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We dive into the savoir-faire and je-ne-sais-quoi of France’s oldest and finest export

interview by Will HALBERT

Deep in the southwest of France, about halfway between Bordeaux and Toulouse, lies the region of Armagnac. And right in the heart of it, amidst 300 hectares of land you’ll find the 13th century Château de Gensac. Here, the Gensac estate has cultivated its vines for over 600 years, producing not only a range of time-honoured wines, but a superlative selection of Armagnacs. Not too familiar with the latter? You’re not alone. Not to worry, though. We sat down with Gensac owner, Jan Schuermann, to get the lowdown on France’s oldest spirit.

First off, tell us a little about the history behind Château de Gensac. What makes you guys tick?

Château de Gensac is a 13th century Château and an original AOP Armagnac estate. Later, other buildings, including the 14th Century chapel and the Armagnac and wine cellar, were added. Such a vast history makes me and my wife, Kim feel very humble.  I’m very conscious of the fact that we are just a small part of the 700-year-old history. However, this also enhances our ambition to be a relevant part of the story – one which builds and creates and leaves a mark that we can be proud of.

For those who might not know, how does Armagnac differ from Cognac?

Generally speaking they’re both brandys, with Armagnac being the much older product of the two. France’s original, if you will. In terms of production, the main difference is that Armagnac is only distilled once, while Cognac undergoes a double distillation. Through distilling only once, the Armagnac presents a very broad and intense range of aromas and character. For me, it is much like a raw diamond – not yet treated on all levels to please everyone.

How important is the concept of terroir to Château de Gensac, and indeed Armagnac in general?

Terroir has a tremendous influence. On the wine side, our limestone and clay terroir is the reason why we are able to produce such characterful, award winning red wines, although we are situated in a region much more known for white wines. This goes for the Armagnac too. The Ténarèze region, where Château de Gensac is situated, produces powerful and intense Armagnacs with a very rich flavour. This rich character gets more pronounced the older the products get. I wish I could say the same about myself [laughs].

If Armagnac is France’s oldest and most traditional spirit, is it a challenge to make it stand out in a more contemporary drinking scene?

Yes it is! But we love a challenge, it really drives us on our mission. We aim to bring – or in some cases introduce for the first time – this fabulous spirit with all its glory to curious consumers. Everyone is talking about craft spirits nowadays, and here we have a true craft spirit with a tremendously rich history. Making that craft and tradition appealing and approachable to the contemporary consumer is all part of the fun.

Tell us a little about the Gensac logo. Is there a story behind the horse?

There sure is. The logo is the link to our second passion: horses. We have almost 40 horses here on the grounds. The majority of those today are from a non-profit wildlife preservation organization with a particular focus on horses. They came to Gensac in need of care and we now provide them with the life they deserve. Spreading over approximately 40 hectares, they mostly live in herds and are a crucial part of what makes Gensac a truly unique place. 

Talk us through a few of Gensac’s expressions. What are we likely to find? Where do you recommend we start?

On the wine side, we provide the full spectrum from white to rosé, and of course red wine. To ensure the highest quality products, we take great care of our soil and biodiversity on the estate. We work with low yields per hectare and harvest manually for our top level wines. Not to forget the barrel ageing of up to 36 months in French Oak. And then on the Armagnac side our main range consists of a 5, 10, 15 and 20 year old expression. These are always the minimum years that the products have aged in Gascon oak – from the Gascony region.

For those of us who are new to Armagnac, how would you recommend we drink it?

Generally I think you should drink it exactly the way you like it. But if I were to make a recommendation, then I feel a young Armagnac is a superb aperitif. Myself, for example? I enjoy drinking it on the rocks. And the older the Armagnac is, the more traditional I would drink it – meaning you warm your glass with your hands to let the aromas develop to their full potential and enjoy it after your meal, or even with a cigar. There’s really no greater indulgence.

For those who are into mixing, how well does it work in a cocktail? Any recommendation on a cocktail we should try for ourselves? 

Cocktails are one of my favorite ways to enjoy Armagnac, as it happens. With the trend of mixology evolving I am very hopeful that we will start to see more and more cocktails being made with our products. All brandy based cocktails work superbly, and I would recommend trying a Sidecar (a cocktail traditionally made with Cognac or Armagnac, Cointreau, plus lemon juice) or an Armagnac sour. And then there is of course the Gensac Mule, a mix of our five-year-old Armagnac and Ginger beer.  An easy little match made in heaven, if you ask me.

And finally, what can we expect to see from Gensac in 2020?

Our aim is to broaden our reach in the UK both for our wines as well as of course our Armagnacs, making our products a joyful and relevant option in the modern drinks scene. New products are in the making too. We’ve got a double cask Armagnac in the works, where we age our Armagnac in a high quality whisky barrel. And you might just see us partnering with a few brands in the fashion and lifestyle arena – something I am really excited about. Watch this space.

Gensac’s range of Armagnacs are available to buy at houseofmalt.co.uk