FREE BOOK WITH ORDERS OVER €299 / $359 Le Cognac et la Pub: Icons and Legends, a 193-page survey of Cognac advertising history, is yours free at cart level 
CLAIM YOURS
.jpg) |
Maison Fransac offers a complete range of Cognacs aged up to 70 years. The house operates from its historic 18th-century residence at the Quai des Flamands, along the Charente — just a short walk from the Château de François I and Hennessy, in the heart of Cognac. It also produces Pineau des Charentes and Cognac-based liqueurs, including the well-known Bauchant orange liqueur. Personal, historic, and well-balanced, Fransac is a house worth exploring.
|
Brand
Price
Cognac age
Growth area
Bottle size
Availability
A stay in Cognac should never be skipped when travelling through the Charente. This time, our visit brought us to the banks of the Charente, where Maison Fransac occupies its historic residence on Quai des Flamands.
What made this visit special was the access. A respected cellar master of the region, with whom we have a close relationship, trusted us with the keys to the manoir. He prefers to remain unnamed and out of the spotlight, but thanks to him, we were able to discover Fransac in a rare and personal way.
For a few hours, we had the house to ourselves. We moved through the rooms, took in the atmosphere, and explored the full range at our own pace, from Cognacs aged up to 70 years and amazing liqueurs like the Chocolate.
The château, the quayside setting, the discreet people behind the house, and the bottles all came together to tell the story of Fransac today.
During the visit, we took our time tasting in detail and better understanding the style of the house: measured, mature, and quietly distinctive.
Matured for more than 50 years in oak barrels
Grande Champagne
Oldest expression from Maison Fransac
42% ABV
.jpg)
Exterior view of the Fransac estate courtyard, showing the character of the 18th-century property
A historic ledger or cellar book from Maison Fransac, reflecting decades of careful vintage tracking and cognac production history
Maison Fransac operates from its historic 18th-century residence at the Quai des Flamands, along the Charente and just a short walk from the Château de François I and Hennessy smack in the center of Cognac.
During our recent visit to the property, we (Taylor, Virginia, and Max) we were quite literally given the keys to the house. We moved through the historic 18th-century residence at our own pace, explored the rooms, took in the atmosphere of the house, and discovered the range independently, bottle by bottle. This marathon tasting experience confirmed the house's commitment to small-batch production, exceptionally long aging, and beautifully balanced blends.
The house produces Cognacs, Pineau des Charentes, and a collection of Cognac-based liqueurs under the Maison Fransac label. One of the Cognacs has matured for 70 years or more, and the very complete range covers all major Cognac designations: VS, VSOP, XO Fine Champagne, Vieille Réserve, Réserve Ancestrale, and two Hors d'Âge expressions showcasing seriously advanced ages.
The lineup is complete, coherent, and impressively consistent, showing fascinating contrasts between the house's multi-cru AOC Cognac blends and its 100% Grande Champagne Cognacs. Across the board, the spirits are well blended, expressive, and of very high quality, with several cuvées offering tremendously advanced ages at remarkable value.
The origins of Maison Fransac lie in the trading activity founded by Justin Denis (1810-1873) and his partner Henry Mounié (1811-1878), both from Charente winegrowing families. In 1838, they founded the company DENIS-MOUNIÉ and created the Cognac brand Denis Mounié, which became known around the world, as shown by the account books of the period. Among its distinguished clients was King Edward VII of England. Older bottlings from the house are now highly sought-after collector's items. Their estate was located in the Grande Champagne region, near Saint-Preuil in Charente.
The family connection that would later shape Fransac came through marriage: Henriette Denis, daughter of Justin Denis, married Charles Roullet. The Roullet family is regarded as one of the old historic families of Cognac and southwestern France, and this union helped connect the Denis-Mounié legacy to the Roullet name.
Alongside Denis-Mounié and Jules Robin, Fransac belongs to the early group of Cognac producers who systematically used a brand name and sold eaux-de-vie in bottle. At the end of the 19th century, the phylloxera crisis devastated the vineyards of Charente and forced a generational and agricultural shift. Folle Blanche, once the defining grape of the region, gave way to Ugni Blanc grafted onto American rootstocks. More resistant and naturally high in acidity, Ugni Blanc proved especially well suited to distillation and remains the backbone of Fransac's Cognac production today.
From 1947 onward, Richard Roullet took sole management of J. DENIS HENRY MOUNIÉ & Co. Until 1970, the trading business was prosperous, with exports to England, the United States, Germany, the Benelux countries, Mexico, Canada, and the Far East. Financial difficulties later emerged as a result of the 1973 oil crisis and the strategic reshaping of major Cognac houses such as Courvoisier, Bisquit, Hine, and Monnet.
