Classic technology of cognac production. Production technology of real cognac Blended cognac

Real cognac (the inscription on the Cognac bottle) is considered only a product made in France, and only in the Charente region.

This is confirmed by international legislation since 1931. And not only sub-regions are designated, but the production of cognac includes strict rules, which no cognac house will dare to break.

French legislation defines six regions (correctly - appellations) production of a drink bearing the proud name of cognac. They are located in the valley of the Charente River and include 78,000 hectares of vineyards planted on limestone soil.

The Atlantic Ocean also has an impact on the climate and taste and aromatic properties of grapes grown in this region. On bottles of French cognac, you will definitely find an indication of one of these appellations:

• Grandee Champagne(Grande Champagne, sometimes Grande Fine Champagne). More than 13.5 thousand hectares of vineyards on the banks of the Charente, south of the city of Cognac;
• petit champagne(Petite Champagne, there may be an inscription Fine Petite Champagne, if the brandy is blended from varieties produced in Grand and Petit Champagne) - these are 16 thousand hectares of vineyards.
• Borderies ( Borderies) - a total of 4 thousand hectares of sunny berries growing on soil with a predominance of clay and silicon. Cognacs of this appellation are recognizable by their nutty flavor.
• Feng Bua(Fins Bois) - more than 34 thousand hectares of vineyards produce fast-maturing cognac spirits, which are dominated by a fruity bouquet.
• Bon Bois(Bons Bois) seems to encircle the already mentioned regions.
• Bois Ordinaire(Bois ordinaires) is located in the northeast of the region. As a rule, it is mentioned together with Bon Bois, since the vineyards from these appellations grow in similar conditions, on depleted soils, and cannot boast of a constant harvest. The total area cultivated by vineyards in both sub-regions is 20,000 hectares.

Important. You can see the word Cognac on a product made in any of the regions indicated.

All other global producers must refer to their product as brandy. In the case of the CIS countries, the word cognac is acceptable, but only in Cyrillic.

What is real cognac made from?

Only grape juice distillate special varieties of sunny berries, mostly white. Today, the lion's share in production is occupied by the white variety trebbiano (the French call it ugni blanc).

What is caused by its suitable parameters for cognac spirit and resistance to most grape diseases.

In France, three more grape varieties are cultivated for the further production of cognac spirits. These are baco (mainly baco blanc, white, slightly pinkish), white with a pinkish-bluish tint, colombard and folle blanche.

Stages of cognac production

Before becoming cognac, the grapes have to go through several stages - from planting the vine to aging in barrels from Buda.

Growing and collecting raw materials

Today, in order to speed up the harvest and use less manual labor, the vine is placed at a distance of three meters from each other.

Cognac grape varieties ripen for a long time. The harvest is mechanical (machine) harvested in mid-October.

Juice extraction

Juice is squeezed out by vertical presses in the gentle way. The use of other devices such as screw presses is prohibited. The spin master makes sure that the bones are not crushed, as this can subsequently affect the aroma and taste of cognac.

And although about 98% of cognac is produced from Ugni Blanc, each variety is pressed separately and, accordingly, they work with each raw material individually in the future.

fermentation process

Squeezed juice for fermentation is sent immediately. Sugar is never added to it (this is a legal requirement). Many home distillers know that fruit and berry juices may not ferment into alcohol, but turn sour.

That is why cognac masters are allowed to add sulfur dioxide and antiseptics to the juice during fermentation, but in strictly prescribed quantities.

Fermentation takes place in huge containers with a volume of 5-20 thousand liters (50-200 hectoliters) and lasts about 2 months. The result is an unfiltered and unclarified young wine with no more than 9% alcohol and 1% sugar.

Before distillation, it just stands (experts call the process their own yeast sludge).

distillation stage

Distillation is carried out twice and without fail in copper stills strongly reminiscent of . They are called Sharan distillation cubes. First, raw alcohol of direct distillation is obtained with a total strength in the range of 27-32 °. Cognac masters call this alcohol bruyi.

It is not bred, but poured again into a cube and distilled a second time, with a division into heads-body-tails.

The master carefully monitors to correctly select the head fractions. Then - the main distillate, which will be poured into the barrel - the body. Its selection is stopped when the jet is 60°. Tail fractions are also distilled, but they will not get into the barrel. They are added to the next distillation bruyi to get more alcohol. Everything is right!

The total strength of the resulting brandy alcohol is up to 72 °.

It takes a day to distill one batch. Long-term practice says that from 10 liters of fermented grape juice, 1 liter of cognac alcohol (distillation body) is obtained.

Interesting fact. Distillation must be completed no later than March 31 (in fact, it usually takes place in February) and cognac spirit is poured into oak barrels.

It is allowed to distill young wine for cognac spirit only in the region where the grapes are grown.

Assemblage or blending

Aged cognacs are blended, that is, they are mixed in various proportions. This process is called assemblage. On the bottles, the age of the youngest of the cognac spirits should be indicated.

For example, the inscription VS says that here cognac is at least 2.5 years old. Theoretically, the assemblage may contain 70-year-old cognac, but this is not so, because VS is not expensive, so we can hope that a little 5-6-year-old alcohol was added to it.

Reference. The minimum aging period is 30 months, the maximum is not provided and can be up to 100 years.

Although experts say that after 70 years in an oak barrel, the aging process stops and further changes are almost imperceptible.

If the masters decide that a particular cognac spirit has acquired optimal properties, then it is poured from barrels into glass bottles and stored in special basements until used. In glass, aging stops and the taste no longer changes.

Additives

As a rule, nothing is added to vintage and collection cognacs. But it is not forbidden to add:

• Distilled water to adjust the strength. As a rule, with a short exposure, it is much higher than 40 °.
• Sugar (up to 3.5%) for an organic taste.
• Caramel and oak shavings, if needed to darken the color. But these two ingredients are commonly used in inexpensive cognacs.

Other additives are prohibited by law.

Pre-sale preparation

Having passed the stages of aging and bringing to the standard in terms of taste and color indicators, the cognac enters the bottles. After that, labels are glued to it with the obligatory indication of the composition, region of production and aging of cognac spirits.

Buy cognac in reliable outlets, taste in a pleasant company and share your impressions in the comments to the article.

Cognac is called strong alcoholic drink amber-golden color, with a complex aroma with hints of vanilla and a mild harmonious taste, obtained by distillation of dry grape wine, followed by aging in contact with oak wood from 3 to 20 years or more.

For the first time, cognac began to be produced in France in the city of Cognac (Charentes department), from where it got its name. If the production of wine originated in ancient times, then cognac began to be produced at the end of the 17th century. In the second half of the XV century. an alembic was made, on which wines were distilled in order to avoid their spoilage, it was called the Charente.

Initially, a single distillation was used to obtain alcohols with a strength of 26-28% by volume, then they began to re-distill these alcohols with an increase in their strength to 60-65% by volume.

French wine merchants sent ships with fresh alcohol to England, the Scandinavian countries along the Charente River and to the commercial port of La Rochelle.

In 1701 the war between France and England broke out. As a result of the war, all sea routes were closed. A significant part of the distilled alcohol was stored in barrels. It was found that alcohol, aged for some time in oak barrels, acquires an amber-golden color, its strength decreases and the aroma and taste noticeably improve.

A significant part of the Charente wines was used for distillation, naturally, ways were sought to improve distillation, as a result of which in 1801 the distillation apparatus was improved, the selection of cognac spirit fractions began to be used.

The largest firms producing French cognacs are "Martel", "Camus", "Courvoisier".

The main grape varieties for cognac production are Colombard and Fol white.

In Russia, distillation has been carried out for more than 200 years. At the end of the XVIII century. was already known grape vodka Kizlyarka, but this vodka was not aged. In the 19th century such vodka was produced in Ukraine, in the Transcaucasus, and Moldova.

However, cognac production with a certain technology of distillation and aging of spirits arose in our country in 1888, when the industrialist D. Sarajishvili installed the first cognac apparatus. Almost simultaneously, the construction of the first factories for the distillation of wine materials for cognac spirit began in the places where grapes grow in Kizlyar, Yerevan, Chisinau, Calarasi. However, recently found archival materials prove that the first cognac in Russia was obtained in Georgia in 1865 in the city of Kutaisi.

The main areas of cognac production in the USSR are the RSFSR, the Ukrainian SSR, the Moldavian SSR, the Georgian SSR, the Armenian SSR, the Azerbaijan SSR and the republics of Central Asia, in which certain high-yielding cognac grape varieties are selected.

Depending on the age and quality of the spirits that go into the cognac blend, they can be classified into the following groups: ordinary, vintage, collection.

Ordinary cognacs are made from cognac spirits aged from 3 to 5 years.

Vintage cognacs are made from aged cognac spirits of an average age of at least 6 years. They are divided by age into the following groups: aged cognac KB - prepared from aged spirits of middle age from 6 to 7 years; aged cognac of the highest quality KVVK - prepared from aged cognac spirits of middle age from 8 to 10 years; cognac old KS - is prepared from aged cognac spirits of average age of 10 years and above. Vintage cognacs are produced in separate wine-growing regions from high-quality cognac spirits obtained from European grape varieties and aged for the prescribed time only in oak barrels.

Separate brandies are produced only in specific areas with the preservation of specific features from year to year.

Collection cognacs are made from vintage cognacs aged for at least 5 years in oak barrels or bottles.

