Conte et Filles L'ESSENTIEL

L'ESSENTIEL

A12

NEW Exclusive Limited Edition

RALENTIR - RÉFLÉCHIR - RÉUNIR

ABV: 46.3 %

Growth Area: Petite Champagne

Village: Nonaville

Grape Variety: Ugni Blanc

Bottle size: 70 cl

Lot: N°0822

Cask: N°49

Cask Volume: 400L

Cask Provenance: Tronçais

Natural: No additives, non-chill filtered 

Date of last reduction: July 29, 2022

Limited Edition: 161 bottles

TASTING NOTES

Nose: Bright and lively, suggesting youthful freshness. Immense fruitiness: ripe pear, baked green apple, mirabelle plums, splash of sweet lemony citrus not unlike that of some mid-aged riesling. Lemon curd. A tiny dash of vanilla. A refreshing absence of oak and spice, no rancio. Very fine. Very fresh. Close to the distillate. If one thinks of the Cognac aroma wheel, this is firmly in the upper hemisphere of that wheel.

Palate: Lovely texture. Good acidity and juiciness. Excellent drinkability. Fresh and youthful but oh so pleasant. This is indeed distillate forward, not oak forward - and wow what a fruity Cognac it is! The same immense fruitiness from the nose appears: pears, mirabelle plums, other yellow plums, sweet lemon citrus, green apple applesauce. Taiwanese pineapple cake, lemon curd, both giving a pleasant touch of gourmandise. Cream.

Finish: Medium length, commendable but not one to contemplate for ages. A very inviting, cheerful Cognac. One smell and sip demands another, and another, and so on. Complexity is on point for its 12 years of age. A Cognac to drink and enjoy - the perfect “session” Cognac. A fascinating display of young un-messed with Petite Champagne character. While firmly a Cognac, the traces to some whisk(e)y is unmistakable, notably Teeling (Irish) and Aultmore.

Discounts and vouchers cannot be used for L’ESSENTIEL A12.

Free Shipping is not applicable for L'ESSENTIEL A12.

$ 83
excl. TAX excl. shipping

Shipping US: $17/bottle

Sorry, all bottles are sold out - forever.

But take a look at the other stunning Marancheville Cognacs we have available in our online shop.

Don't miss out on new releases - sign up to our newsletter.

Limited stock

The third edition of L’ESSENTIEL Season 2 is here, this time in direct collaboration with our friends and neighbors Conte & Filles just up the road in Chillac.

This vibrant youthful Cognac comes from a single plot of vines situated in Nonaville, in the Petite Champagne cru, called Le Tas de Pierre - the pile of stone in English. Sisters Blandine and Anne-Laure Conte state that this particular name is undoubtedly due to the especially chalky subsoil. Furthermore, this unique vineyard is located completely on an east-facing hillside, which allows the vines to receive the day’s first rays of sun, but which protects the vines from the late afternoon and evening drying warm winds from the west. The vines are considerably old - roughly 40 years to be exact - so the roots are firmly established and pierce deep to seek freshness.

“The eaux-de-vie from this plot are for us the fruitiest of the estate. The limestone brings fruity and complex aromas to the Cognacs from this plot.”
-Blandine and Anne-Laure Conte

Conte et Filles was a major revelation for us during 2022! Not only did we fall in love with their range of honest authentic fruit-forward Cognacs, but their manner of working is decidedly close to the soil, to make what they call Cognac de Terroirs. They are grower-distillers that do everything at the domaine from a to z - everything! Since they took the helm of the estate, chemical weed killers have become a thing of the past, favoring organic fertilizer instead.

Additionally, they are committed to working the soil using the historical tools typically used to perform this ever-so-important work. This method of vineyard labor requires extreme precision and requires a very sound knowledge of the land to avoid soil erosion - not to mention a considerable amount of time out in the vines. All of this leads to healthier, cleaner, more lively soils - and of course, healthier vines and grapes.