In 1980, Richard Roullet sold the DENIS-MOUNIÉ brand to the liqueur company Bénédictine in Fécamp, Normandy. This led to a change in company name, and on April 2, 1980, the business became Maison Roullet S.A. Richard Roullet served as chairman, with his children Georges Roullet and Florence Roullet acting as directors. Around 1982, the DENIS-MOUNIÉ brand was sold on again to Hine, which later became part of LVMH in 1987.
Taylor, Max and Virginia from the Cognac Expert team during our private visit to Maison Fransac
Letter to Denis-Mournie, captured during our visit to the estate
Maison Fransac is a historic Cognac house based in the town of Cognac, in the Charente region of France. Operating from its 18th-century residence at the Quai des Flamands, the house produces a full range of Cognacs spanning VS, VSOP, XO Fine Champagne, Vieille Réserve, Réserve Ancestrale, and Hors d'Age, alongside Pineau des Charentes and Cognac-based liqueurs including the internationally recognised Bauchant orange liqueur. The house places a strong emphasis on small-batch production and exceptionally long aging, with some reserves matured for 70 years or more.
Maison Fransac is located at the Quai des Flamands in the town of Cognac, along the banks of the Charente river in south-west France. The house occupies the Logis du Saulnier, a former 18th-century residence that became the brand's headquarters in 2000. It is situated just a short walk from the Château de François I and the Hennessy cellars, in the historic heart of the Cognac appellation. A direct-to-consumer boutique on the quays offers tastings and access to the full portfolio.
XO Fine Champagne is a Cognac category defined by the BNIC (Bureau National Interprofessionnel du Cognac). To carry the Fine Champagne designation, a blend must contain only eaux-de-vie from the Grande Champagne and Petite Champagne crus, with a minimum of 50% Grande Champagne. The XO category requires a minimum age of 12 years. The Fransac XO Fine Champagne is round and complex, offering an early glimpse of the deeper notes found in the older expressions of the range.
The Fransac Réserve Ancestrale is a 100% Grande Champagne Premier Cru Cognac, made exclusively from eaux-de-vie aged for more than 25 years in old Limousin oak casks. Grande Champagne is the most prestigious of the six Cognac crus, prized for its chalky soils and the lift, elegance, and long aging potential it gives to the spirit. The Réserve Ancestrale develops notes of peach, prune, orange blossom, and a characteristic rancio, the signature of a well-aged Grande Champagne Cognac.
Bauchant is an orange liqueur produced by Maison Fransac in the Cognac region of France. Introduced in the 1970s and commercially launched from 1983, it became one of the most internationally recognised products of the house. Unlike most orange liqueurs, Bauchant is made using three distinct orange varieties, including Andalusian orange and mandarin, creating a precise balance between bitter and sweet. It is built on a base of VS and VSOP Cognacs, aged in seasoned wood casks, and bottled at 40% ABV, with notes of caramel, butterscotch, and concentrated citrus. It is a staple in high-end cocktail bars and professional pastry kitchens worldwide.
The origins of Maison Fransac trace back to 1838, when Justin Denis and Henry Mounié founded the company DENIS-MOUNIÉ in the Grande Champagne region near Saint-Preuil, Charente. The house was among the first Cognac producers to systematically sell eaux-de-vie under a brand name in bottle. The family line continued through the Roullet family, and in 1983 Georges Roullet officially created Etablissements ROULLET-FRANSAC, giving the house its present identity. In 2000, the house moved to its current landmark home on the Quai des Flamands in Cognac.
Hors d'Age is a designation used for Cognacs of exceptional age, beyond the XO category minimum. The term translates as "beyond age" and is applied to expressions where the youngest eaux-de-vie in the blend significantly exceeds the legal XO requirement of 10 years. Fransac produces two Hors d'Age expressions: Lot N°50, a Grande Champagne Cognac at five decades of age showing pristine, exotic fruits, and Lot N°70, the peak of the Fransac cellars, with eaux-de-vie aged for seven decades offering dried fig, tobacco, old leather, and walnut.
Pineau des Charentes is a fortified wine produced in the Cognac region of France, made by blending fresh grape juice with Cognac eau-de-vie to stop fermentation and preserve the natural fruit sweetness. It is then aged in oak casks for a minimum of 18 months for white and 12 months for rosé. Maison Fransac produces both a red Pineau des Charentes, made from Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon blended with Cognac eau-de-vie and aged at least two years in oak, and a Vieux Pineau Blanc, aged for five years, offering notes of hazelnut, fresh grape, and vanilla.
