Variety: 100 % Folle Blanche Country, Region: France, Armagnac Appellation: Armagnac The wines are vinified in the cellar and then distilled using a mobile alambic Armagnaçais still in the finest Armagnac tradition (continuous distillation, in a single heating). Then begins the long period of aging and maturation. Also, in the great Gascon tradition, young Armagnacs are stored in 400 litre barrels made from oak from the forests of southwestern France, locally sourced sessile oak. The toasting is light to medium in order to preserve the identity of the grape varieties and terroir and not to overpower the Armagnac with wood. The blended Armagnacs (5, 12, and 25 years old) are slightly reduced to 43 % alcohol, while the vintages are bottled at cask strength straight from the barrel. All these Armagnacs are natural and have not undergone any addition of wood, caramel, or other sugars.Cask Strength: 50.5 % alc/vol. 'Golden color with golden highlights. The nose is bright and sunny. Aromas of herbal tea (minty verbena), delicate spices (vanilla, gingerbread), and dried fruit (apricot, raisin). Magnificent. No disappointment on the palate. Very nice balance. The alcohol is perfectly integrated thanks to round, silky tannins and delicate yet intense aromas: flan, tarte tatin, candied orange zest, vanilla. Very long finish.' Marc Darroze - Armagnac Darroze Domaine de Loujan, located in Mormès in the heart of Bas-Armagnac, has been owned by Laura and Robert Hill since the early 2000s, making them the first Americans to produce Armagnac. The 5.5-hectare vineyard lies on sandy soils and slightly gravelly boulbènes and is planted with the Baco, Ugni Blanc, and Folle Blanche grape varieties. Distillation is carried out continuously using a mobile still, and the eaux- de-vie are then aged in 400-liter oak barrels. Armagnac is France’s oldest and finest brandy. Even to this day Armagnac remains a craft industry with small, artisanal producers using historic production methods and little or no advertising or international marketing. All Armagnac is produced in the Gascony region to the southeast of Bordeaux. Loujan lies within the historical confines of the 'Grand Bas Armagnac'. The temperate oceanic climate delivers mild winters, rainy springs, hot summers and a sunny autumn. The retreating ocean, has left behind an acidic, light and rich alluvial ‘tawny sand’. The Landes Forest is located close to the Bas-Armagnac vineyards, creating a natural barrier, thus, helping dramatically to regulate the temperature and rainfall. These climatic conditions and soil are a perfect match for producing fine brandy. Loujan is traditionally distilled in a single continuous still known as , an Alambic Armagnacais. This process of heating the wine until it produces steam, capturing the rich, full bodied aromas in a pure and unaltered fashion, then converting the steam to the final ‘Eau de vie”, is exactly what sets Armagnac apart from other fine brandies. Armagnac is typified by its rich, full bodied characteristics, showing strong primary fruit. It is dominated by dried fruit flavours, with hints of vanilla, leather, almonds and hickory. Aromatics consist of undiluted smokey and earthy overtones. The Vines at Domaine Loujan - Baco, Folle Blanche and Ugni Blanc Serge Valdennaire, a neighbor who also raises his own grapes, cares for the vines. Working with Serge, Marc and Jean Paul Gabard, an environmental soil consultant, we prepare a detailed plan each year to assure the best possible care for the vines. In 2009 we applied to be certified as an organic producer and after the required three year probation period Domaine Loujan was officially certified Organic in 2012 and has been re-certified each year since then.
