The six Cognac crus: map, terroirs, and differences in style
Did you know that Cognac is not limited to just one region? Behind this mythical spirit are hidden six great crus, each with its own personality, its terroir, and its aromatic signature. From Grande Champagne, the beating heart of finesse, to the Bois Ordinaires, cradled by the sea air, each cru tells a different story of the same art: that of time and oak.
Map of the Cognac Crus
Here is the official map of the Cognac crus, which illustrates the geographical distribution of the six production zones: Grande Champagne, Petite Champagne, Borderies, Fins Bois, Bons Bois, and Bois Ordinaires.
Each color corresponds to a unique terroir, influencing the structure, freshness, and aging capacity of the eaux-de-vie. The closer one gets to the center (Grande Champagne), the more the cognacs gain in finesse, length, and aging potential.
The 6 Cognac Crus: Terroirs and Differences in Style
Since 1909, the Cognac appellation has been divided into six crus. Each of them tells a different story, a unique expression of the Charentais terroir.
Grande Champagne: The Quintessence of Cognac
This is the Premier Cru of the region, home to the greatest houses. Its chalky soils, rich in "Campanian chalk," yield eaux-de-vie of exceptional finesse and longevity. Grande Champagne Cognacs age slowly, developing aromas of white flowers, candied citrus, and dried fruits. An elegant, floral style, with great persistence.
👉 Explore our Grande Champagne Cognac collection for moments of grace.
Petite Champagne: Balance and Roundness
The immediate neighbor of Grande Champagne, Petite Champagne shares the same limestone framework, but its soils are slightly more clay-based. Its eaux-de-vie, more supple and generous, offer immediate roundness while retaining a strong aging potential. An ample, balanced, and delicately fruity style.
👉 Discover a unique selection of Petite Champagne Cognac on Vinodelice.
Borderies: The Rarest of the Crus
With only 4,000 hectares, it is the smallest of the Cognac crus. Borderies produce floral, round eaux-de-vie of great smoothness, often used to round out blends. Their signature aroma? Violet.
👉 Style: Delicate, floral, slightly honeyed.
Fins Bois: Structure and Freshness
Surrounding the Champagne crus, Fins Bois represents the heart of the vineyard. The clay-limestone soils there yield fruity and structured eaux-de-vie, quicker to age but possessing beautiful aromatic complexity. A supple, fruity, and slightly woody style.
👉 Browse our old Fins Bois Cognac vintages for exceptional moments.
Bons Bois: The Charm of the Coast
Extending to the islands of Oléron and Ré, the Bons Bois cru is marked by oceanic influence. Its sandy-clay soils produce more straightforward, iodized, and expressive eaux-de-vie, with quicker evolution in the barrel. A maritime, rustic, and sincere style.
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Bois Ordinaires: The Wild Soul of Cognac
Covering the areas closest to the ocean, the Bois Ordinaires (or Bois à terroirs) produce atypical and authentic Cognacs. Their signature: saline and vegetal notes, often sought after by lovers of original profiles.
👉 Style: Straightforward, iodized, spontaneous
Fine Champagne, the Perfect Alliance
Between Grande Champagne and Petite Champagne, an exceptional meeting exists: Fine Champagne. This prestigious appellation designates a cognac resulting from a blend of at least 50% Grande Champagne, with the remainder coming from Petite Champagne. It combines the floral finesse and length on the palate of the former with the roundness and suppleness of the latter. Result: balanced, complex, and remarkably elegant eaux-de-vie, capable of aging magnificently.
Why So Much Diversity?
It all comes down to geology and time. The chalkier a soil is, the more the Cognac gains in finesse and aging capacity. The sandier or clay-based it is, the more it expresses its fruit and spontaneity. The Cognac crus are thus the "signature terroirs" of this eau-de-vie, offering a palette of tastes ranging from the most delicate floral to the deepest woody notes.
The Lhéraud Signature: The Art of Time and Terroirs
Among the great houses of Cognac, Lhéraud holds a singular place. For over two centuries, this Charentais family has cultivated the art of slow aging and fidelity to the terroirs. Established at the Lasdoux estate in Angeac, the house crafts its eaux-de-vie with the utmost respect for traditions: Charentais distillation, natural aging in Limousin oak barrels, without addition or reduction.
Each vintage embodies a cru, a personality, an emotion. The Lhéraud Grande Champagne Cognac 1973 deploys the power and length of an exceptional terroir, while the Petite Champagne 1970 seduces with its roundness and balance. In a more straightforward style, the Fins Bois 1970 reveals an indulgent aromatic richness, and the Bons Bois 1967 expresses all the sincerity of the maritime lands, with its rustic elegance and its nuances of rancio. Four faces, four expressions of time, one common thread: the pursuit of purity and authenticity.
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To Each Cru, Its Soul
From the luminous chalk of Grande Champagne to the sea spray of Bons Bois, each Cognac cru tells a fragment of the Charentais terroir. Behind every vintage, a fragile balance between the earth, time, and the hand of man. At Vinodelice, we invite you to taste this living heritage, slowly, like turning the pages of an old book.
🎁 To discover, to give, or to collect: the vintage Cognacs, timeless jewels of the Charentais terroir.