Technology of cognac wine materials

The main technological operations of cognac production are the preparation of cognac wine materials, the production of cognac spirits, their aging and blending. The raw materials for the production of cognacs are cognac wine materials, which are made from white, pink and red varieties of zoned grapes according to the technology adopted for white table wines. High-quality cognacs can not be obtained from all grape varieties, therefore, by experience and on the basis of scientific research, high-yielding grape varieties that are most suitable for each wine-growing region have been identified.

For the addition of the bouquet and taste of cognac, the aromatic substances of grapes, turning into wine material and cognac alcohol, are of particular importance. The best accumulation of aromatic substances in the grape berry is achieved with the technological maturity of the grapes. The aroma should be low-intensity, but subtle and soft, with light floral-fruity tones. In this regard, spirits from muscat, isabella and table grape varieties are unsuitable for producing cognac, as they give them atypical tones.

Cognac wine materials are prepared at primary wineries. Only healthy grapes with a sugar content of at least 14 g/100 cm 3 and a titratable acidity of 8 to 10 g/dm 3 are allowed for processing. There are various technological schemes for the production of cognac wine materials.

Grapes for cognac wine materials are processed on flow-mechanized lines VPL-20K, VPL-30EZ, VPL-50.

For the preparation of cognac wine materials, it is allowed to use from 1 ton of grapes no more than 60 decalitres of free must and I pressure. They are equalized and sent to the sludge. The remaining press fractions are sent as raw materials for the preparation of vacuum wort. Clarification of the equalized wort is carried out by centrifugation, filtration on frame filters or pre-cooled to a temperature of 8-10 ° C and kept for 6-8 hours.

Reducing the amount of suspensions in the must has a positive effect on the quality of cognac wine materials, since a smaller amount is formed during fermentation. methyl alcohol.

The clarified wort is fermented in a stream. pure races yeast is not used in cognac production, since they produce a small amount of higher alcohols, enanthic ether and form more sulfur dioxide.

Alcoholic fermentation is carried out at a temperature of 16-25°C on wild races of yeast contained on the surface of the berry. High or low fermentation temperatures result in incomplete fermentation of sugar or loss of alcohol and flavor. Unkindness in cognac production is unacceptable, since in the absence of sulfur dioxide they are easily exposed to microbiological diseases and, moreover, when boiling the wine material, they give it extraneous tones. In the production of cognac wine materials, the use of SO2 is prohibited, since during distillation, thioesters are formed in wine, which have a sharp unpleasant and almost irremovable odor. As a result of the oxidation of sulfur dioxide, sulfuric acid appears in the still, causing corrosion of distillation apparatuses, and when cognac alcohol is kept in the presence of SO2, the oxidizing processes of its other constituent substances, especially products extracted from oak wood, are delayed. Storage of cognac wine materials is carried out in large reinforced concrete or metal containers, preferably under a cushion of inert gases. Cognac wine materials are sent for distillation not fully clarified, with a yeast content of up to 2%. This ensures the transition of enanth ether, which takes part in the composition of the bouquet of cognac, into cognac alcohol.

The best terms for distillation of cognac wine materials are from 15-20 days after fermentation until May of the year following the winemaking season.

Science and practice have made it possible to establish certain requirements for cognac wine materials. The quality of cognac spirit is directly dependent on the composition and composition of cognac wine materials. Distillation concentrates the components of the original wine materials, for this reason diseased and vicious sulphated wine materials are not allowed to be distilled.

Cognac wine materials must meet the following requirements:

The color for wine materials from white grape varieties is light or golden straw with a greenish tint; for red varieties - pink or flesh; aroma and taste are clean, varietal, without extraneous tones. Such requirements for cognac wine materials are dictated by the quality indicators of cognac spirit and cognac.

Cognac wine materials that do not meet the above requirements are rejected and are not used for the production of cognac spirits.

Theoretical foundations of distillation

Distillation is a complex physical and chemical process in which the constituent parts of a liquid are separated by turning them into vapors, followed by condensation. Such a separation is possible only if the liquids that make up the mixture have different vapor pressures. The result is a liquid whose composition differs from that of the original mixture. During distillation, a complete or partial separation of the mixture into its constituent components occurs. Simple distillation and rectification are known.

Simple distillation is the separation of a mixture of volatile substances containing impurities of non-volatile and non-volatile substances. In this case, partial separation of the components may occur. In cognac production, with a simple distillation, raw alcohol is obtained from wine with a strength of 23-32% vol. and waste liquid.

Rectification is a distillation with a more complete separation of mixtures of volatile liquids, which is accompanied by the interaction of rising vapors with phlegm flowing towards them.

Partial rectification is observed on column apparatus, which provide a significant strengthening of the distillate. In these apparatuses, a repeatedly repeated simple distillation is carried out, which makes it possible to directly obtain enriched distillate - cognac alcohol in a fairly pure form from a solution of low concentration.

In any distillation, the content of the volatile component in the vapor depends on its concentration in the distilled liquid.

"A vapor in equilibrium with a solution always contains in excess of the liquid that component, the addition of which at a constant temperature increases the total vapor pressure.

The vapor pressure of alcohol at any temperature is much higher than that of water vapor, i.e., the alcohol content in the vapor is greater than in the evaporating liquid. The boiling point of mixtures of alcohol and water depends on their quantitative ratio. Since the boiling point of water is 100 ° C, and pure ethyl alcohol- 78.3 ° C, then as the strength in the cube decreases, the boiling point of the wine material will increase and reach 100 ° C by the end of the distillation.

Alcohol evaporates more easily than water, and the resulting distillate contains more alcohol.

By lowering the boiling point below 33 ° C under reduced pressure, anhydrous alcohol can be obtained. On vat apparatus, the strengthening of the distillate is insignificant and the strength of cognac alcohol cannot be higher than 22-35% vol.

Distillation with reflux, i.e., with partial separation of vapors into a liquid part of a lower strength (phlegm), aims to increase the concentration of alcohol in vapors and thereby the strength of the distillate.

The reflux process is accompanied by an increase in the strength of alcohol vapors leaving the reflux condensers.

The relationship between alcohol content in liquid and vapor can be expressed by the following formula:

The coefficient y for all cases of distillation is 0.0104, and the coefficient a - the reflux coefficient varies depending on the design of the reflux condenser. The lower the reflux ratio, the higher the strengthening ratio for any alcohol content in the distilled liquid.

Depending on the boiling point, all volatile impurities can be divided into two groups: low-boiling and high-boiling.

Low-boiling impurities are characterized by a lower boiling point than ethyl alcohol (78.3 ° C), and high-boiling impurities have a higher boiling point (Table 34).

The amount of low-boiling impurities is insignificant, it varies depending on the composition of the distilled wine and the method of distillation.

Upon receipt of rectified alcohol, they strive to completely purify it from volatile impurities. In the production of cognac spirit, on the contrary, measures are taken to retain some of these impurities (in the middle distillate), since they give the spirits their characteristic aroma and taste when aged.

The purification of alcohol from volatile substances-impurities are different evaporation coefficients.

K a = y a / x a for alcohol;

K p \u003d y p / x p for an impurity.

The evaporation coefficient shows the degree of strengthening of alcohol or impurities during a simple single distillation (for alcohol, it is also called the strengthening coefficient).

The evaporation coefficient cannot give a complete picture of the separation of impurities from alcohol and its content in the distillate.

To determine the degree of purification of ethyl alcohol from its impurities during distillation, it is necessary to compare the evaporation coefficient of one of the impurities contained in raw alcohol with the evaporation coefficient of ethyl alcohol K a. The ratio of these coefficients is called the rectification coefficient K "n:

K p \u003d K p / K a.

If the distillate contains more impurities than the distilled liquid, the rectification coefficient will be greater than one. This means that impurities evaporate faster than ethyl alcohol and pass into the head fraction.

If the rectification coefficient is equal to one, the distillation is not accompanied by purification, then the impurity is of an intermediate nature, i.e. the impurity content in the distillate remains unchanged.

When the rectification coefficient is less than one, the impurities are tail impurities.

The use of evaporation and rectification coefficients of impurities makes it possible to analyze the operation of distillation plants and determine, depending on the alcohol content in the distilled liquid, the conditions for the accumulation of volatile substances in distillates.

The coefficients of rectification of some volatile impurities are given in table. 35.

These rectification coefficients are valid for a certain impurity in the case when a ternary system is considered in the solution: ethyl alcohol-water-impurity, and the latter is only one. The presence of many impurities has a significant effect on the rectification coefficient of an individual impurity. The solubility of an impurity in ethyl alcohol and water-alcohol solutions of different concentrations, as well as the solubility of various impurities among themselves, definitely affect the results of distillation.

During the distillation of wine or raw alcohol, along with the content of volatile substances in them, the compounds formed during the distillation itself are also distilled off.

Long-term boiling of wine material or raw alcohol (8-10 hours) in the still of the distillation apparatus contributes to the passage of complex processes, as a result of which new products are formed. They pass into the distillate and have a significant impact on the quality of cognac spirit.

During the boiling of wine in a cube, the formation of aldehydes, alcohols, acids, esters, volatile phenols and other compounds occurs. Depending on the composition of the distilled wine material, the increase in aldehydes can be 3-60%, volatile esters - 5-30, higher alcohols - 0-3, volatile acids - 0-1%. The intensity of the passage of redox processes is affected by the temperature of the wine in the cube and oxygen. Oxidation of alcohols leads to the formation of aldehydes - acetic, isobutyl, isoamyl, benzyl, β-phenylethyl.

The presence of pentose, methylpentose, hexose in wine ensures the appearance of furfural, methylfurfural, hydroxymethylfurfural.