The aged back doors of the Fransac estate building, evoking the history and quiet character of this small family house
Virginia from Cognac Expert leafing through old cellar documents at Fransac, illustrating the depth of knowledge shared during visits to the house
A stone angel detail on the Fransac property, a decorative feature of the 18th-century residence that reflects the estate's historic character
Close-up of liqueur poured into tasting glasses, evoking our private tasting session exploring the depth and breadth of the Fransac range
The complete Fransac liqueur collection showcasing the breadth of the house's production beyond aged cognac
Strongly attached to marketing and communication, Georges Roullet, son of Richard Roullet, decided to add the name FRANSAC and officially created Etablissements ROULLET-FRANSAC on March 31, 1983. This marked the beginning of a new chapter for the house, one built on older family roots but expressed through a new brand identity.
The Fransac Cognac portfolio is built around sourcing from the leading crus of the appellation. It offers both multi-cru blends and 100% Grande Champagne Cognacs, allowing enthusiasts to appreciate the stylistic differences between the crus.
These Cognacs are harmonious, expressive, and exceptionally well-blended, with a level of maturity that far exceeds what is typically found at their price points. Really, what's not to like.
In addition to Cognac, the house produces:
There is truly a Cognac or liqueur for every taste in the Fransac portfolio.
The Thorin feels more lifted, spicy and structured, while the Fransac moves into a darker, deeper and more contemplative style, with old leather, tobacco and dried fig.
A broader, more rustic Bons Bois expression. The Chollet offers a more approachable mature style, while the Fransac stands apart with greater age impression, depth and collector appeal.
The Voyer feels darker, warmer and more intense, with cigar box and roasted nut tones, while the Fransac is rounder and more polished, with vanilla, toasted almond and candied fruit softness.
The Prunier is more leathery, woody and tobacco-driven, with toasted walnut and beeswax depth, while the Fransac feels softer, rounder and more aromatic, with vanilla, cinnamon, toasted almond and candied fruit.
A still corner of the Fransac estate grounds, conveying the peaceful rural atmosphere of this small, family-run cognac house
Taylor holding the bottle of Fransac Vieille Reserve 25 Y. Cognac in one of the manoire's rooms
Introduced in the 1970s by Georges Roullet and commercially launched from 1983 onward, Bauchant orange liqueur became the most internationally recognized product of the house. Over the decades, it enjoyed strong and steady growth. It is one of the rare orange liqueurs produced directly in the Cognac region and one of the earliest orange liqueurs to gain traction on the American market.
What sets Bauchant apart from many competitors is its use of three distinct orange varieties, including Andalusian orange and mandarin, rather than relying on a single orange source. This creates a balance between bitter and sweet that won broad critical praise. Built on a base of VS and VSOP Cognacs and aged in seasoned wood casks, the liqueur reaches 40% ABV and shows notes of caramel, butterscotch, and concentrated citrus. It became a staple ingredient in upscale cocktail bars and in the kitchens of professional pastry chefs around the world.
Maison Fransac is a house with deep historical roots, a striking riverside home right amongst Cognac's giants, and a portfolio that combines the highest quality, maturity, and value in equal measure. Our visit to the Quai des Flamands confirmed what the range itself makes clear: this is a producer to take note of, with a coherent style and an impressive ability to showcase both the character of the crus and the elegance of long-aged Cognac. Maison Fransac offers something for every palate, always with authenticity and finesse. Cheers!
The Bauchant orange liqueur, introduced in the 1970s and the most internationally recognised product from Maison Fransac, used in cocktails worldwide
Close-up of the Fransac 50 Year Old bottle, one of the rarest expressions in the house's portfolio and a collector's piece for serious cognac enthusiasts
A collection of old tools from the Fransac estate, symbolising the generations of craft and tradition that define this small, independent cognac house
The full Fransac liqueur and Pineau collection arranged in the estate's tasting room, inviting visitors to explore the house's full range beyond its aged cognacs
Georges Roullet continued to expand the house’s ambitions beyond traditional Cognac. In 2008, he diversified the portfolio for the American market by launching six flavored Voli vodkas, supported by celebrity-driven marketing linked to the Latin rapper Pitbull, the Black Eyed Peas, and the singer Fergie. This showed the house’s willingness to move beyond classic categories while keeping a strong focus on brand-building and international visibility.
In 2013, Georges Roullet sold both the property and the company to the Chinese group Yantai Changyu Pioneer Wine Company Limited. In October of that year, Changyu acquired 100% of Etablissements Roullet Fransac. Its goal was to secure access to rare Cognac resources and to benefit from the brand’s reputation in the rapidly expanding Chinese luxury spirits market. In December 2014, Changyu restructured its French holdings by transferring the operating company into a new French holding entity, Francs Champs Participations SAS.
In the early 2020s, a combination of weaker Chinese consumer demand, an anti-dumping investigation targeting French brandy imports, and Changyu’s broader strategic focus on its domestic premium brand Koya led to a reassessment of the Fransac asset. In September 2025, Yantai Changyu Pioneer Wine Company Limited sold Maison Fransac to the Elior Group, opening a new chapter for the house and its long-established identity.
