2015 – A Good Year for Armagnac

According to the regulatory body representing Armagnac producers, the BNIA (Bureau National Interprofessionnel l’Armagnac), Armagnac distillation started on 8 October, the earliest date in living memory.  Favourable weather conditions in the spring got the vines off to a good start.  This was followed by a very hot July, and then the “right” amount of rain in August, which helped to speed up grape maturation.  As a consequence, harvesting started two weeks earlier than usual on 10 September.  “It is important to harvest early as the producers are looking for wines that are high in acidity and low in alcohol for the distillation and October can be a very sunny and warm month,” a BNIA spokesperson explained.  When harvesting early, it is also important to distil early or keep the wines cold. The harvest itself was deemed “good quality” – it will be very fruity and rich with fine lees, and the producers are expecting a particularly good vintage.  So, make a note for the future, 2015 Armagnac should be delicious!  And while you’re waiting, how about another recent vintage to whet your appetite – the Domaine du Cardinat 1994?