Wednesday, 21 April 2010
>> Add-a-knowledge-time : V.S.O.P
Forgot to post this after my birthday.......
After having too much Martell for my birthday, I asked: What does V.S.O.P on the bottle stand for?!
Answer: Very Special Old Pale.
And this is what I extracted from Wikipedia on V.S.O.P and cognac (which is the type of wine that Martell belongs to). And I finally learnt that X.O and V.S.O.P are actually all brandy, and the only difference is in the age.
Cognac, named after the town of Cognac in France, is the most famous variety of brandy. It is produced in the wine-growing region surrounding the town from which it takes its name, in the French Departements of Charente and Charente-Maritime.The official quality grades of cognac are, according to the BNIC (Bureau National Interprofessionnel du Cognac):
- VS Very Special, or ✯✯✯ (three stars) where the youngest brandy is stored at least two years in cask.
- VSOP Very Special (less commonly, but officially according to the BNIC, 'Superior') Old Pale, where the youngest brandy is stored at least four years in cask, but the average wood age is much older.
- XO Extra Old, where the youngest brandy is stored at least six, but average upwards of 20 years.
Cognac is sold mainly by trading houses. Some of them were founded centuries ago, and still dominate the market today. In addition to the major Cognac houses, some smaller artisanal producers still survive.
Brands of cognac include:
10:23:00 pm;