What grabbed our attention about this particular Cognac to make it a must-bottle for L’ESSENTIEL? Some additional production information is needed to see the whole picture. This is an official 2010 vintage Cognac, bottled in August 2022. Hence, the A12 indication points to its 12 years of age. Interestingly, distillation took place without the lees. Anne-Laure and Blandine state that distilling with the lees typically gives a rounder eau-de-vie with a more exotic fruit aromatic profile, whereas distilling without the lees produces a finer eau-de-vie with a white-fruit aromatic profile. A common understanding is that distilling with the lees can lead to eaux-de-vie more apt for a long maturation - not something we sought with this 12 year old Cognac.

Reviews (9)

Average rating

Highly Recommended 85 /100
Nose
Mouth
Taste
Finish
Impression

It is a single cask Cognac, cask N°49, and the Cognac spent its first year of life in a young 400 liter Tronçais oak barrel before being transferred to a very old 400 liter barrel to continue its maturation until bottling. The used barrel also comes from Tronçais oak.

“The majority of the Cognacs of the domain are made from Tronçais oak because the pores of the wood are tighter which brings less tannin and more delicate aromas.”
-Blandine and Anne-Laure Conte

The above two points are precisely the unique characteristics of this Cognac: distillation without lees and aging in Tronçais oak. Smelling and tasting this Cognac with the knowledge of the key production details leads to quite an educational experience. This L’ESSENTIEL A12 Conte & Filles is immensely fruity, bright, and fine!

The Cognac is bottled at 46.3% alcohol, with a final reduction taking place on July 29, 2022. The color is natural, and no chill-filtration occurred. No additives whatsoever were used.

In short: The excellent Le Tas de Pierre Petite Champagne hillside vineyard plot, sensible precise work in the vines, distillation without the lees, measured oak treatment with Tronçais oak only (not Limousin oak), and a natural “malternative” presentation for this 12 year old Cognac all contribute to produce a Cognac we simply couldn’t not bottle!

On the topic of malternatives…There is a lot of talk of “malternatives” these days - rightfully so. We love the attention it brings to Cognac the spirit and Cognac the region! Many of the recent Cognac bottlings deemed to be malternatives are mature 30, 40, 50, 60, etc. year old Cognacs (L’ESSENTIEL A29 Grosperrin and A45 Marancheville, for example). It’s not exactly easy to compare these uber-old Cognacs to many of the younger single malt whisky bottlings being released these days. Look around at official and independent bottler whisky today, and you’ll see a multitude of interesting offerings in the 7 to 20 year range, sometimes older, but rarely reaching the ages of some of the recent Cognac bottlings.

Generally speaking, for many official and independent bottlers of whisky, the 12 year old whisky, bottled at 46%, natural color, and non chill-filtered is the benchmark. Therefore, this L’ESSENTIEL A12 Conte & Filles is our take on 12 year old Cognac bottled at 46%, natural color, and non chill-filtered - our idea of a malternative!

Special thanks to Anne Laure and Blandine Conte, as well as Lise Mignon, for making this L’ESSENTIEL A12 happen and for raising Cognacs with this remarkable purity of fruit! And We’d be hard pressed to find nicer people in the region too!

Please enjoy, share with others, and always remember to slow down, reflect, and reunite - ralentir, reflechir, réunir. Santé !

L'ESSENTIEL A12 Conte et Filles

ABV: 46.3 %

Growth Area: Petite Champagne

Village: Nonaville

Grape Variety: Ugni Blanc

Bottle size: 70 cl

Lot: N°0822

Cask: N°49

Cask Volume: 400L

Cask Provenance: Tronçais

Natural: No additives, non-chill filtered 

Date of last reduction: July 29, 2022

Limited Edition: 161 bottles

TASTING NOTES

Nose: Bright and lively, suggesting youthful freshness. Immense fruitiness: ripe pear, baked green apple, mirabelle plums, splash of sweet lemony citrus not unlike that of some mid-aged riesling. Lemon curd. A tiny dash of vanilla. A refreshing absence of oak and spice, no rancio. Very fine. Very fresh. Close to the distillate. If one thinks of the Cognac aroma wheel, this is firmly in the upper hemisphere of that wheel.

Palate: Lovely texture. Good acidity and juiciness. Excellent drinkability. Fresh and youthful but oh so pleasant. This is indeed distillate forward, not oak forward - and wow what a fruity Cognac it is! The same immense fruitiness from the nose appears: pears, mirabelle plums, other yellow plums, sweet lemon citrus, green apple applesauce. Taiwanese pineapple cake, lemon curd, both giving a pleasant touch of gourmandise. Cream.

