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The history of one of the oldest French brandy farms has more than three centuries. House “Lheraud” was founded in 1680 in the vicinity of the village of Ladou, located in the heart of the Petit Champagne. Not far from it is the famous city of Cognac, which gave birth and name to a special strong drink made from white grapes.
The Lero family enterprise is considered one of the leading cognac productions in France and over the years of its existence has managed to become famous as the creator of elite alcohol, appropriate in the most sophisticated society. The noble drinks “Lheraud” are tasted in the English House of Lords, delivered to the Japanese Imperial House and served to the table of other influential persons in different countries.
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Brand history in brief
And it all started with small vineyards laid by the founder of the company, Alexander Lero.
History is silent about his success in the art of making alcohol. But more is known about the fact that at the end of the XNUMXth century the property of the economy was replenished with valuable vines in the Grande Champagne region.
The land with exclusive vineyards went to the owner of the enterprise either as an inheritance or as payment for debts, but one way or another they became a very pleasant acquisition.
At that time, the company was engaged in winemaking, and only by the end of the XNUMXth century, the new owner of the House, Eugene Lero, decided to take advantage of the situation and create an original product using distillation.
The company released the first cognacs in the 80s of the XIX century.
However, nothing remarkable at that time they did not stand out. A follower of Eugene Remy expanded the vineyards and continued what he started, but the experiments were still not successful.
The glory of the House was brought by Guy Lero, who took over the reins in 1970 and developed a fundamentally new method of production.
The talented winemaker made a significant contribution to the development of the company and gave his name to unique drinks – “Cognac Guy Lheraud”.
At the suggestion of the owner’s wife, Madame Lero, changes appeared in the design of bottles of vintage products.
Black glass containers for vintage cognacs began to be made by hand by local craftsmen, complementing the unusual design with the image of an old coin.
Today Lero House produces more than 300 thousand bottles of cognac per year, most of which is exported to different countries.
Remaining a family business, the company carefully preserves traditions and is proud of the collection of ancient spirits of the late XIX – early XX century, the aging process of which is still ongoing in the Paradise family cellar.
what should be real cognac
Production features
“To make good cognac, you need to love it!” The main motto, which guides the owners of the company, is, in fact, the secret of creating unique products.
The outstanding characteristics of drinks are the result of strict adherence to manufacturing technology and careful selection of raw materials:
For the production of Lheraud cognacs, only the best white grape varieties are used: Ugni Blanc, Colombar and Folle Blanche, grown on family plantations in Grand Champagne and Petit Champagne (less often – in Borderies, Feng bya or Bon bya).
In the process of creating drinks, they follow an old recipe that provides a mild taste and bright aroma of ready-made cognacs.
The base obtained during the vinification process is necessarily subjected to double distillation.
When creating assemblages, the composition usually includes raw materials of a certain year, collected from different vineyards: the manufacturer rarely uses blending of cognacs of different ages.
Therefore, there is no permanent blender in the state of the economy, and the decision to mix alcohols is made at the family council.
For aging drinks use French oak barrels from certain regions.
There is not a drop of syrup, sugar, caramel or other additives in the composition of the final products: the drinks of the House are absolutely natural and pure.
It is worth noting that Lheraud is one of the few companies that has preserved the tradition of making millesime cognacs.
These products are made from the harvest of one year of harvest, the production process involves strict control by a special commission.
And the resulting vintage drinks are exclusive items that are valuable to collectors.
Types of cognac Lero
VS
Young balanced cognac with notes of vanilla, dried fruit and citrus.
V.S.O.P.
Harmonious product with raisin aroma, creme brulee and vanilla aftertaste.
Cuvee 10
A special drink with fresh accents of citrus and sweet spices.
Cuvee 20
A 20-year-old product, one of the most popular in the Lero line.
Harmonious, powerful, with hints of cinnamon, vanilla and zest.
XO
Elegant multifaceted cognac with a spicy aroma, almond-honey base, hints of tannin, toasted bread and fresh earth.
In some instances, you can catch coffee-nut and vanilla tones.
Long exposure products
On sale you can find drinks of both 20-30 and 70-80 years of age.
The oldest vintages are from the turn of the century with 100, 150 and 200 year aging.
The price of such products can reach fabulous sums. Many items are accompanied by appropriate packaging: gift boxes made of precious wood, handmade decanters.
Millesim cognacs
You can easily recognize them by their opaque black bottle with a print in the form of an old coin. Age varies.
These are elegant, balanced drinks with complex bouquets, in which you can catch the accents of berries, dried fruits, sweet spices, mineral and chocolate notes.
Shades of cognacs range from light golden to thick amber, depending on the aging period and the characteristics of the raw materials of a particular year.
Fortress in more mature specimens can reach 44%. Famous collections of the Lero House: Eugenie, Edouard III, Vieux Millenaire, Charles VII.
Young cognacs are recommended to drink as a digestif, accompanied by coffee and cigars, old ones are good in their pure form.
cocktails with cognac
Relevance: 27.12.2018
Tags: Brandy and Cognac, Cognac Brands