During distillation, acetic ethyl ester is formed in small quantities. The low pH value contributes to a large accumulation of esters and their transition into the distillate. The duration of distillation and the material of the distillation cube have a significant influence on the neoformation of substances. Copper and iron cubes contribute to a more intensive formation of aldehydes, esters than apparatuses tinned with silver or tin.

According to the accepted rules for the production of cognacs in the USSR, freshly distilled cognac spirit must meet the requirements specified below in terms of physicochemical and organoleptic indicators.

Raw cognac alcohol must also comply with GOST and have a pure wine aroma, slightly opalescent color, with light fusel and soapy tones in taste. The content of ethyl alcohol 23-32% vol.

Distillation Equipment

For the production of cognac spirits of traditional composition and quality in our country, various devices are used.

Intermittent device. Charente-type double-distillation apparatuses (UPKS) are mainly used to produce spirits for vintage cognacs according to the scheme shown in fig. 63.

Cognac spirits are produced on Charente-type apparatuses in two stages: first, wine materials are distilled into raw cognac alcohol with a strength of 23-32% by volume, then it is distilled with separation into the head, middle (cognac spirit) and tail fractions. The UPKS double distillation unit (Fig. 64) consists of a distillation cube 1 with a ball dephlegmator 2, a heater 5, a refrigerator 4, an alcohol lamp 5 and two alcohol collectors 6.

In addition to these main parts, the unit is equipped with a safety valve, an air vent, a steam trap and related communications. The installation is made of copper. The working capacity of the cube is up to 80 dal. A flat-spiral coil is fixed at the bottom of the cube.

The reflux condenser serves for additional strengthening of alcohol vapors due to their partial condensation and return of phlegm to the cube in the amount of 1-1.2 l/h. The heater is used for preliminary heating of wine materials or raw alcohol to 60-80 °C. Its capacity is equal to the capacity of the alembic. This allows you to reduce the duration of distillation, save fuel. Using a three-way valve, 2-3 hours before the end of the distillation, alcohol vapor is directed through the heater coil. The vapors condensed in it are sent to a condenser-refrigerator, which serves to condense and cool the bulk of the vapors generated during distillation. The distillation of wine material lasts 6-8 hours, and raw alcohol - 10-12 hours. The volume of the cube does not affect the duration of the distillation.

The strength and amount of raw alcohol produced depend mainly on the strength of the original wine and the rate of distillation of alcohol. Fortress raw alcohol is 23-32% by volume, and the amount is 30-35% of the volume of wine material loaded into the cube.

According to its chemical composition, wine material is a product that includes water (about 89%), ethyl alcohol (about 10.5%) and other substances (volatile impurities of ethyl alcohol - about 0.5%). The distillation of wine materials ensures the conversion into distillate, along with ethyl alcohol, of the main mass and volatile impurities, such as aldehydes, medium esters, higher alcohols, volatile acids. Depending on the composition of the wine, the concentration of these impurities may have different fluctuations (in mg / dm 3): aldehydes - 10-50, medium esters - 50-180, higher alcohols - 80-400, volatile acids - 350-1200.

Fluctuations in the concentration of impurities to a greater or lesser extent are observed in raw alcohol (in mg / dm 3): aldehydes - 50-100, medium esters - 65-240, higher alcohols - 160-180, volatile acids - 120-400.

As the raw alcohol accumulates, it is subjected to fractional distillation, during which three fractions of the distillation are taken: head, middle (cognac alcohol of grade I) and tail.

In the distillation cube, the waste liquid, called the stillage, remains. Fractional distillation of raw alcohol removes from cognac alcohol an excess amount of some volatile impurities with head and tail fractions. Distillation is an extremely responsible operation, since the quality of cognac alcohol depends on the correct selection of fractions. The content of volatile components in raw alcohol is different, depending on this, the amount of the selected head fraction ranges from 1 to 3%. Its selection lasts 20-40 minutes, depending on the content of anhydrous alcohol in the original raw alcohol.

At the beginning of the distillation, the strength of the distillate is 75-80% vol. It has a pungent odor of esters and aldehydes.

When there is a decrease in the strength of the distillate to 74-77% vol. and weakening of the pungent odor, proceed to the selection of the middle fraction and continue it until the alcohol meter reads 45-50% vol., after which they proceed to the selection of the tail fraction and lead to the zero reading of the alcohol meter.

The yield of cognac spirit in terms of anhydrous alcohol is 80-85% with a distillate strength of 62-70% vol., the yield of the tail fraction is 10-15%. Loss of anhydrous alcohol during double distillation 2.7%.

To increase the yield of cognac spirit, the head and tail fractions are combined and re-distilled.

It is allowed to add 3-4% yeast and 8-10% cognac wine materials to the mixture of head and tail fractions before its fractional distillation. Cognac spirits obtained according to this scheme are used for the production of ordinary cognacs. The head and tail fractions from such a distillation are sent for rectification. After the distillation of the wine material, the first stillage is subjected to utilization to obtain tartrate compounds from it; the second stillage after the distillation of raw alcohol is used as a coolant. The alcohol content in stillage must not exceed 0.1% vol.

In Georgia, for many years, another distillation technology has been successfully practiced on UPC devices, which improves the quality of cognac spirit. The tail fraction, which contains phenylacetic aldehyde, phenylethyl alcohol, enanth ester components, etc., is added to the wine material in an amount of up to 25%, and the separated head fraction is sent for rectification.

Periodically, as the composition of brandy alcohol changes, the tail fraction is sent for rectification.

The valuable properties of some impurities of the tail character are used in this way: at the end of the distillation of raw alcohol, a distillate fraction is taken in the strength range of 50-20% vol. (its strength is on average 25-30% vol.). It is called "scented waters". They have a pleasant aroma and, after aging in oak barrels, are used in blends of ordinary cognacs. The best quality alcohol is obtained at UPKS installations, since in this case, during distillation, the transition of optimal amounts of volatile compounds of wine and neoplasms is ensured. The disadvantage of the device is its frequency of action and low technical and economic indicators.

Installation of a single distillation (KU-500). Direct distillation of wine to brandy alcohol can be carried out on apparatus with reflux plates and a strengthening column, bypassing the preparation of raw alcohol.

The distillation apparatus KU-500, which is shown in fig. 65.

Strengthening of alcohol vapors to the condition of the head, middle and tail fractions is achieved using a strengthening column. The process of strengthening alcohol vapors occurs during their continuous contact with the distillate (reflux) flowing down the plates of the column from the shell-and-tube dephlegmator. Steam, in contact with the phlegm on the plate, condenses. Due to the heat of its condensation, secondary steam is released with a higher content of the low-boiling component (ethyl alcohol) than the steam coming from the underlying plate. Similar processes occur on all plates. From the dephlegmator, alcohol vapors enter the refrigerator, where they are condensed and cooled to a temperature of 17 °C.

The distillate through the alcohol lantern enters the collection. During distillation, the loading of the cube (useful capacity 500 dal) is carried out through a wine heater, 450 dal of wine material and 50 dal of the tail fraction are preloaded. The distillation is controlled by manometric thermometers, a vacuum interrupter, an alcohol lantern and a rotameter, which fixes the amount of return of phlegm to the apparatus.

The amount of phlegm returned is maintained at the level of 250-300 l/h by regulating the supply of cooling water to the reflux condenser. The amount of phlegm returned is directly dependent on the amount of cooling water supplied to the dephlegmator. In this case, the strength of the middle fraction increases, it can be higher than 70% vol.

The increased strength on the plates of the strengthening column leads to a decrease in the concentration of high-boiling esters, aldehydes, and higher alcohols in cognac alcohol. The process of heating the distilled liquid cannot be forced, as soon as the pressure in the vacuum interrupter starts to rise (and this is a sign of the beginning of the boiling of the wine material in the cube), the supply of steam to the coil of the cube is reduced. Rapid boiling causes its transfer to the distillate. To avoid such phenomena, it is necessary to maintain the pressure in the vacuum interrupter at the level of 3.4-5.4 kPa.

The duration of the distillation is 12 hours. The head fraction is taken up to 3% in terms of anhydrous alcohol, loaded into a cube with wine material. Fortress head fraction 80-87% vol. This fraction goes to rectification. The duration of the selection of the head fraction at a rate of 0.2-0.3 l/min is 20-30 minutes. They switch to the selection of the middle fraction when the distillate strength is 73-75% vol. The middle fraction (cognac alcohol) is taken within 4-5 hours, and the pressure in the vacuum interrupter should not exceed 2.9-3.4 kPa.

When showing the strength of the distillate in an alcohol lamp 40-45% vol. proceed to the selection of the tail fraction, which is forced and finished when the alcohol meter reads 1-2% for 4-5 hours. When selecting the tail fraction, the pressure in the vacuum interrupter is maintained at the level of 4.9-5.4 kPa. The scheme of a single distillation is shown in fig. 66.

The tail fraction is added to the distilled raw material no more than 6 times. The tail fraction obtained from the last distillation is mixed with the head fractions and sent for rectification. Bard after distillation is disposed of.

Practice has shown that the apparatus KU-500 does not provide cognac spirits that fully meet the requirements of cognac production, primarily due to the insufficient duration of wine distillation. During the selection of the middle fraction, the processes of new formation of impurities valuable for cognac proceed weakly, and for this reason, conditions are not created for distilling them into distillate. Further, cognac alcohol during the distillation of wine is not enriched in the required amount with easily volatile high-boiling fragrant impurities.

