Each bottle is unique.
For more info, kindly visit: www.armagnac-castarede.fr
CALVADOS "COEUR DE LION"
Production of cider of the Coeur de Lion estate is mentioned as early as 1638 in a deed by which the De Moy Family, then owners of the estate leased it to Andre de Lannoy, burgher of Pont l'Eveque, who paid a rent of 1600 pounds a year plus two barrels of cider and two of small cider.
A century and a half later, in 1773, it appears on the basis of the testimony of one of the commissioners responsible for tax-collection that one of the main products of the estate was the cider sold at Pont l´Evêque, Rouen and Le Havre.
The story of Drouin calvados began around 1960. There was nothing to indicate that Christian DROUIN the elder, an industrialist from Rouen, was destined to make a career in spirits. Nothing, that is, apart his taste for good food and good wines. When he bought a farm in Gonneville he decided to use the cider-apple orchards to produce calvados. His aims were simple: produce a top-quality spirit, the best.
“My father transmitted me the calvados virus”, says the younger Christian DROUIN, who has today given the family business a world-wide reputation. The brand is now sold as far afield as the USA and Japan.
The third generation is now hard at work. It maintains the traditions that have enabled the estate to become one of the 100 “sites of excellence in taste” selected by the ministry for culture. In 1995 the European foundation awarded the estate its European Prestige Grand Prix for the whole of its production, which represents the quintessence of calvados.
Calvados Pays d´Auge
Although no official documents exist on its origins, calvados appeared in Normandy several centuries ago. In 1553, Sire de Gouberville, a great agronomist and gastronome who lived in Mesnil-au-val, in the Manche area, noted in his diary that he distilled cider.
As a noble and classy product, calvados undergoes very strict production and quality controls. Before it is marketed it has to be approved by a tasting committee of the French Institute National des Appellation d'origine (INAO). Of course, calvados Christian DROUIN qualifies the “Pays d’Auge” appellation by
º using only cider apples form the Pays d’Auge
º distilling cider by the traditional method: distillation is carried out in two successive stages in a double distillation still.
º obtaining the approval of the French Institute National des Appellation d'origine (INAO) after chemical analysis and tasting by an expert panel.
For more info, kindly visit: www.coeur-de-lion.com
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