Interview: Jean-Sébastien Robicquet and William Grant & Sons – creating a “new vernacular” for Cognac

The charismatic Jean-Sébastien Robicquet has a passion for spirits and for the heritage and craftsmanship found in the Cognac region.

Jean-Sébastien Robicquet, founder of La Guilde du Cognac, was present at the TFWA World Exhibition in Cannes to announce an ongoing partnership with William Grant & Sons.

The collaboration begins with the launch of the world’s first extensive collection of single terroir Cognacs, explained William Grant & Sons. This is the first entry into the Cognac category by the independent family-owned distiller.

William Grant & Sons Chief Executive Simon Hunt commented: “We’re delighted to welcome La Guilde du Cognac into our premium spirits portfolio. It complements our brands and opens up an exciting new category for our business.

“Jean-Sébastien’s entire team have a like-minded family approach. They too are a team of pioneering and passionate characters, who above all else champion the quality of their liquid. We look forward to working with them and building a partnership for the long term.”

La Guilde du Cognac

La Guilde du Cognac was established two years ago by Jean-Sébastien Robicquet, President of spirits and wines specialist Maison Villevert. The Guilde aims to highlight the work of artisan distillers from across the Cognac region.

Robicquet, who was raised in the French vineyards between Bordeaux and Cognac, sees the brand as a way of spotlighting some of the best expressions available in the region. The concept of single terroir Cognacs, with each liquid the product of one village, is one he is passionate about.

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“The story of La Guilde du Cognac is all about the terroir and the wine distillers,” said Robicquet. “The latter are actually supplying the brands you all know, but those products are blended. What we have done is pick and choose the best expression of each and every terroir – because Cognac is all about terroir.”

As Robicquet noted, blended Cognacs are more common than those of single origin. The single terroir – or single village – concept is a “new vernacular” he is proposing for the category.

“Just as we know our cooking, we know our spirits. We are French. I’m inviting you to a damn good tasting journey.”– Jean-Sébastien Robicquet.

Speaking to The Moodie Davitt Report in Cannes, William Grant & Sons Global Commercialisation Manager Innovation Hugo van der Wardt added: “It is about trying to get that single best expression of a location. Really grounding it in a provenance.

“Rather than trying to go for something which is more of a blend, we want to do a single expression. Hence there is a parallel between the single-village Cognac and a single malt whisky.”

La Guilde du Cognac packaging references the origins of the liquid, with modern graphics representing each village.

Award-winning liquids

The first collection comprises four Cognacs, each sourced from – and named after – a single village. The villages, each from a different area within the Cognac region, are: Cherves Richemont in Borderies; Saint Preuil in Grande Champagne; Saint Germain de Vibrac in Petite Champagne; and Lorignac in Fins Bois. [There are six areas in the Cognac region, with the other two likely to be represented by additions to the range in due time.]

Each expression comes from a single village and a single bouilleur de cru (maker) and, with the exception of the Saint Preuil*, they each represent a single year. [*Robicquet cheerily explained that he simply made a mistake with this one, blending a 2000 with a 1996, meaning it’s categorised as ‘extra’.]

“I would say my Cognacs are the best – definitely – but I’m French and arrogant so that’s normal.” – Jean-Sébastien Robicquet.

This makes each of the four limited in quantity, “and every year, or whenever a stock is exhausted, it will be replaced by a new one – potentially in age and certainly in vintage,” explained Robicquet.

The Guilde du Cognac collection, which is already available in select domestic locations via Renaissance spirits, was submitted to the 2018 San Francisco World Spirits Competition. The Cherves Richemont and Saint Preuil won double gold, Saint Germain de Vibrac won gold, and Lorignac silver.

Asked about the wins, Robicquet laughed and said, “at least we know how to select our Cognac.”

Each of the four expressions is a celebration of a single village in the Cognac region. Above is a vineyard in Saint-Germain de-Vibrac, Petite Champagne.

The Moodie Davitt Report was on location at the TFWA Exhibition launch to speak to the charismatic Jean-Sébastien Robicquet about the new collection, the single terroir concept, and introducing new drinkers to the world of Cognac.

Imagine, if you will, that I know nothing about Cognac… Why should I drink yours in particular?

Jean-Sébastien Robicquet: Why should you drink my Cognac rather than somebody else’s? Well, I would say because they are the best – definitely – but I’m French and arrogant so that’s normal.

Probably because it will give you an education – especially you who don’t know anything about Cognac – for the various expressions of the terroir. Today the Cognac big boys – we all know them – have set some rules, which are kind of…

If I were to make a parallel it would be Mr Grant, who buys from various distilleries to make his Grant’s liquid, and what I’m proposing is the various distilleries where Mr Grant buys the liquids from. So you will discover the equivalent of the single ‘malt’ of whiskies, which is the single village of Cognacs.

How did you choose the villages and the individual producers?

Robicquet: We come from the region and we are growers ourselves, so we know there are some nice expressions and we know also the impact of the year, the vintage.

We shortlisted several villages for the same kind of product and then we had tastings and tastings of the best, so we could identify which was the absolute best expression.

In Cognac we are from the world of wine, and we tried to take the heritage of the wine world and apply it to the Cognac world.

“We need to be original if we want to modify the game a little bit.” – Jean-Sébastien Robicquet.

We [in the region] started the business of Cognac in around 1620 – so you know, you can do the counting, they were already doing their stuff. And they were really craft.

Because we all talk about craft spirits. But in fact for 350 years or more people in Cognac have been craftsmen, cultivating their vineyards, making their wine then distilling and ageing their product.

It’s very craft, and we’re trying to establish a new vernacular. Because it deserves it, and because we need to be original if we want to modify the game a little bit.

We wanted to show that Cognac is not one single expression. It can create as many emotions and vibrations as any other brown spirit.

So it’s another vernacular in the Cognac world, which is probably more relevant to the new generation of brown spirit drinkers.

The expression from Saint Germain de Vibrac in the Petite Champagne region is described as elegant and subtle. The nose features vanilla and sweet spices; the taste gingerbread and creamy notes.

Is that the kind of audience you’re aiming for? The kind of audience that would be attracted to drinks under the label ‘craft’?

Robicquet: You know, the beauty when creating and launching a new product, is when you interact with the consumer and find your audience. I can’t judge yet who will be the consumer.

However, what I’m convinced of is that, if any given consumer is open to the emotional and tasting journey of brown spirits, I’m inviting you to a damn good tasting journey. Just as we know our cooking, we know our spirits. We are French, Madame.

“If it’s an introduction, it’s a very educated introduction. It’s like going to school and starting at Oxford.” – Jean-Sébastien Robicquet.

The beauty is that the first two in the range of four [Cherves Richemont and Lorignac] would be a very good introduction to Cognac, because they are light and smooth with flavours of fruits, florals, spices. Then the last one [Saint Preuil] is very much the expression of what could be an aged Cognac.

Do you think the range as a whole could function as an introduction to Cognac?

Robicquet: If it’s an introduction, it’s a very educated introduction. It’s like going to school and starting at Oxford. You all go to school, you all taste Cognac, but some introductions are more literate than others.

So this is a very educated and interesting introduction to Cognac. And for those who are already used to the classic options available on the market, it’s another perception.

William Grant & Sons will announce more details of La Guilde du Cognac’s launch into travel retail in the coming weeks. RRPs will range from around US$90 to around US$200.

The Cherves Richemont Cognac is a medium-light bodied liquid with notes of dried fruit, toffee and jasmine. The village’s soil type is said to bring “tremendous elegance” to the spirit.
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