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The vines of Bel Ange Cognac cover 38 hectares of prime Petite Champagne countryside. Four generations of knowledge has been handed down over the years, and today this independent vineyard produce both cognac and Pineau des Charentes. Owned and run by Cécile and Aymeric Lheritaud, they continue to produce eaux-de-vie in the traditional methods, offering a small but quality range that is sold directly to the public.
Visit Bel Ange: Meussac ,17800 Echebrune ,+33 (0)546963597 ,Visits all year around. Contact estate for opening hours. Other products by Bel Ange: Pineau des Charentes
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Our visit to Cognac Bel Ange began and ended beside the still—where a gleaming copper alambic anchors the distillery’s quiet energy. The estate was founded in 1944 and has remained in the same family ever since. Today, fourth-generation distiller Aymeric Lheritaud runs the domaine, continuing the work of his father, grandfather, and great-grandfather before him. There’s a real sense of soul in every corner here, and most everything is indeed still done by hand.
Aymeric has chosen to keep the business personal and close to its roots. Until 1975, the family distilled their wine in a tiny wood-fired still (6-9 hectoliter capacity) located in their kitchen. The current 20-hectoliter gas-powered still, in use since the early-80s, now handles all distillation. Interestingly, the domaine also distills for Rémy Martin, which confirms the high quality of the eaux-de-vie produced here. As such, they distill with the lees allowing greater richness, texture and the increased ability for the eau-de-vie to age.
Bel Ange sits on 35 hectares of gently sloping vineyards in the heart of Petite Champagne, in the town of Échebrune. These hillsides are rich in chalk and are exposed just the right way to catch sun and wind—ideal for growing grapes destined to become refined, long-aging Cognacs. Glancing at the vines and the gentle but undulating slopes, you get a clear sense of place: clean rows, natural grass between them, and an overall feeling of careful, respectful stewardship.
What makes Bel Ange particularly interesting is Aymeric’s deep curiosity around grape varieties. While Ugni Blanc remains the core, he’s planted 1.7 hectares of Folignan (a Ugni Blanc–Folle Blanche cross), as well as small parcels of Colombard, Baco, Villard, and most recently Vidal. Not all of these are currently allowed under the Cognac AOC, but Aymeric grows them anyway—testing, observing, and imagining what flavors they might offer in the future.
The experiments aren’t just academic. Baco, for example, has proven incredibly robust; we know this is the case from our dear Armagnac producers down south. In years of high pressure from disease, such as the massively humid and wet 2024 growing campaign, it thrives with minimal intervention or vine treatment. Vidal too is showing promise. Some of these grapes are currently used in vin de liqueurs and vins de France, with three hectares of the domaine set aside for those projects. This resilience supports his belief that more disease-tolerant grapes could play an important role in Cognac’s future.
Bel Ange doesn’t make blends. Instead, Aymeric bottles single-year lots, each one capturing the character of a specific harvest. These aren’t official vintages under AOC law, but the intention is similar: to express time, not just place. Every Cognac is bottled at 44% ABV, without chill-filtration and with zero added color. The result is a pure, powerful spirit—textured, aromatic, and vibrant. We felt the older qualities had tremendous richness, undoubtedly due to extra aging time, but also perhaps due to the wood-fired distillation.
The lineup is tight but impressive. The youngest release is AVY Oak, a bold eau-de-vie aged in a barrel made from trees grown on the property. Its wide-grain oak and strong toast give a clear thumbprint to the spirit. Then come the aged expressions: XO (Lot 89), Extra (Lot 73), and Héritage (Lot 44), each a reflection of a particular year and its conditions. The Héritage bottling, in particular, is a rarity—a Cognac distilled in the very first year of the domaine’s existence. These are Cognacs with identity and integrity, bottled with respect for what they are.
Cognac Bel Ange is one of those places that quietly redefines what makes a great Cognac house. The scale is small, but the ambition is large. Aymeric’s approach—respectful of tradition yet unafraid to question and innovate—makes Bel Ange a domaine worth watching closely. And if you want to launch into a discussion about grape varieties and the implications of testing them in the Cognac region, Aymeric is your guy. Really great experiences and insights on the subject matter.
There’s something refreshing about tasting a Cognac that hasn’t been blended to hit a target flavor profile. Each bottle here is like a snapshot or a time capsule of sorts: of a year, a harvest, a decision in the cellar. And in an industry where big names often dominate the spotlight, it’s these smaller, soulful producers that keep the heart of Cognac beating strong. Bel Ange is the kind of house we love to visit and even more, the kind we love to share. Many thanks to Aymeric for giving us a glimpse into his production and for introducing us to his Cognacs. We think there is plenty to love here!
The story of Bel Ange Cognac stretches back over four generations, when the Lheritaud family took up farming the vines around their property in Echebrune. Tending the vineyards and creating wine from their fruits became a family passion, and every part of the cognac-making process was carried out by family members. This priceless knowledge was handed down from father to son over four generations, and the secrets remain in the Lheritaud family to this day.
Today, Cécile and Aymeric Lheritaud carry on the family tradition of running Cognac Bel Ange, taking over from Dominique. 80 % of the vines are planted with Ugni Blanc vines, and these are used solely to produce cognac. 5% of the vines are Folignan, and the remaining 15% are Vidal, Baco, Villard Blanc, and Villard noir grapes. From these, the family produces their Pineau des Charentes.
The estate produces a small but diverse range of cognacs. From the Bel Ange Cognac VSOP to the 30-year-old Bel Ange XO Supreme, the 50-year-old Paradisiatique, and the 80-year-old Héritage, each is an artisan product that is both hand-produced and beautifully presented. All Cognacs are single batches and non-chill filtered.
Other products produced by the house include a red and white Pineau, as well as an extra old Pineau des Charentes entitled Bel Ange Old Pineau.
You can visit Cognac Bel Ange year-round, seven days a week. Whilst no appointment is necessary, it’s recommended that you call ahead to check opening times. Once there, you can visit the distillery, winery, and vineyards.