Double distillation apparatus for obtaining cognac spirit in a continuous stream. The double distillation apparatus, in comparison with the continuous distillation of wine used, makes it possible to obtain cognac spirit similar to the spirits of the Charente distillation method, since it provides for the most complete reproduction of the processes and modes characteristic of the Charente apparatus.

The device consists of two parts: preparatory and working (Fig. 67).

The preparatory part includes a pump, wine heaters, thermal reservoir. Heat treatment makes it possible to intensify the initial processes of new formation of impurities.

The working part of the apparatus consists of a vertical sectional cylindrical evaporator column, which ensures the successive selection and mixing of alcohol vapors that form as the strength of the evaporated wine decreases; a depletion column equipped with six bubbling trays for complete alcohol digestion; cube to delay the boiling stillage. The total volume of the sections of the evaporation column and the cube provides a long-term boiling of wine (6-7 hours) with a gradual and fairly smooth decrease in its strength to obtain a bard that does not contain alcohol. The evaporation column has a diameter of 2 m and consists of six identical sections of a special design. The total capacity of the sections is 900 dal. Each of the sections is equipped with a heating element, steam nozzles, drain glasses and is divided by a cylindrical partition into two parts with equal evaporation areas so that the wine from one part to another can move by gravity; from section to section, the wine passes through the drain glasses. This node reproduces the dynamics of the processes of new formation of impurities valuable for cognac, characteristic of the Charente apparatus, and allows enriching the resulting raw alcohol in a similar sequence.

In the steady state, the apparatus operates as follows. The wine is pumped to the dephlegmator and then to the heat exchangers, where it is heated with alcohol vapors, stillage and steam to a temperature of 85-90 °C. At this temperature, the wine is sent to a metal enameled tank 1 and in the process of movement for 5-6 hours it undergoes heat treatment at a temperature of 80-85 °C.

From the thermoreservoir, the wine is sent to a six-section evaporation column for a 6-hour evaporation of alcohol from the wine. Boiled wine with a strength of 0.8-1% vol. for the complete extraction of alcohol, it enters the depletion column, equipped with a cube, in which the stillage remains for 30-40 minutes.

The evaporation column is heated by steam supplied to the sections, and the cube has a separate heating element. Vapors rising from the upper parts of the columns are mixed in the condenser and in the form of raw alcohol with a strength of 25-28% vol. sent to the epuration column. The etheraldehyde fraction from the upper part of the epuration column is removed through a reflux condenser into the small coil of the refrigerator, and the epurated raw alcohol enters the evaporation-bubble column to obtain grade I cognac alcohol with a strength of 65-70% vol. The main stream from the top of the column is removed as a vapor to the condenser and then sent to a large refrigerator coil. Alcoholic liquid with a strength of 2-2.5% vol. from the lower part of the column enters the depletion column for separating cognac spirit of grade II with a strength of 65-70% vol. through a dephlegmator. and digestion of alcohol residues. Part of the tailing impurities, which give cognac alcohol unpleasant shades in aroma and taste, cannot overcome the concentration plates of the column and leave with the waste liquid.

If necessary, fragrant waters can be taken from the apparatus, which are used in the preparation of ordinary cognacs to enhance their bouquet.

distillation apparatus continuous action K-5M. Apparatus K-5M refers to the type of column distillation plants of continuous operation. The increase in the volume of distillation of wine materials and the concentration of production led to the need to develop and create apparatuses of this type of high power. It is equipped with an epuration column for the selection of the ether-aldehyde fraction, a wine superheater for extending the period of thermal action on wine materials to ensure the passage of the processes of new formation of volatile substances, and a condenser for the selection of the head fraction. On fig. 68 shows a diagram of the apparatus with the main nodes.

The wine material is fed into the apparatus using a centrifugal pump into the pipe space of the cooler 2, then into the heat exchanger-wine heater U, where it is additionally heated by the heat of the waste stillage. Heated wine material is fed from the wine heater to superheater 3, where it is superheated by live steam. Having passed the superheater, the wine material enters the annular space of the cooler 2 and then to the feed tray of the epuration column 5. Alcohol vapors of the head fraction are taken from the upper (seventh) tray and sent to the dephlegmator 7, part of the condensate in the form of phlegm flows back into the column. The other part of the vapors enters the head fraction condenser 6, from which the resulting condensate, having passed the head fraction cooler 12, is sent through an alcohol lantern to the head fraction collector. The selection of the head fraction is provided in the amount of 0.6-3% in terms of anhydrous alcohol contained in the distilled liquid. With the head fraction, a part of the concentrated volatile impurities of wine is taken, the excess of which in cognac spirit worsens its quality.

After being freed from head impurities, the wine material is subjected to further distillation in order to obtain cognac spirit. The boiling of the wine material in the epuration column is carried out with live steam, it enters the upper plate of the boil-out column 4. The alcohol vapors of the cognac fraction are discharged into the reflux condenser 5, some of them condense in it and return to the column through phlegm communication, and the other part enters the condensers 9 and 10, from where it is sent to the refrigerator 11. The cooled cognac alcohol through the lantern 13 enters the alcohol collector.

During distillation on the described devices, the yield of distillate fractions is different. The yield of distillate fractions on various apparatuses (in % of anhydrous alcohol) is given in Table. 36.

Theoretical foundations of the maturation of cognac spirits

Young cognac spirits, equalized in large batches, are sent for aging.

Cognac spirits are aged in oak barrels and enameled metal tanks loaded with oak staves. As a result of complex chemical and physico-chemical processes that occur during aging, young cognac spirit acquires all the necessary aromatic and taste properties inherent in cognac. Oak wood is actively involved in changing the properties of cognac spirits as a result of many years of aging.

The processes that occur in cognac spirits during aging can be divided into two large groups: physical and chemical. Of the physical processes, the processes of extraction, absorption and evaporation are of the greatest importance. As a result of extraction from oak wood, lignin, tannins, acids, carbohydrates, nitrogenous and protein substances, flavonoids and some minerals (potassium, sodium) are converted into cognac spirit, creating an extract of cognac spirit. The best conditions for extraction are reduced alcohol pH and increased holding temperature. All compounds that have passed from the oak stave of the barrel are involved in various chemical reactions, the result of which is the formation of the color, taste and aroma of cognac.

When cognac alcohol is aged in oak barrels, its more volatile components partially evaporate, which leads to the concentration of less volatile ones, a decrease in strength and certain losses. Losses of alcohol also occur due to its absorption by oak wood. The amount of absorption depends on the porosity of the wood, the strength of alcohol, the holding temperature, the speed of air movement in the storage and the volume of the barrel. The rate of absorption is directly proportional to pressure and inversely proportional to the viscosity of the alcohol. The amount of absorption increases in barrels with tightly closed tongues due to the increase in pressure with the thermal expansion of alcohol. There is a decrease in the rate of absorption due to an increase in the extractivity of the alcohol with exposure. Excerpt of cognac spirit is made in ground and semi-basement premises.

The humidity of the storage has a different effect on the course of evaporation. At a relative humidity of 70%, the evaporation of the water contained in the alcohol and the alcohol itself occurs at equal rates and only with a decrease in volume without a decrease in the strength of the alcohol. At relative humidity below 70%, the rate of evaporation of water is higher than the rate of evaporation of alcohol. Under these conditions, the strength of alcohol will increase. At relative humidity above 70%, the process will go in the opposite direction.

For normal maturation of alcohols and reduction of losses in the room for their storage, the temperature should be 15-20 ° C, relative humidity - 75-85%. Air exchange should be no more than five volumes per day. The strength of alcohol also decreases as a result of chemical processes occurring during its exposure, redox transformations, esterification, hydrolysis, and condensation are of the greatest importance.

Redox processes during the formation and maturation of cognac alcohol occur during its long-term contact with oak wood during many years of aging with the obligatory participation of oxygen. The chemical composition of oak wood is very complex and fluctuates considerably, and the nature of many of its components is not fully understood. The chemical composition of oak wood is given below.

For aging cognac spirits, preference is given to oak containers due to the fact that it contains few resinous substances, it has an increased density, strength and at the same time porosity for the penetration of oxygen during the maturation of alcohol. Redox processes take place in the pores of oak staves and with the help of oxygen dissolved in cognac alcohol.

Oxygen penetrates into the cognac spirit through the grooved holes of the barrels, the joints of the rivets and the chimes. Dissolved oxygen is partially bound in peroxide. The distribution of oxygen in the layers of alcohol is uneven, its highest concentration is in the upper layer (11.6-14.3 mg / dm 3), lower - in the lower layers (6.4-8.3 mg / dm 3). A corresponding distribution is also observed for peroxides. In the course of exposure, the amount of peroxides increases.

Catalysts such as copper and iron contribute to the vigorous flow of OR processes. The largest amount of metals is contained in the layer of rivets up to 1 mm deep. If the surface layer of the riveting copper contains 0.002%, then at a depth of 1 mm its content is 0.17%. Its accumulation is associated with the adsorption of copper compounds on the inner surfaces of barrels during long-term exposure of cognac spirit.

When cognac spirits are aged, all the alcohols contained in them are oxidized and the corresponding aldehydes are formed. Amino acids can also be a source of aldehyde formation as a result of oxidative deamination and subsequent decarboxylation. Under the action of alcohol and acids during exposure, lignin decomposes, in this state it becomes more accessible to oxidation, and coniferyl and synapic alcohols are released from it. In turn, the latter are easily oxidized by the enzyme peroxidase or inorganic catalysts to aromatic aldehydes - vanillin and lilac aldehyde according to the following scheme:

Both of these components have a pleasant aroma and take part in the composition of the bouquet. When aging alcohols, enrichment with tannins occurs, which give cognac spirits fullness and color. In the first 3-4 years of aging, they give alcohols a rough taste, but as a result of long exposure, tannins oxidize under the action of oxygen and alcohols become soft.

