Cognac Ragnaud-Sabourin: Built-in Character

Every consumer may not be familiar with the Cognac Ragnaud-Sabourin (http://www.ragnaud-sabourin.com). However, this is a reference in the Cognac region. Kind of the cognac that a cognac producer would be drinking.  The company was founded in 1850 but it is only after WWII that this cognac house started producing its own bottled cognacs. This cognac house has deep roots in the cognac with predecessors who played major roles in the history of the cognac region, such as Gaston Briand, who was president of the growers association in the late 1900s. Now the house is in the hand of Annie Sabourin who at more than 70 years of age is still managing the company with her son Olivier.
The company in recent years had to be reorganized in needs of adaptation to changes: new master cellar (Pascal Dagnaud replaced Daniel Dudognon), change of long-term distributors, ... negotiating with large distributors to weather the storm. This cognac house specificity are:
(1) to produce Grande Champagne cognacs aged over the legal standards,
(2) to not blend the vintages,
(3) to use many authorized grape varietals beyond the common 'Ugni Blanc' but also the Colombard or the Folle Blanche,  and far more uncommon varietals such as the Balzac Blanc, the Blanc Ramé, the Bouilleaux, the Chalosse, or the Jurancon.
(4) they produce vintage cognacs,
(5) and Single Estate cognacs.
The Cognac Ragnaud-Sabourin are very hard to find, less than 40,000 bottles per year, produced in a 33 hectars estate near Ambleville, one may rediscover this brand as it has been recently re-design and repackaged by Alexandra Chassant from COCCINUS in Jarnac.
Cognac Ragnaud-Sabourin are available for sale at the Cognatheque in downtown Cognac city, France www.cognatheque.com.

Ragnaud-Sabourin Cognacs

Cognac Ragnaud-Sabourin

Source Photos: www.ragnaud-sabourin.com
N.B. grape varietals authorized in the production of cognac are:
Le Balzac Blanc & Noir, Blanc-Rame, Bouilleaud, Chalosse, Colombard, Folle Blanche, Jurancon, Saint-Pierre, Saint-Rabier, Petit Noir, and Ugni Blanc.