• I have an old bottle of Cognac: could you help me determine its value?
  You could contact directly the company that markets that brand of Cognac, you can ask it to me or you could ask it on the Cognac Forum!
  You should know that the value of a Cognac is in a great way proportional to the time it has aged in oak casks. Once it is bottled, it no longer ages.

• What is the difference between Cognac and Brandy?
  Like Cognac, the word “brandy” belongs to the category of wine eaux-de-vie, of which you will find the exact definition in our Glossary.
  However, Cognac is a wine eau-de-vie of a Controlled Appellation of Origin, and as such is subject to strict elaboration and commercialization rules that distinguishes it from brandies.

• What are the differences between Grande Champagne Cognac and Fins Bois Cognac?
  Those are different cru’s in the Cognac Region, read more about it in our Cognac Regions article.

• Until what age may Cognac become old?
  Every eau-de-vie has its own personality: based on the growth area where it comes from and the conditions in which the spirit has aged, the eau-de-vie’s ageing will evolve differently.
  Certain eaux-de-vie can age until they reach 70. In any case, the Cellar Master will be very careful not to leave the spirit in oak casks for longer than it is advised so that they are kept at their peak. They are then transferred to glasses known as Demi-Johns where they may rest for many decades without being modified.

• Does Cognac continue to age in a bottle?
  The particularity of what is known as “ageing” is an interaction between the spirit and alcohol (liberation of tannins). Thus, once it is transferred to a bottle, a cognac can no longer age.

• Is the “Champagne” growth area in any way related to the Champagne region?
  The “Champagne” growth area is in no way related to the famous region where Champagne is made, except for the origin of the word “champagne” (in old French, “champaigne”), which comes from the Latin “campania”, meaning countryside or open field (as opposed to wooded areas).

• May Cognac be produced in a region different to the Cognac Region?
  NO. The Cognac Production Area was delimited in 1909.
  It includes the Charente-Maritime department, a great part of the Charente department, and several districts of Deux-Sèvres and Dordogne.

• Why are wine cellars walls and roofs black?
  It is the work of a fungus known as “Torula compniacensis”, which feeds on alcohol vapors and covers with black velvet the walls and rooftops of this region.

• What do VS, VSOP, and XO mean?
  • VS: Very Special;
  • VSOP: Very Superior Old Pale;
  • XO: Extra Old
• Why are these acronyms in English and not in French?
  When the history of Cognac is studied, we learn that most of the main initial trading posts were created by the Anglo-Saxons.

• What is a “Cognac Winery”?
  It is the term currently used in the region to describe a company that markets Cognac.

• What is the difference between a Cognac Winery and a Producer?
  We use the term “Cognac House” to refer to a wholesaler and the term “Producer” to refer to a wine-grower who may also be a direct vendor.

• Where can I find a list of Cognac Wineries and Producers?
  See the list of Cognac Links!

• How many Cognac Wineries are there?
  There are over 300 Cognac Houses (wholesalers), close to 600 direct vendors and a few co-ops.