Oak wood hemicelluloses have a significant impact on the quality of alcohols. Their main representatives are pentosans, which, under the action of acids and other factors, undergo hydrolysis to form monosaccharides: xylan, galactan, xylose, arabinose, glucose, which give cognacs softness in taste. At the beginning of aging, arabinose and xylose dominate, and after 10-15 years, glucose and levulose predominate. Below is the amount of sugars at the end of alcohol aging.

Redox processes in cognac alcohol pass through the intermediate formation of free radicals. Their content increases in old spirits and is concentrated in the riveting layer up to 0.1 mm thick.

An increase in free radicals in the reaction zone leads to an increase in oxidative reactions in general. As a result of aging alcohols, their acidity increases: volatile - due to the oxidation of ethyl alcohol to acetic acid, non-volatile - due to the extraction of uronic, gallic and other acids from oak wood, due to which the pH value decreases with increasing age of alcohols.

In the process of obtaining cognac spirits and their subsequent aging, as a result of numerous complex physico-chemical processes, many substances are formed that play a certain role in the formation of the organoleptic and aromatic properties of cognac. So, fusel oils, which are the product of alcoholic fermentation, alcohols, acids, esters, carbonyl compounds, together with ethyl alcohol, form the background of the aroma of cognac spirits. Enanth ether influences the taste qualities of cognac spirit and its aroma, unlike other substances.

In the process of cognac aging in barrels, three periods are distinguished.

1. From 3 to 5 years. During this period, 70-degree fresh cognac alcohol is aged in new barrels. There is an intensive extraction of tannins due to the extraction of tannins, the formation of volatile acids is accelerated. The pH sharply decreases, the formation of acetals, ethanol lysis of lignin, and hydrolysis of hemicelluloses begin. Alcohol acquires the aroma of fresh young cognacs and a light yellow color.

2. From 5 to 10 years. During this period, the enrichment in tannins is reduced, their slow oxidation takes place, the taste of oak disappears, and the color intensifies. The acidity is increased by the non-volatile acids of the oak extract. Ethanolization of lignin and hydrolysis of hemicelluloses grow. A floral and vanilla aroma appears as a result of ethanolysis and oxidation of lignin.

3. From 10 to 30 years. During this period, the extraction of tanides practically stops. The amount of volatile substances decreases due to evaporation. Ethanolization of lignin and hydrolysis of hemicellulose increase, acidity increases. The fullness and specific properties of cognac increase, the taste softens, the strength decreases.

Young spirits are laid for aging in oak barrels or enameled tanks with processed oak staves placed inside. Alcohols for vintage cognacs are aged in barrels, for ordinary ones - in tanks.

For the aging of cognac spirit, category I barrels are used, made from selected grade staves, aged in stacks under a canopy for at least 3 years. There is a tiered way of placing barrels (3 tiers) and a rack (6-8 tiers). The racking method is the most progressive: it allows to increase the utilization rate of production areas, the service life of barrels and reduces losses during aging of cognac spirits.

Before pouring alcohol, new barrels are treated according to the following scheme: they are soaked twice with cold water, the water is changed after 3-4 days, steaming with live steam for 20-30 minutes, rinsing with hot and cold water.

Cognac spirits are aged in barrels underfilled to 2% capacity, this eliminates losses due to temperature fluctuations and ensures contact with atmospheric oxygen. An inventory is carried out annually, while the barrels are topped up with spirits of the same batch. All barrels must be by volume.

Alcohols selected for the production of vintage cognacs are re-equalized in the 4-5th year of aging.

The aging of cognac spirits in steel enameled tanks is used for the production of ordinary cognacs 3, 4, 5 stars. For laying in tanks, rivets of I and II grades 400-1150 mm long, 60-150 mm wide and 18-36 mm thick are used, aged in stacks under a canopy for at least three years for the purpose of air drying. Before being loaded into the tank, they are processed according to the scheme, as for new cognac barrels, and the processed staves are put on the drain. It is allowed to use oak staves (50%) treated with an alkaline method: soaking in a 0.3% sodium hydroxide solution (NaOH) for 2-6 days at a temperature of 10-25 °C. After draining, they are washed 3-4 times for 8-12 hours with cold water, dried in a ventilated room for 6 days or one day in a dryer at a temperature of 45 ° C, or thermally treated for 5-7 days with free access of air at 105- 120 °C until a light brown color appears, then washed with cold water. The riveting is placed in a tank in a stack based on the specific surface of 700-900 cm 2 per 1 dal of aqueous alcohol with their rigid fixation. Alcohols are kept in incomplete tanks with underfilling of no more than 2%.

Alcohol is saturated with oxygen 2 times a year to a content of 15-18 mg/dm 3 .

Experiments carried out in the Armenian SSR have shown that the efficiency of tank aging of cognac spirits can be increased when it is carried out in a pulsating flow with the selection of aged three-year-old spirit 4 times a year and replenishing the taken volume with younger alcohol. The specified hardware-technological scheme (Fig. 69) includes three sections of tanks with oak staves. Each section contains alcohol with aging periods of 1, 2 and 3 years, respectively. The scheme provides for one section of tanks into which young cognac spirit is poured for topping up. All tanks are interconnected by pipelines. The number of tanks in each section is determined by the alcohol withdrawal rate. When weaning 1/3 of alcohol, the number of reservoirs will be 3, with the selection of 1/4 -4. Every nine months, the rivets are exposed to air to activate them for 5 days. The movement of alcohol goes from young to more seasoned.

Alcohol is taken from the third section for cognac blending in the amount of 1/3 and 1/4 of the volume of alcohol in this section.

The tanks of the third section are topped up to full volume with two-year alcohol from the second. The tanks of the second section are topped up with one-year alcohol from the first, the tanks of the first section are topped up with young alcohol. Since the launch of the line, the saturation of alcohol with oxygen is not performed.

There are various ways to accelerate the maturation of cognac spirits. They are based on the impact of various factors, both physical and physico-chemical, on cognac alcohol or on oak wood. Practical application found a way heat treatment cognac spirit in the presence of oak wood. It consists in heating brandy alcohol to a temperature of 35-45 ° C and holding for 45-50 days.

Cognac preparation

Aged cognac spirits are only a semi-finished product. For the preparation of cognacs of various brands, aged cognac spirits are blended with separate materials (sugar syrup, softened water, alcoholized and fragrant waters). Kohler is used if necessary. Ordinary, vintage and collection cognacs are produced in the USSR.

The hardware-technological scheme for the preparation of cognacs is shown in fig. 70.

Materials used in the preparation of cognacs. Softened water is used to reduce the strength of cognac alcohol, it is prepared from drinking water by reducing its hardness to 0.36 meq/cm 3 by distillation or treatment with ion-exchange resins. It is allowed to use natural water if its hardness does not exceed 1 meq/cm 3 . Increased hardness causes turbidity of cognacs.

Alcoholic waters are prepared by diluting cognac alcohol with softened water to a strength of 20-25% vol. They are kept in barrels or tanks with oak wood at a temperature of 35-40 ° C for 60-70 days. They are also used to reduce the strength of cognac spirits.

Fragrant waters are obtained by simple or fractional distillation, selecting shoulder straps with a strength of 50 to 20% vol. Their exposure is carried out similarly to alcoholized waters.

Sugar syrup is used to give cognacs the specified sugar conditions. It is prepared by dissolving sugar in softened water in special sugar boilers-reactors. Sugar is introduced into boiling water at the rate of 1 kg per 0.05 dal. After complete dissolution of sugar, it is recommended to alcoholize the syrup up to 40% vol. for ordinary cognacs, four-year-old, and for vintage cognacs, seven-year-old alcohol and store for at least a year in enameled containers. Add to alcoholized syrup citric acid at the rate of 33 g per 100 liters.

Kohler is used to give cognacs a more intense color. It is prepared in copper boilers with fire or electric heating from granulated sugar with the addition of 1-2% water with constant stirring. Heating is brought to a temperature of 150-180 °C. When the foam reaches a dark cherry color, the heating stops. When cooled to a temperature of 60-70 ° C with constant stirring, hot water is added at the rate of 0.055 dal per 1 kg of sugar. Its density should be 1.30-1.34 g / cm 3, the sugar content should be 40-50%, the color is dark cherry. Sugar color is alcoholized to a strength of 25-30% vol. cognac five-year alcohol and stored for at least a year before its use.

Blending, processing and bottling of cognacs. On the basis of trial blends, a production blend is obtained. If necessary, the blend is pasted over (with gelatin, fish glue, egg white) or treated with bentonite. Pasting is carried out in the presence of excessive roughness in taste. After removal from the glue, the blend is filtered, sent to rest and filtered again before bottling. Cognacs that are unstable to the loss of polyphenols are treated with cold at a temperature of minus 8-12 ° C for 5-10 days. After cold treatment, cognac is filtered at a temperature of minus 5-6 °C. Rest for ordinary cognacs lasts 3 months, for the KB group - at least 9 months, for KVVK and KS - at least a year.

The color of cognac should be from light golden to amber-brown, taste and bouquet - without foreign tastes and odors. Cognacs should be transparent, with a sheen, they are not allowed to have sediment.

