Pineau des Charentes is coming back in France with some difficulties as it has been a long time since people have had the habit, ritual, routine of consuming pineau. For the past year, Pineau des Charentes under the Pineau Committee (www.pineau.fr) that is the entity that is serving the interests of the pineau producers has been offering a new face using popularity as a method to revive the appeal. Songs inspired by Michel Fugain on the radio have started to spike interest.
I have myself been thinking for many years of the ambiguity created by the Pineau des Charentes. I explain myself. What is Pineau des Charentes? Which product category does it belong to? Is it a dessert wine, a mixing alcohol, a wine, an aperitif, to drink before or after diner, ... The first and main problem comes from its name: too long, too hard to spell, too hard to remember, quite misleading - people think it is a pinot as of pinot grigio for instance. What does it do and what does it taste? I personally believe one should mostly focus on the market and come up with a new name for it, or just brand it. it's a 'Schmutz'!
Nobody is more pragmatic than the Americans when it comes to taking a great complicated idea and shaping it up to fit a need. American businessman are always good at focusing at the essential and that is how they invented KIS, that is for Keep It Simple!
Hence, this explains the simple and I believe l0gical creation of 'BONFUN'. Bonfun wines are purposively avoiding any mention of Pineau des Charentes. They would rather concentrate on the essential the product. I really enjoy Pineau des Charentes not just because it contains cognac nor because it is made in Charentes but because it is delicious. In fact, I have to admit I think it is so good that no one should mention about it but just let it be for the happy few. Unlike cognac it is not an elite drink but a popular drink which drinks easily as it belongs to the fortified wine category.
Specifically, Pineau des Charentes is made from blending grape must, i.e., lightly fermented grape juice, just when the sugar content gets very high and young cognac blends. It is very refreshing cold and very complex and aromatic - people are very surprised how much they like it in particular women. Pineau was historically created by someone who poured by error cognac into a barrel where they was some grape juice. Having said this, try aged Pineau. Like many other fortified wines aging in the bottle will not do anything but aging in the oak barrels will tremendously mellow and increase the complexity and flavors.
After having had a good experience with Pineau des Charentes people are often considering trying cognac. You will notice it says Pineau des Charentes and not de Charente, but it is plural because they are 2 Charentes: Charente and Charente Maritime. The production of Pineau des Charentes is also authorized from the North of Dordogne region. Tip: try mixing 4/5 of Organgina and 1/5 Pineau des Charentes with lot of ice. Really nice!
Once again: "let's keep it simple folks", was the motive behind BONFUN. A nice Saverglass glass bottle, a white and red Pineau des Charentes and voila a not so new product but a new idea on to present it. BONFUN makes no mention of Pineau des Charentes, just a 'more spirited wine'. BONFUN seems particularly targeting younger women.
Other famous brandy appellations than Cognac offer their version of the Pineau des Charentes: Armagnac as the Floc de Gascogne and Calvados makes the Pommeau.
- Bonfun Pineau des Charentes
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