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St-Remy (Saint-Remy) is one of the most prestigious varieties of French brandy, whose age has exceeded one hundred years. The brand belongs to the famous cognac house Remy Martin. St-Remy drinks are sold in more than 40 countries around the world. The brand’s products are highly valued by experts and have won many awards at prestigious international competitions.
Historical information
The production of St-Remy brandy began in 1886 after the French vineyards experienced a massive invasion of the phylloxera, an insect imported from America and feeding on the roots of the vine. Many Remy Martin wineries are on the verge of closing. The owner of the company, Paul-Emile Remy Martin, decided to replace the almost destroyed Gros Plant grapes with Folle Blanche, which is similar in taste.
Martan built an enterprise close to the source of raw materials – in the commune of Mashcoul, not far from Nantes. The distillery was named St-Remy in honor of Saint Remigius, who baptized the first French king from the Merovingian dynasty. In 1917, the Fine St-Remy brandy was created, which was the first to be recognized outside the country. In 1949, the drink began to be bottled in black glass, which protected the contents from light.
A significant contribution to the development of the St-Remy brand was made by blender Martina Payne. In 1990, she developed a complex assemblage, which resulted in the brandy St-Remy XO. After 12 years, a new creation of the master was released – Reserve Privee, the first limited edition of extra-class brandy based on ten-year-old grape wines. Before retiring in 2014, Martina Payne created St-Remy Small Batch Reserve, slow distilled in copper stills. All components of the blend were aged in oak barrels for at least 6 years.
Production features
Work on the drink begins with the selection of the best varieties of red and white grapes of Burgundy, Champagne, Languedoc, Loire Valley, Bordeaux and Beaujolais. The juice squeezed using a press is sent for fermentation, as a result of which wines with high acidity and a strength of 9% are obtained. Distillation takes place in copper columns by continuous distillation.
The semi-finished product is heated to the state of eaux-de-vie, which means “living water” in French. At this stage, all the fruity aromas of the drink are revealed. The distillate is aged in small Limousin oak barrels until aging. Then the master starts to work, who tastes cognac spirits and creates blends for different types of St-Remy brandy.
Interesting Facts
In France, cognac can be called a product made in certain areas of the country, the boundaries of which are fixed by law. Since the place of production of St-Remy is located outside the Poitou-Charentes region, the drink is called brandy.
The subtleties of the St-Remy brandy recipe are kept in the strictest confidence. All secrets are known only to masters of the blend, who pass it on from generation to generation.
Awards
The International Wine and Spirit Competition, Лондон:
- 2012 – silver medal (St-Remy Reserve Privee);
- 2014 – silver medal (St-Remy VSOP);
- 2009, 2018 – gold medal (St-Remy XO).
International Spirits Challenge, Лондон:
- 2015 – silver medal (St-Remy VSOP).
San Francisco World Spirits Competition, San Francisco:
- 2005 – gold medal (St-Remy VSOP);
- 2013 – silver medal (St-Remy Reserve Privee);
- 2009, 2013, 2015 – gold medal (St-Remy XO).
Types of brandy Saint-Remy
St-Rémy VSOP, 40%
The blend is based on the famous Fine St-Rémy brandy. Exposure – at least four years. A drink of golden amber color with a pleasant and harmonious aroma, in which woody notes are mixed with the smells of gooseberries, strawberries and cherries. The taste is soft with hints of dark chocolate, vanilla and dried fruits. The manufacturer recommends serving brandy clean, on ice or in cocktails.
St-Rémy XO, 40%
The production of the most titled brandy in the line started in 1990. The complex assemblage was created by Martine Payne from cognac spirits aged for at least six years. Color – dark amber with hints of copper. The bouquet is dominated by aromas of ripe fruit and honey. The flavor range combines woody and fruity tones, which are dominated by dried apricots, dates and prunes. The virtues of brandy are best revealed if it is used in its pure form.
St-Rémy Private Reserve, 40%
The first limited edition brandy was presented to customers in 2012. A blend of twenty types of 10-year-old cognac spirits by Martina Payne received an excellent rating at the Ultimate Spirits Challenge-2013 exhibition. The aroma of the drink is rich and multifaceted. At the start, woody tones predominate, which are replaced by the smells of spices, honey and ginger. The soft and balanced taste harmoniously combines hazelnuts, candied fruits and vanilla. The creators recommend a premium variety for special occasions.
St-Rémy French Chardonnay Cask Finish, 40%
The new creation of the cognac house was presented to the general public in August 2018. The first limited edition brandy aged in Chardonnay wine barrels has just over nine thousand bottles. The author of the blend is master Cecile Rudo, who set herself the goal of revealing the subtlety and liveliness of the taste of French wines in a strong drink. Brandy is characterized by a rich aroma of spices and fruits. Due to the long maturation, the drink acquires the taste of fried bread, vanilla, brioche and citrus fruits. The aftertaste is bright and rich. At the IWSP-2018 competition held in London, the novelty was awarded a silver award.
