Domaine De Bonnefont 1848 Reserve Cognac (Staub & Co.)

Pre-phylloxera cognac is fundamentally different from the modern product in a way not true of most other
spirits or other wines. The original Cognac vineyards - which are believed to date back to Roman times,
were chiefly planted with Folle Blanche, a thin-skinned grape variety, highly prone to mildew and rot, but
which in good vintages produces a brandy of incomparable perfume and character. Under huge financial
pressure, when it come to re-planting the vineyards after phyloxera, the Cognac growers replanted with
grafted Ugni Blanche, which yields a less interesting brandy, but is much higher yielding and easier to
grow. The unique character and depth of the 50 - 60 year old Folle Blanche vines was lost forever. Today,
less than 5% of the total Cognac vineyard is Folle Blanche, the rest is all Ugni Blanche (and the Cognac
vineyard is far smaller - just on 80 000 hectares compared to 230 000 hectares in its heyday in the mid
19th century).