Cognac is bottled at a temperature of 15-20 °C into bottles with a capacity of 760, 710, 500, 250 cm 3 and into souvenir bottles.

Calculation of cognac blend.Example. It is necessary to prepare 1000 gave a blend for cognac Three stars with a strength of 40.2% vol. with a sugar content of 1.5 g/100 cm 3 . How much cognac spirit with a strength of 65% vol., alcoholized water with a strength of 25% vol., sugar syrup with a sugar content of 90 g / 100 cm 3, color and softened water will be required?

The amount of alcoholized water and color is determined by a trial blend. Take the amount of alcoholized water 10% to b. With. in blend, color

3 dal per 1000 dal blend. The sugar content in the color take 35 g/100 cm 3 .

Calculation by the elementary method. The volume of cognac spirit is 40.2 ⋅ 1000 X 0.9/65 = 556.6 dal.

The volume of alcoholized water is 40.2 ⋅ 1000 ⋅ 0.1: 25 = 160.8 dal.

Syrup volume 1.5 ⋅ 1000 - 35 ⋅ 3:90 = 15.5 dal.

Volume of softened water 1000 - (555.6 + 160.8 + 15.5 + 3.0) = 264.1 dal.

Examination. According to the alcohol content in the blend: 65 ⋅ 556.6 + 25 ⋅ 160.8: 1000 = 40.2% vol.; according to the sugar content in the blend: 90 ⋅ 15.5 ⋅ 5.3: 1000 = 1.5 g / cm 3.

When blending, contraction is observed, and the volume of the blend is adjusted to the calculated value by additional introduction of softened water along the measuring glass of the blending tank.

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classical The (French) cognac technology has remained unchanged for over two centuries and provides for a double distillation of cognac wine materials obtained in a special way in Charente-type vats, followed by aging of the resulting alcohol (distillate) in oak containers.

Cognac production in France is organized on the basis of vineyards located around the city of Cognac and divided into 6 zones - Grande Champagne (Grand Champagne), Petite Champagne (Petit Champagne), Les Borderies (Le Borderies), Les Fins Bois (Le Fen Bois), Les Bons Bois (Le Bon Boa) and Les Bois Ordinaires (Le Boa Ordiner).

Cognac made from grapes grown in the areas of Grande Champagne and Petite Champagne belong to the category of the most refined, rare and expensive drinks, the bouquet of which concentrates a huge amount of aromas, and the taste is distinguished by elegance, tenderness and subtlety.

As the vineyards move away from these areas, the quality of cognac decreases, alcohols become less aromatic and persistent, and long exposure significantly weakens the intensity of the cognac aroma.

The rule of dividing Cognac vineyards into 6 zones is observed very strictly and determines the annual selling prices for grapes.

The main grape varieties for cognac production are Folle Blanche (Folle Blanche) and Kolombard (Colombard). The grape vine Colombard gives the alcohol a young (green) and strong aroma, and Folle Blanche improves the quality of cognac during aging, forming a full harmonious taste with nuances of violet and linden. However, Folle Blanche is more susceptible to various diseases than other varieties and is often replaced by the Ugni Blanc variety (Ugni Blanc) when laying vineyards, which also brings a floral aroma with hints of spices to cognac. The law on wine allows for processing to introduce no more than 10% of other white grape varieties - Semillon (Semillon), Blanc Rame (Blanc Rame).

The total area of ​​vineyards of the departments of Charente and Charente-Maritime is about 90 thousand hectares, which give almost 100 million decalitres of cognac wine material.

The grape harvest usually takes place in October. Grapes delivered to the plant under conditions that protect the berries from contamination and damage are crushed in a sparing mode and subjected to pulp one- or multiple pressing on horizontal mechanical, hydraulic or pneumatic presses. Gravity and press fractions are mixed, the wort is not clarified or sulphated before fermentation. Fermentation is carried out periodically in barrels at small enterprises, or in tanks with a capacity of 1000-2000 dal - at large ones.

The distillation of wine materials begins on November 15. It is believed that long-term aging of wines has a negative effect on the quality of alcohol, as it can lead to the appearance of Madeira tones, especially if the wine materials are enriched with iron cations.

Distillation is subjected to not fully clarified wine materials, which may contain up to 7-8% yeast thick. This technique is one of the main reasons for the characteristic specific tone of French cognacs, due to the increased content of enanth ether in them.

The distillation of wine materials is carried out on Charente alambiks - alambic charentais (alambik Charentais) - batch apparatus with one cube.

Distillation on Charente apparatus is carried out in two steps. At the beginning, raw ethyl alcohol with a strength of 27-29% by volume, called brouillis (brui, dregs), is distilled from wine from wine until complete depletion of the alcohol of the still residue.

This operation is repeated three or more times, the obtained distillates of alcohol are assembled and the mixture is distilled a second time, dividing the distillate into three fractions - the head one, with a strength of 85% vol., the middle one (cognac spirit sent for aging in oak barrels), with a strength of 62-70% vol. . and tail, with a fortress of 15-25% vol.

The Charente uses a variety of distillation methods. According to one of them, the wine is distilled along with the tail fractions in order to obtain more aromatic alcohols. However, the raw alcohol distilled off at the same time has an increased strength (30-32% by volume, and in some cases even 35% by volume), which must be reduced before the second distillation, otherwise cognac alcohol is of poor quality. Therefore, raw alcohol is diluted with pure water up to 29% vol., while the total amount of water introduced should not exceed 10%. According to the second method, head and tail fractions of the previous distillation, or only tail fractions, are added to raw alcohol. It is expedient to accept the distillation of only tailing fresh fractions.

It has been empirically established that the selection of the middle distillate should be stopped when the distillate strength is below 58% vol., otherwise the cognac spirit may acquire unpleasant tones of the tail distillates. Distillation must be completed by March 31 of the year following the harvest.

The aging of cognac spirit is carried out in above-ground rooms in oak barrels with a capacity of 220 liters. The wood for the barrels is made from oak brought from the forests of Limousin and Troncet.

Young cognac alcohol is aged for the first two months in new barrels, after which it is poured into older ones. The minimum aging of cognac spirit, after which it can be used in blends of V.S. class cognacs, is 2.5 years.

It is believed that the improvement in the quality of cognac spirit is observed up to 50 years of its aging in barrels, after which it can be placed in bottles. However, many firms extend the exposure for another 5-10 years in order to naturally reduce the alcohol strength to 43% vol.

The final formation of cognac with desired properties is carried out by mixing various alcohols and other components in experimentally established proportions.

Technological cycle contemporary cognac production includes four stages.

• preparation of cognac wine materials;
• distillation of cognac wine materials for alcohol;
• aging cognac spirit in contact with oak wood;
• blending and processing cognac.

Preparation of cognac wine materials

Typical cognac can only be made in certain wine-growing regions, characterized by special soil and climatic conditions, from special grape varieties.

The variety of grapes used for the production of cognac wine materials is of great importance. The selection of grape varieties is based on two main indicators - acidity and sugar content of grapes at the stage of technical maturity. To obtain high-quality cognac spirits, it is also important that the grapes contain a sufficient amount of essential oils with high volatility and thermal stability, do not have a spicy varietal aroma, and have a high juice content.

The quality of cognac wine material is determined both by the varietal properties of the vine, and by the influence of the natural and climatic conditions of the region and agrotechnical measures. Limey soils contribute to obtaining a delicate cognac bouquet, and sandy-clay soils, which contain a small amount of limestone, give less fine and delicate cognacs.

An excess of nitrogenous substances in the soil worsens the aroma and leads to cloudiness of the finished product.

The optimal content of potassium and phosphorus in the soil improves the taste and color of the wine, makes its aroma thin, delicate, with a pleasant fruity aftertaste.

The best wine materials are obtained from grapes growing on calcareous, chalk, clay-lime, stony soils. The temperate climate with sufficient rainfall most fully corresponds to the conditions for the cultivation of grapes from which cognac wine materials are produced.

These requirements are fully met by the following grape varieties grown in Russia - Rkatsiteli, Plavai, Aligote, Scarlet Tersky, Kuldzhinsky, Kizlyarsky black, Bayan Shirey, Narma, Kleret, Silvaner, Levokumsky stable and some others. In various wine-growing regions, local grape varieties are used to produce cognac wine materials. In Georgia, these are Mtsvane, Chinuri, Tsolikouri, Tsitska; in Armenia - Mskhali, Garandmak, Kakhet, Areni, Voskehat; in Moldova - Feteaska, Sereksia, etc.

Grapes sent for the production of cognac wine materials should contain sugar 17-20%, titratable acids - 6-7 g / dm 3. Processing of grapes is carried out according to the scheme adopted in the technology of white dry natural wines. Cognac wine materials are also produced from pink and red varieties using the “white” method.

The grapes arriving for processing after its qualitative and quantitative acceptance are crushed in a soft mode with the separation of the ridges.

It is allowed to press whole bunches of grapes on pneumatic or hydraulic presses, as well as to use for this purpose crushers installed in the stacker hopper.

Clarification is an obligatory technological operation and is usually carried out by settling, sulfitization of the wort is not used. This is due to the fact that during distillation in wine containing SO 2, thio-esters are formed, which have a sharp unpleasant and practically irremovable odor, and aldehyde sulfur compounds can accumulate in cognac alcohol, which adversely affect its taste and aroma.

In addition, as a result of the oxidation of sulfur dioxide in the cube, sulfuric acid appears, which causes corrosion of the cube material. In the presence of SO 2, the oxidative transformations of the constituent substances of alcohol, in particular, those extracted from oak wood, are delayed, which slows down its maturation. Therefore, settling is carried out at a temperature of 7-8 o C or centrifugation of the wort is used.

