Hine Cognac
Located in the heart of the Grande Champagne, the premium wine growing area of the Cognac region, the house of Hine has been producing some of the most exquisite Cognacs for six generations, when it was better known as T Hine & Co Cognac. The estate boasts an exceptional 173 acres of vineyards, and the house has a very special tradition of producing relatively small quantities - but with a very high standard in quality. One of their trademarks is to store their vintage casks in damp cellars in Bristol, England. This way, the Thomas Hine Cognac goes through a uniquely different ageing process due to the humidity of the seaside town, which differs somewhat to that of the southwestern coast of France. These highly priced vintage bottles are called “Hine Early-Landed Vintage Cognac”.
Visit Hine: 16, quai de l'Orangerie ,16200 Jarnac ,+33 5 45 35 59 59 ,Visit Hine: 16, quai de l'Orangerie, 16200 Jarnac , +33 5 45 35 59 59 To visit the Hine Cognac Headquarters, please make an appointment directly.
Products
Price
Cognac age
Growth area
Bottle size
ABV
Vintage year
Price
Cognac age
Growth area
Bottle size
ABV
Vintage year
History of Thomas Hine & Co
As a young man, Thomas Hine left his native Dorset in England to make a life in France. Rumor has it that his family was involved in smuggling spirits between France and Britain. Thomas Hine was briefly imprisoned during the height of the French Revolution, however, not as a smuggler but as a suspected British spy. He then married a local woman and soon became the heir to her father’s cognac business in Jarnac. In 1821 he founded Thomas Hine & Co. His premature death at the age of 47, just one year after he had renamed the company, was a shock to the business, but because he had established such good company structures, it was not too difficult for his son Thomas Georges to take over. In fact, he did a very fine job at running the cognac house, introducing strong bonds with Russia, Germany, Austria and the Benelux countries.
With its family tradition, the cognac house remains to be in the hands of Hine descendants, all of who have a love for perfecting the art of cognac making. They abide by the motto of the founder that "less is more", so the current Hine cognacs are Hine Rare VSOP, Hine Antique XO, Hine Jarnac-matured Vintage Cognacs and Hine Early-Landed Vintage Cognacs, which is a relatively small range.
Hine Today
Hine is a very forward-looking business, continuously introducing modern strategies such as biological farming techniques. Their website shows an innovative approach and stands out in the industry. The cellar master Eric Forget makes sure to select exceptional years as single vintages, which is a much-treasured tradition in the house of Hine. It means that there is a selection of single year vintages dating back to 1957.
Visit Hine
For 200 years, the property of Hine Cognac on the banks of the Charente River stayed true to its traditional décor. Recently, British interior designer Russel Sage completely revamped the beautiful manor house with his eccentric experimental style.
Guided tours in French and English upon appointment. Contact Hine for reservations.
Visit the website of Hine Cognac