DARROZE Bas-Armagnac "Les Grands Assemblages" 40 years - 70cl

Wine Region: Armagnac - France

Grape: Folle Blanche

Tasting notes: At 40 years, Armagnac's style is definitely apparent.  The quality of the oak used is very important, as the right use of a quality barrel will bring complexity and finesse to the Armagnac, elements that can be judged and appreciated after 40 years in contact with the wood.

About the winery:
As the son of acclaimed chef Jean Darroze, Francis had a natural inclination to the culinary arts and a taste for tradition and authenticity. He channelled this into a passioned search for quality individual estate Armagnacs, starting as a trader and producer of vintage Bas-Armagnacs in 1974. With the utmost respect for the spirit, alcohol levels are reduced through years of evaporation through ageing — never through dilution with water. Blending and colouring agents are also prohibited. And to prolong the ageing process, the Armagnac is only bottled when ordered. The business is now in the hands of Francis' son Marc, a trained oenologist.

For several generations, the Darroze family has scoured Gascony in the Grands Crus centre of the Bas Armagnac region. Thousands of centuries-old treasures are held in stock at the Darroze house. This diversity in crus, vintages, grape varieties and styles has allowed Marc Darroze to work on this range known as « Les Grands Assemblages » (The Great Blends). Chosen for their complementary characteristics, the selected Armagnacs in each blend are of different ages. Each age on the bottle indicates the age of the youngest Armagnac in the blend.