Bas Armagnac Hors D'Age - Domaine Laberdolive
 
Cultivation of vines on own land; winemaking; distillation; aging. In the Laberdolive company all production steps are strictly followed and controlled. The Armagnacs that arise from it are not at all obvious. Bas Armagnac Horse d'Agee, despite its relative youth, is simply easy to enjoy.
 
Type: Bas Armagnac
Origin: France - Bas Armagnac
Format: 70cl. with wooden box
Alcohol content: 42% vol.
 
Tasting Notes: It has a clear amber color, with golden reflections. On the nose it comes with delicate hints, notes of dried flowers and vanilla nuances. In the mouth it is soft and sweet, with the tannins remaining discreet and non-invasive. The aromas of pepper and orange stand out in persistence.
 
The Distillery: Armagnac is the oldest spirit in France. Already in 1310 it was mentioned in a manuscript, now kept in the Vatican Library, by Vital du Four, abbot of the monastery of Eauze in the heart of the county of Armagnac, which listed as many as forty "medicinal" virtues of the distillate. In France, in the Bas Armagnac, between the departments of Gers and Landes, the properties of Domaine Laberdolive extend, founded in Escoubes in 1886. It is the most famous producer of Armagnac, an illustrious name in French winemaking. From the end of the nineteenth century to the present day, these winemakers have acquired other nearby properties: the Domaine de Jaurrey in 1893, the Domaine du Pillon in 1956, and that of Labrune in 1963. Currently the company has around forty hectares of vines: the vineyards of Laberdolives are located on "reddish sand" soils and include the vine varieties of Baco, Colombard, Ugni Blanc and Folle Blanche. The latter grape variety is distilled and aged separately. For distillation, two traditional "armagnacais" stills are used, the oldest of which was built in 1893. The stills are heated on wood to obtain brandy at 53°C. After distillation, the spirits are left to mature in oak barrels made exclusively from the wood of trees grown on the property. The period in new wood is approximately three years, then the aging is continued for long years in barrels.