Word: cognac
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Five hours southwest of Paris by car lies the Charente, a lush agricultural area known for sappy melons, slimy escargots, earthy mushrooms and, of course, one of the world's most famed spirits, Cognac. A perfect winter sipper, Cognac warms the body and, if you let your imagination run wild, the soul. With its edgy burn, it also has plenty of nuance and spice, which make it ideal for the festive, mellow moments of the holiday season...
...labeled Cognac, the spirits must be produced in the Cognac region from grapes--these days, mostly ugni blanc--grown in any of the six appellations surrounding the towns of Cognac and Jarnac. There are bois ordinaires, bons bois, fins bois, borderies, petite champagnes and grande champagnes. The last two, by the way, have no relation to the Champagne region just outside Paris that produces bubbly. But of the six appellations, petite champagnes and grande champagnes, with their gravelly, chalky soils, are credited with producing the best grapes for Cognac. Once the wine is distilled into spirits, it is aged...
...decipher the typical Cognac label, join the club. It will help to know, however, that VS is the youngest category, which most connoisseurs skip (or relegate to the punch bowl). V.S.O.P., or Réserve, Cognacs contain spirits at least 41/2 years old. While this can be a pleasant category, for gifting you will want to upgrade to Napoléon, Impérial, Hors d'âge, Vieille Réserve, Vernerable or X.O. These are all terms used for older Cognacs in which the youngest spirits are at least 61/2 years...
...Cognac category is more sensitive than wine to advertising, and so the world is largely familiar with the big names--Martell, Courvoisier, Hine and so on--all of which turn out a fine product. There are also several smaller, quality houses such as Prunier, Delamain and Ragnaud. But the best Cognac you have never heard of is A. Edmund Audry. Specializing in Cognacs with large stocks of older base spirits, Audry is difficult to find in the U.S. but worth the extra legwork. (Hint: call its importer for help...
Like fine coffee, gourmet chocolate involves a variety of beans, appellations and processes. And tasters across the U.S. are discovering that the complexities of a luxury are far more enthralling in a group setting. At Chocolate Springs Café in Lenox, Mass., connoisseurs nibble on feather-light champagne cognac truffles and fresh garden-mint chocolates while relaxing to live piano music on weekends. At Moonstruck Chocolate Café in Beaverton, Ore., patrons attuned to the nuances of flavor order several pieces of chocolate with varying percentages of cacao beans. While the confections and connoisseurship may be less rarefied at the more mainstream...