Finish: Medium length, commendable but not one to contemplate for ages. A very inviting, cheerful Cognac. One smell and sip demands another, and another, and so on. Complexity is on point for its 12 years of age. A Cognac to drink and enjoy - the perfect “session” Cognac. A fascinating display of young un-messed with Petite Champagne character. While firmly a Cognac, the traces to some whisk(e)y is unmistakable, notably Teeling (Irish) and Aultmore.

$ 83
excl. TAX excl. shipping

Shipping US: $17/bottle

Limited stock

L'ESSENTIEL

A12

NEW Exclusive Limited Edition

$ 83
excl. TAX excl. shipping

Shipping US: $17/bottle

Limited stock

Sorry, all bottles are sold out - forever.

But take a look at the other stunning Marancheville Cognacs we have available in our online shop.

Don't miss out on new releases - sign up to our newsletter.

ABV: 46.3 %

Growth Area: Petite Champagne

Village: Nonaville

Grape Variety: Ugni Blanc

Bottle size: 70 cl

Lot: N°0822

Cask: N°49

Cask Volume: 400L

Cask Provenance: Tronçais

Natural: No additives, non-chill filtered 

Date of last reduction: July 29, 2022

Limited Edition: 161 bottles

Discounts and vouchers cannot be used for L'ESSENTIEL A12.

Free Shipping is not applicable for L'ESSENTIEL A12.

Reviews (9)

Average rating

Highly Recommended 85 /100
Nose
Mouth
Taste
Finish
Impression

The third edition of L’ESSENTIEL Season 2 is here, this time in direct collaboration with our friends and neighbors Conte & Filles just up the road in Chillac.

This vibrant youthful Cognac comes from a single plot of vines situated in Nonaville, in the Petite Champagne cru, called Le Tas de Pierre - the pile of stone in English. Sisters Blandine and Anne-Laure Conte state that this particular name is undoubtedly due to the especially chalky subsoil. Furthermore, this unique vineyard is located completely on an east-facing hillside, which allows the vines to receive the day’s first rays of sun, but which protects the vines from the late afternoon and evening drying warm winds from the west. The vines are considerably old - roughly 40 years to be exact - so the roots are firmly established and pierce deep to seek freshness.

“The eaux-de-vie from this plot are for us the fruitiest of the estate. The limestone brings fruity and complex aromas to the Cognacs from this plot.”
-Blandine and Anne-Laure Conte

Conte et Filles was a major revelation for us during 2022! Not only did we fall in love with their range of honest authentic fruit-forward Cognacs, but their manner of working is decidedly close to the soil, to make what they call Cognac de Terroirs. They are grower-distillers that do everything at the domaine from a to z - everything! Since they took the helm of the estate, chemical weed killers have become a thing of the past, favoring organic fertilizer instead. Additionally, they are committed to working the soil using the historical tools typically used to perform this ever-so-important work. This method of vineyard labor requires extreme precision and requires a very sound knowledge of the land to avoid soil erosion - not to mention a considerable amount of time out in the vines. All of this leads to healthier, cleaner, more lively soils - and of course, healthier vines and grapes.

What grabbed our attention about this particular Cognac to make it a must-bottle for L’ESSENTIEL? Some additional production information is needed to see the whole picture. This is an official 2010 vintage Cognac, bottled in August 2022. Hence, the A12 indication points to its 12 years of age. Interestingly, distillation took place without the lees. Anne-Laure and Blandine state that distilling with the lees typically gives a rounder eau-de-vie with a more exotic fruit aromatic profile, whereas distilling without the lees produces a finer eau-de-vie with a white-fruit aromatic profile. A common understanding is that distilling with the lees can lead to eaux-de-vie more apt for a long maturation - not something we sought with this 12 year old Cognac.

It is a single cask Cognac, cask N°49, and the Cognac spent its first year of life in a young 400 liter Tronçais oak barrel before being transferred to a very old 400 liter barrel to continue its maturation until bottling. The used barrel also comes from Tronçais oak.