The fermentation of the clarified wort is carried out at a temperature of 16-25 o C on races of pure yeast cultures that form the minimum amount of sulfur dioxide and ensure complete fermentation of sugar - its residual content should not exceed 2 g/dm 3 .

Based on practical experience, as well as the results of scientific research, certain requirements are imposed on cognac wine materials.

• the alcohol content in the wine material should not be less than 7.5% vol;
• titratable acidity should be at least 4.5 g / dm 3, and the content of volatile acids - no more than 1.2 g / dm 3 and total sulfurous acid - no more than 15 mg / dm 3;
• wine materials can contain up to 2% yeast, studies show that the distillation of wine material with yeast ensures the transition of enanth ether into cognac alcohol, which includes ethyl caprylate, ethyl caprylate, ethyl laurate, ethyl myristate, the appearance of highly valued "soapy" tones in cognac is associated with their presence. taste. At the same time, aged and old wines do not give cognac spirits of such high quality as young wines;
• it is not allowed to process wines that have foreign smells and tastes, such as mold, rot, as they can be transferred to alcohols.

To improve the quality of cognac wine materials and spirits, it is recommended to prepare them with the infusion of the must on the pulp, fermentation on fermented combs, aging with yeast, and increase the active acidity of the must by gypsum. These techniques contribute to the enrichment of wine material with various compounds - terpene substances, ethers, volatile phenols, lactones, their transformation in the cube during distillation can lead to the formation of new components involved in the formation of high-quality cognac spirit.

Cognac wine materials are stored in large tanks, completely topped up, at an optimum temperature of 8-10 o C under constant chemical and microbiological control for no more than 6 months.

Distillation of cognac wine materials

Distillation, as a method of separating volatile mixtures, the components of which have different boiling points, is used in cognac production to isolate cognac spirit, purify it from unwanted impurities and enrich it with substances, the transformations of which determine the characteristic features of the taste and bouquet of high quality cognac. Thus, cognac alcohol is a multicomponent system and, along with ethyl alcohol (62-70% vol.) and water (30-38% vol.), also contains higher alcohols, esters, aldehydes, acetals, organic acids and other impurities, whose total the amount does not exceed 1%.

Volatile impurities and their quantitative ratio determine the organoleptic characteristics of freshly distilled cognac spirit. The characteristics of the main impurities of cognac alcohol are presented in the table.

Components	Storage temperature, o С	Chemical formula	a brief description of
Acetic aldehyde	20,8	C 2 H 4 O
propyl aldehyde	50,0	C 2 H 5 O	Colorless, with a sharp unpleasant odor
Acrolein	55,6	C 3 H 4 O	Strong smell
Formic ethyl ether	54,1	C 3 H 6 O 2	Pleasant aroma
Acetic methyl ether	56,6	C 3 NO 2	Neutral fragrance
Acetic methyl ether	56,6	C 3 NO 2	Neutral fragrance
Methyl alcohol	65,0	CH 4 O	Neutral fragrance
Butyaldehyde	75,0	C 4 H 8 O	Strong unpleasant odor
Acetic ethyl ether	77,0	C 4 H 8 O 2	Pleasant aroma
Ethanol	78,3	C 2 H 6 O	Weak odor and pungent taste
propyl alcohol	97,4	C 3 H 8 O	Nice pungent aroma
Water	100,0	H 2 O	Without smell
Acetal	102,9	C 6 H 14 O	Pungent odor
Isobutyl alcohol	108,4	C 4 H 20 O	Strong odor, pungent taste
Isobutyric ethyl ether	101,1	C 10 H 12 O 2	Pleasant aroma
Butyl alcohol	117,5	C 4 H 10 O	Neutral fragrance
Isobutyric ethyl ether	101,1	C 10 H 12 O 2	Pleasant aroma
Butyl alcohol	117,5	C 4 H 10 O	Neutral fragrance
Acetic acid	118,1	C 2 H 4 O 2	Strong smell
Butyethyl ether	121,0	C 10 H 12 O 2	Pleasant aroma
Amyl alcohol is optically active	128,0	C 5 H 2 O	Unpleasant suffocating odor
Isovaleric ethyl alcohol	134,3	C 7 H 14 O 2	Pleasant aroma
Acetic isoamyl ether	137,6	C 7 H 14 O 2	Pleasant aroma
propionic acid	140,9	C 3 H 6 O 2	Neutral fragrance
Hexyl alcohol	157,2	C 6 H 14 O	Neutral fragrance
Furfural	162,0	C 5 H 4 O 2	Bitter almond flavor
Butyric acid	162,8	C 4 H 8 O 2	Bad smell of rancid oil
Isovaleric acid	177,0	C 5 H 10 O 2	Bad smell
Isovaleric-isoamyl alcohol	190,0	C 10 H 20 O 2	Pleasant aroma
Caproic acid	205,0	C 6 H 12 O 2	Neutral fragrance
Enanthic acid	223,5	C 7 H 14 O 2	Neutral fragrance
Caprylic acid	237,5	C 8 H 16 O 2	Neutral fragrance

Among them, higher alcohols, acetic ethyl ester, acetaldehyde and acetic acid play the main key role.

Higher alcohols are found in cognac spirit in the amount of 1000-3500 mg/dm 3 . The main components of higher alcohols are isoamyl, isobutyl and n-propyl alcohols. The remaining higher alcohols make up no more than 10-15%. The content of esters in wine distillates ranges from 200 to 1600 mg / dm 3, with the main share falling on ethyl acetate - up to 93%.

The total amount of aliphatic aldehydes in cognac spirits is 30-500 mg/dm 3 , of which the predominant part is acetaldehyde.

The main acids of brandy alcohol are fatty acids. Their content in alcohol ranges from 30 to 500 mg / dm 3, while up to 60% is accounted for by acetic acid.

In addition to the main impurities, various alcohols, esters, aldehydes and acids, which play a certain role in adding the properties of cognac spirits, were found in less significant amounts in cognac spirit.

Farnesol, terpeneol, linalool, phenylamyl and benzyl alcohols were determined in wine distillates. Esters of alcohols - methyl, propyl, butyl, amyl, hexyl, actyl, nonyl, phenylethyl (as well as their isomers) and acids - formic, acetic, propionic, butyric, valeric, isovaleric, caproic, enanthic, caprylic, pelargonic, capric, lauric, meristic, palmetic, stearic. In addition to acetic, formic, propionic, valeric, isovaleric and cratonic aldehydes are found in cognac spirits.

A positive effect on the taste of cognac spirits has furfural, which is found only in products obtained by the Charente distillation method.

Cognac spirits are obtained on devices of periodic and continuous action.

Apparatuses of periodic action, on which the loading of the cube with wine material or raw alcohol, their distillation into cognac alcohol and the withdrawal of stillage are carried out periodically, are divided into installations of double (double) and single distillation.

In the apparatus for double distillation of wine material, raw alcohol is obtained at the beginning, and then, during the distillation of raw alcohol, cognac alcohol is obtained.

Units of single distillation ensure the production of cognac spirit of the required strength directly from the wine material.

All parts that come into contact with the alcohol-containing liquid and its vapors are made of copper and covered with semi-dry. The useful volume of a cube is usually 65-80 dal.

As a result of the first distillation, from wine material with a strength of 8-12% by volume, a distillate is obtained - raw cognac alcohol, with a strength of 23-32% by volume. (in the amount of 25-33% of the volume of wine material taken for distillation) and cognac bard, which is used for recycling to obtain tartaric compounds.

Cognac raw alcohol is subjected to fractional distillation. This highlights:

• head fraction (in the amount of 1-3% of the volume of raw alcohol), containing a significant amount of aldehydes, esters and higher alcohols with a pungent odor and unpleasant taste;
• middle fraction (cognac spirit of the first grade, selected in the amount of 30-35% of the volume of the original raw alcohol), with a strength of 60-70% vol., which is laid down for long-term aging in oak barrels;
• tail fraction (taken when the strength of the distillate is reduced to 40-50% vol.), The volume of which is 17-23% of the volume of crude cognac alcohol.

The liquid remaining in the cube is 37-52% of the volume of raw alcohol taken for distillation.

Subsequently, the head and tail fractions are mixed and also subjected to distillation. At the same time, secondary head and tail fractions are distinguished, as well as cognac alcohol of the second grade.

Cognac alcohol of the second grade is also laid down for long-term aging in oak barrels and is used in the production of three-year-old cognacs.

The remaining fractions are unsuitable for the production of cognac spirit and are sent for rectification to extract ethyl alcohol.

The single distillation apparatus consists of the same basic elements as the double distillation apparatus. However, its dephlegmator is made in the form of two hollow lenticular plates, surrounded by sides and cooled by water, and therefore this apparatus has a strengthening effect.

Such devices are made of copper with a cube volume of 120 dal.

When working on a device with reflux plates, cognac alcohol is obtained directly from the wine material as a result of a single fractionated distillation. At the same time, the head fraction is isolated in the amount of 0.7-1.0%, the middle fraction (cognac alcohol) in the amount of 10-14%, the tail fraction in the amount of 11-15% of the volume of wine material taken for distillation, and production waste - cognac bard. Cognac spirit is laid down for aging, and the remaining fractions are processed to obtain fragrant waters, tartaric acid and ethyl alcohol.

Double distillation devices have one important advantage - they produce high-quality cognac spirit with the optimal content of the necessary impurities.

