Today was a very splendid day, a day of grapes and cognac. I had planned a short day of riding in order to visit one of the cognac houses in the afternoon. The streak of hot and sunny days continued, but the route was pleasant and not very challenging. While there was the option to follow the Flow Vélo along the Charente River, I opted to head south and east from Chateauneuf, skipping along and between the Les Etapes du Cognac, or Cognac touring routes. Grapes were the main crop, yet the vineyards were often interspersed with fields of sunflowers or the ever-present corn. The route rolled through hillsides for about 10 miles, then gradually descended until it was flat and fairly uninteresting.
As I neared the town of Cognac, my route put me on a series of gravel roads that became less and less maintained until it finally wanted to send me through the airport. I had a bit of trouble finding my bearings before wending my way into town through the surrounding neighborhoods. I arrived about 1 pm and, as my room would not be ready for another 30 minutes, enjoyed my bread and Château cheese in the public garden. I had booked a 2:30 tour of Château de Cognac, the last English tour of the day, and so was a bit concerned when my room was not ready at 1:30. My host, Messaouda, had experienced a hectic morning with car trouble and had not fully cleaned the apartment. However, she agreed to a quick clean of the bath so that I could take a quick shower and not miss my tour.
Low-rolling hills of vineyards and farmland marked the first two-thirds of today's ride
There are a number of cognac houses in the town of Cognac that offer tours and tastings, including Hennessy and Remy Martin. I don’t drink alcohol, so was more interested in the process than the product. I chose the Otard Château de Cognac over the other distillers based primarily on the history of the Château, which was originally built in 950 as a fortification for defense against the Norman invasion. Eventually, the Château was expanded and enlarged, notable by Francis I, who was born in Cognac and reigned as the King of France from 1515-1547. The Château fell into disrepair and after the French Revolution was bought by Jean-Baptiste Antoine Otard, who believed that the thick walls and high humidity of the expansive castle cellars would provide an ideal location for aging his cognac.
In addition to the history of the Château, the tour was a lesson in “all things cognac”, from the different terroirs and appellations, to the double distillation and aging process, even to the importance of the barrels. I found it to be an enjoyable and informative afternoon, even if I could only enjoy the aroma, but not the taste, of the “eau de vie”, or water of life.
I wandered a bit around Cognac after the tour and before dinner, but certainly did not get a full appreciation of the town. However, I did have a very nice dinner of oysters and fish at a small restaurant located in a labyrinth of alleyways. I managed to find my way back to the apartment and called it an end to a very lovely day.
The cellars of Château de Cognac are a bit dank and humid, ideal for aging cognac. As you can see by the spider webs, many of these barrels have been here for quite some time. During the aging process, the distilled cognac, also known as the eau de vie, evaporates, filling the cellars with their aroma. The black areas on the wall are due to a fungus, which consumes the eau de vie as sustenance.
Today's ride: 25 miles (40 km) Total: 241 miles (388 km)
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Jacquie GaudetI did the Hennessy tour when I was in Cognac because it was the only one in English in the morning. If I'm in Cognac again, I'll do the Otard tour because the tasting experience seems to be quite different. Reply to this comment 5 years ago