“The majority of the Cognacs of the domain are made from Tronçais oak because the pores of the wood are tighter which brings less tannin and more delicate aromas.”
-Blandine and Anne-Laure Conte

The above two points are precisely the unique characteristics of this Cognac: distillation without lees and aging in Tronçais oak. Smelling and tasting this Cognac with the knowledge of the key production details leads to quite an educational experience. This L’ESSENTIEL A12 Conte & Filles is immensely fruity, bright, and fine!

The Cognac is bottled at 46.3% alcohol, with a final reduction taking place on July 29, 2022. The color is natural, and no chill-filtration occurred. No additives whatsoever were used.

In short: The excellent Le Tas de Pierre Petite Champagne hillside vineyard plot, sensible precise work in the vines, distillation without the lees, measured oak treatment with Tronçais oak only (not Limousin oak), and a natural “malternative” presentation for this 12 year old Cognac all contribute to produce a Cognac we simply couldn’t not bottle!

On the topic of malternatives…There is a lot of talk of “malternatives” these days - rightfully so. We love the attention it brings to Cognac the spirit and Cognac the region! Many of the recent Cognac bottlings deemed to be malternatives are mature 30, 40, 50, 60, etc. year old Cognacs (L’ESSENTIEL A29 Grosperrin and A45 Marancheville, for example). It’s not exactly easy to compare these uber-old Cognacs to many of the younger single malt whisky bottlings being released these days. Look around at official and independent bottler whisky today, and you’ll see a multitude of interesting offerings in the 7 to 20 year range, sometimes older, but rarely reaching the ages of some of the recent Cognac bottlings.

Generally speaking, for many official and independent bottlers of whisky, the 12 year old whisky, bottled at 46%, natural color, and non chill-filtered is the benchmark. Therefore, this L’ESSENTIEL A12 Conte & Filles is our take on 12 year old Cognac bottled at 46%, natural color, and non chill-filtered - our idea of a malternative!

Special thanks to Anne Laure and Blandine Conte, as well as Lise Mignon, for making this L’ESSENTIEL A12 happen and for raising Cognacs with this remarkable purity of fruit! And We’d be hard pressed to find nicer people in the region too!

Please enjoy, share with others, and always remember to slow down, reflect, and reunite - ralentir, reflechir, réunir. Santé !

$ 83
excl. TAX excl. shipping

Shipping US: $17/bottle

Limited stock

For a short explainer on the differences and similarities between Seasons 1 and 2 of L'ESSENTIEL, head over to this blog article. It's a worthwhile read as we have just now kicked off Season 2.

TASTING NOTES

Nose: Bright and lively, suggesting youthful freshness. Immense fruitiness: ripe pear, baked green apple, mirabelle plums, splash of sweet lemony citrus not unlike that of some mid-aged riesling. Lemon curd. A tiny dash of vanilla. A refreshing absence of oak and spice, no rancio. Very fine. Very fresh. Close to the distillate. If one thinks of the Cognac aroma wheel, this is firmly in the upper hemisphere of that wheel. 

Palate: Lovely texture. Good acidity and juiciness. Excellent drinkability. Fresh and youthful but oh so pleasant. This is indeed distillate forward, not oak forward - and wow what a fruity Cognac it is! The same immense fruitiness from the nose appears: pears, mirabelle plums, other yellow plums, sweet lemon citrus, green apple applesauce. Taiwanese pineapple cake, lemon curd, both giving a pleasant touch of gourmandise. Cream. 

Finish: Medium length, commendable but not one to contemplate for ages. A very inviting, cheerful Cognac. One smell and sip demands another, and another, and so on. Complexity is on point for its 12 years of age. A Cognac to drink and enjoy - the perfect “session” Cognac. A fascinating display of young un-messed with Petite Champagne character. While firmly a Cognac, the traces to some whisk(e)y is unmistakable, notably Teeling (Irish) and Aultmore.

All L'ESSENTIEL Season 2 Bottlings

L'ESSENTIEL A29

L'ESSENTIEL A45

$ 190
excl. TAX excl. shipping

L'ESSENTIEL A12

$ 83
excl. TAX excl. shipping

All L'ESSENTIEL Season 2 Bottlings

L'ESSENTIEL A29

L'ESSENTIEL A45

$ 190
excl. TAX excl. shipping

L'ESSENTIEL A12

$ 83
excl. TAX excl. shipping
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