Très Vieux Pineau Lheraud 1962
DESCRIPTION
The Story
Crafted by Maison Lhéraud, founded in 1810 in Angeac-Charente, this Très Vieux Pineau Lot n°0962 is a vibrant testament to Charentais expertise. Born from the 1962 vintage, it has aged for several decades in the Lhéraud family's blonde stone cellars, in the heart of the Cognac terroir. This exceptional Pineau received the distinction of 95 points and the Chairman’s Trophy at the Ultimate Spirits Challenge 2022, consecrating its balance and aromatic depth.
The Vinification
This exceptional vin de liqueur (fortified wine) is created by the mutage (fortification) of grape musts with an aged Cognac eau-de-vie, following the traditional Charentais method. Aged extensively in oak barrels, it develops a unique richness and complexity. The terroir of Angeac, situated between land and ocean, imparts a balanced ripeness to the grapes, while the prolonged aging contributes woody, spicy, and time-mellowed notes.
The Tasting
With a deep amber color, this Très Vieux Pineau is immediately captivating on the nose with subtle aromas of spices, dried fruits, and honey. On the palate, the attack is direct but silky, giving way to a perfect balance between sweetness and liveliness. The texture, velvety and complex, is enriched with nuances of vanilla, hazelnut, and blond tobacco, before a long, spicy, and warm finish. A Pineau for the ages, to be savored slowly like a great cognac.
REGION
Nouvelle Aquitaine
France
Nouvelle-Aquitaine is the largest wine region in France, stretching from Poitiers to Pau through iconic areas such as Bordeaux, Cognac, Agen and Bergerac. It holds an exceptional diversity of terroirs, backed by centuries of winemaking and distilling know how, making it the birthplace of some of the most renowned spirits in the world.
In the north, in Charente and Charente Maritime, they make the famous Cognac, double distilled from white wines, and Pineau des Charentes, a fortified wine blending grape must and young cognac, loved for its freshness and roundness.
Further south, in the Gers, the Landes and Lot et Garonne, they produce Armagnac, the oldest brandy in France. Traditionally distilled in a continuous still, it comes from three areas: Haut Armagnac, Ténarèze and Bas Armagnac. These three terroirs sit on the Lannemezan alluvial fan, an ancient soil of sand, clay and pebbles from the erosion of the Pyrenees. They give expressive, elegant and nuanced brandies, with aromas of ripe fruit, sweet spice and dried fruit, revealed as they age in cask.
Recommended for you:
A Pineau for the ages, of incredible complexity. The nose is subtle, marked by spices, dried fruits, and honey. On the palate, it is silky and perfectly balanced. Very long, warm finish, mellowed by notes of blond tobacco.