JULY'S SPIRIT OF THE MONTH- TESSERON COMPOSTION COGNAC
July’s Spirit of the Month is Tesseron Composition. Located in Chateauneuf-sur-Charente, the 4th Generation Distillery has plots of land in both Grande Champagne and Petite Champagne and have been making Cognac since 1905. But here’s the real kicker; the Tesseron family didn’t bottle any Cognac under their name until the early 2000s. Can you believe it? For almost a full century they would make Cognac, sell off some of it while keeping the best for themselves and keep adding to their awesome personal collection. With that deep a roster there are no limits to the kind of blends they are capable of. That is why the Composition is so impressive to me. A blend of 4-10-year-old Cognac, all from Fine Champagne this Cognac has staying power on the palate. Rich butterscotch leads to juicy red apples and light baking spices. Delicate honeydew fruit lingers on the palate along with the apple notes. And this is their “entry level” Cognac! Typically you see a VS Cognac as an entry level and that is aged for 2 years, a VSOP is aged for a minimum of 4 years, an XO is when you start seeing stuff that is aged for 10 years and the price will represent that time. Tesseron is offering a Cognac for $50 that out preforms anything else you’ll find at that price point.
If you were invited to the Elysee Palace (The French equivalent of The White House) and offered a glass of Cognac, there is one brand you will find and that is Tesseron. And while that would be an experience you could tell until your last breath; you don’t need to go that far to try amazing Cognac with rich history. You just need to stop into your favorite local Wine Shop.