COGNAC MARNIER-LAPOSTOLLE PURCHASED BY CAMPARI

I am a little sad to see Marnier-Lapostolle go to Campari Group ($761M). It reminds me when Volkswagen bought Bentley in the 1990s. The name Marnier-Lapostolle is deep rooted in the Cognac region, and it is far away from Milano.

Not easy to keep a family business going for more than 150 years inside a family.

Some key figures:

1827: Establishment of the Marnier-Lapostolle distillery in Neauphle-le-château, Yvelines, Paris region.
1880: Creation of Grand-Marnier liquor.

1919: Purchase of Vineyard with Chateau de Sancerre.

1921: Purchase of castle in village of Bourg-Charente, Cognac region.

Marnier Lapostolle Castle in Bourg-Charente, Cognac

1994: Starts wine business in Chile.

2013: 100% of Grand Marnier moved in Bourg-Charente.

Marnier-Lapostolle was in recent years the 5th largest buyers of cognac from the region since 60% of the Grand Marnier recipe composed of cognac, with about 12 million bottles sold per year.

Grand Marnier is exported in about 150 countries and the USA accounts for 60%, while Europe = 30%, Asia 10%, and France 8%.

Lapostolle Wines in Chile is composed of 370 hectares, with 3 vineyards and an annual production of 200,000 cases.

Once a year the Marnier-Lapostolle Castle in Bourg-Charente was opened to the public and mostly full of locals which really enjoyed visiting it. I wonder if this tradition will be kept!

History is made!

Sources: Lapostolle.com, Forbes.com, Charente Libre.fr, House of Marnier

BAPTISTE LOISEAU REVEALS ITS FIRST LIMITED EDITION COGNAC FOR REMY MARTIN CALLED CARTE BLANCHE No.1

'Carte Blanche' in French means 'blank card', words used in the sense of a 'blank check' for instance.

Rémy Martin has just granted 'Carte Blanche' to his new master cellar Baptiste Loiseau to select a few casks to make a limited edition cognac named 'Carte Blanche No.1'.

Baptiste Loiseau is the cellar master of the House of Rémy Martin, who was appointed in 2014 at the age of just 34. During the years he spent perfecting his craft alongside his predecessor Pierrette Trichet, he tasted every eau-de-vie that had been set aside by previous cellar masters.

Remy Martin, Loiseau, Limited Edition, Carte Blanche No.1

Rémy Martin limited edition Carte Blanche No1 is presented in the traditional cognac bottle with a big punt at the bottom of the bottle, and in a simple yet elegant case which shows 

Rémy Martin is looking to position this cognac into the premium craft spirits.

Loiseau chose to particular casks from the Gensac-la-Pallue cellar which reveal harmonious notes of lilac and spicy notes of nutmeg. The remarkable long finish, with intense aromas of leather, incense and black tea, has given life to this powerful and refined cognac. These eaux-de-vie were bottled at 41.10% Alc. Vol. to preserve their original attributes and to create a cognac of exceptional aromatic strength and finesse.

Rémy Martin only used grapes from both the Grande Champagne and Petite Champagne, which when blended together are called the Fine Champagne.  Fine Champagne Cognac, ir regulated by French law, which means the cognac is made exclusively from eaux-de-vie of the Grande Champagne and Petite Champagne, is the only blend of two crus protected by the AOC, the Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée.

Just 7,000 numbered bottles of Carte Blanche No.1 have been created with a price of US$400 per bottle. From June 1, Carte Blanche No1 will be rolled out in DFS stores at Hong Kong International Airport, Los Angeles International Airport, New York John F. Kennedy International Airport and San Francisco International Airport, where it will remain exclusive to DFS until the end of October when distribution will be extended to selected domestic markets.

Sources: DFS, The Drinks Report