However, they are not economical and inefficient. Their productivity is low due to the small volume of the cube and the time spent on performing auxiliary operations (loading, unloading), and the heat consumption is excessively high.

Directional regulation chemical composition cognac spirit and increasing the productivity of the devices is carried out with the use of the process of distillation of wine material.

Among the distillation apparatus operating at Russian factories, one can note a periodically operating distillation apparatus KU-500, continuously operating distillation apparatus K-5, a typical installation of continuous operation for the production of cognac alcohol with the selection of the ether-aldehyde fraction is the MNIIPP installation, a similar scheme for the production of cognac alcohol is used in the apparatus K-5M.

Ultimately, the choice of the type of distillation apparatus and the scheme of the technological process are determined, first of all, by the need to obtain cognac spirit that meets the highest physical, chemical and organoleptic requirements.

Young cognac alcohol is a colorless or light straw-colored transparent liquid with a clean, burning taste, with a slight taste of ethyl alcohol. The aroma of young alcohol is complex, with pronounced wine and light floral tones.

In terms of chemical parameters, freshly distilled cognac spirit must meet the following requirements.

• volume fraction of ethyl alcohol - 62.0-70.0% vol.;
• mass concentration of higher alcohols in terms of isoamyl alcohol - 180-600 mg / 100 cm 3 of anhydrous alcohol;
• mass concentration of aldehydes in terms of acetic aldehyde - 3-50 mg / 100 cm 3 of anhydrous alcohol;
• mass concentration of medium esters in terms of ethyl acetate - 50-250 mg / 100 cm 3 anhydrous alcohol;
• mass concentration of volatile acids in terms of acetic acid - no more than 80 mg / 100 cm 3 of anhydrous alcohol;
• mass concentration of furfural - no more than 3.0 mg / 100cm 3 anhydrous alcohol;
• mass concentration of methyl alcohol - no more than 1.2 g / dm 3;
• mass concentration of copper - no more than 8.0 mg / dm 3;
• mass concentration of total sulfurous acid - no more than 45 mg / dm 3;
• mass concentration of iron - no more than 1.0 mg / dm 3.

Exposure of cognac spirit in contact with oak wood

The aging of cognac spirits is carried out in oak barrels or in metal enameled horizontally located tanks, in which pre-prepared oak staves are placed.

Young cognac spirit is equalized and subjected to physicochemical and organoleptic evaluation.

For aging, spirits are laid in batches, depending on the age, varietal composition, microdistrict of grape growth. Homogeneous alcohols are kept separately.

For aging cognac spirits, underground basements are used that meet the necessary sanitary standards. They should not have extraneous odors, and the air exchange in these rooms can be no more than 5 volumes per day. The temperature during exposure is maintained at 18-20 o C, and humidity - 75-85%.

Oak barrels of the first category, with a capacity of 30-70 dal are filled with young cognac spirit with underfilling, which is no more than 2% of the volume of the barrel and are installed on wooden or reinforced concrete bars in three tiers or placed on racks in 6-8 tiers.

The rack arrangement of barrels is more economically feasible, as it eliminates the deformation of the staves, which is inevitable when barrels are stacked on top of each other, and therefore alcohol losses are reduced, and the utilization rate of production areas is increased.

New barrels undergo special treatment before laying for aging. First, the barrels are poured twice and soaked with cold water, which is replaced after 2-3 days. Then they are treated with live steam for 20-30 minutes and rinsed successively with hot and cold water. Such processing is carried out once and helps to remove some of the phenolic compounds from the new staves, the excess of which can cause a coarse taste and bitterness in cognac spirit.

In the process of aging cognac spirits, the level of underfilling is controlled, which ensures its contact with atmospheric oxygen necessary for the maturation of alcohol and eliminates losses due to temperature fluctuations. At the same time, they monitor the condition of the barrels and carry out the necessary repairs - they eliminate leaks, damage to hoops, replace them, etc.

During the annual inventory, alcohols are subjected to a tasting assessment and the content of ethyl alcohol, phenolic substances, total acidity, pH, total extract, and color are determined. Color defects and oaky flavors are an indication of poorly finished casks.

During the inventory, the barrels are topped up with alcohol of the same year of aging. In the case when step topping up is used, the following rules are followed.

• topping up can be done with younger alcohol, taken in an amount not exceeding 10%;
• for spirits aged less than 10 years, the difference in age should not exceed 1-2 years, and for older spirits - 3-5 years.

Alcohols are sorted after 2.5-3.0 years with a five-year exposure and after 5 years - with a ten-year. At the same time, higher-quality spirits are selected, egalized and left for further aging in order to prepare old cognacs.

Less high-quality spirits are also combined into large batches and used to produce 3-5 year old cognacs.

Barrel aging of cognac spirits is a classic way of obtaining high-quality cognacs, but it is long, laborious, has low productivity and is accompanied by large losses of alcohol. These losses, depending on the region of winemaking, amount to 3.3-5.6% per annum in terms of anhydrous alcohol, decreasing on the third goal by 5%, and in subsequent years - by 10% of the total loss rate.

The aging of cognac spirits in enameled tanks allows accelerating their maturation by regulating the oxygen and temperature conditions and minimizing the loss of alcohol.

Reservoirs for aging brandy alcohol are loaded with oak staves at the rate of 800-1000 cm 2 of specific surface per 1 dal of alcohol with the following dimensions: length - 400-1150 mm, width - 60-150 mm, thickness 18-36 mm. I install the rivets on the edge on the bars located across the tank and are rigidly fixed with wooden pins.

The riveting goes through a long cycle of treatments - preliminary air drying in stacks under a canopy for at least 3 years, soaking with water and exposure to steam in the same way as for new barrels.

Technological instructions allow the use of oak staves (up to 50%) treated with an alkaline method - soaking in a 0.3% NaOH solution for 2-6 days at 10-25 o C, draining the alkaline solution and rinsing with cold water 3-4 times during 8-12 hours, drying 6 days under normal conditions or 1 day in a dryer at 45 o C.

The method of alkaline preparation of rivets is the basis for the technology of holding alcohols in tanks, developed in Magarach and involving the use of thin laths (thickness 10-12 mm). After laying the riveting, the tanks are washed with water, and then completely filled with softened water for 2-3 hours. The water is drained, the riveting is dried for 5-6 days under natural conditions, and the tank is filled with young cognac spirit with an underfill of no more than 5%. The alcohol is well mixed, saturating with oxygen until the pressure in the tank is 30 kPa.

The efficiency of tank aging of cognac spirits can be increased by its implementation in a pulsating flow using a special technology. The scheme of the technological process in this case provides for the formation of three sections, in each of which three or four tanks are placed, depending on the multiplicity of alcohol withdrawal - 1/3 or 1/4.

The first section contains one-year, the second two-year and the third three-year alcohol. In addition, the scheme defines a place for the installation of pressure tanks, in which there is young cognac spirit for topping up. All tanks are interconnected by pipelines.

Aged cognac spirit from the third section is selected four times a year, and the taken volume is replenished with younger alcohol.

The oak riveting of each tank in the third section is subject to activation once every 9 months by briefly contacting it with air. The duration of activation is 5 days, after which the reservoir is filled with three-year-old alcohol.

This method makes it possible to improve the quality of alcohols by increasing the degree of their saturation with oxygen and the formation of an active layer with a high content of free radicals on the surface of the rivets, to obtain alcohols of a homogeneous composition, and to automate the technological process.

Spirits obtained by aging in large tanks with submerged oak staves are used to make 3-5 year old cognacs and brandies.

In order to reduce the aging time of alcohols, various methods are used.

Modern progressive technologies of accelerated maturation are based on the methods of exposing alcohol to physical and chemical factors that have a strong oxidizing effect, activating the surface of oak staves before pouring, and using oak extracts containing components that improve the taste and aroma of cognac.

The impact on cognac alcohol is achieved by saturating it with air or oxygen, ozone, air with a high content of nitrogen oxides. Cognac maturation is also accelerated by treatment with UV light, especially in combination with ozone and high frequency current.

The acceleration of maturation of cognac spirits is observed with the addition of enzyme preparations obtained from the mycelium of various fungi, such as ascomycetes, aspergillus and penicillium.

The effect of accelerating the maturation of cognac spirits is achieved by using oak wood of varying degrees of grinding and processing. These can be untreated oak shavings and sawdust, wood exposed to ultrasound, pieces of oak treated with a SO 2 solution, followed by heating to a temperature of 140 o C.

An important factor in the activation of oak wood used in cognac production is high-temperature heating in conditions of free access of atmospheric oxygen up to charring.

The extraction of valuable components from wood in a concentrated form for their introduction into cognac spirit is an important factor in the process of maturation of cognac spirits. For this purpose, a technology has been developed for the production of an extract in the form of a liquid or powdered preparation of oak, which provides for the preparation of wood, including its drying, colonization by microorganisms and thermal exposure.

Blending and processing cognac

Aged cognac spirit is the main component of the cognac blend and determines to the greatest extent its characteristic quality indicators. When compiling a cognac blend, softened water, sugar syrup are used, and also, if necessary, color, alcoholized and fragrant waters, blended cognacs.

Depending on the age of cognac spirit, cognacs are divided into the following categories.

• three-year cognac (three stars) - from cognac spirits aged for at least three years;
• cognac four-year-old (four stars) - from cognac spirits of average age of at least four years;
• five-year cognac (five stars) - from cognac spirits of middle age for at least five years;
• aged cognac KV - from cognac spirits of an average age of at least six years;
• aged cognac of the highest quality KVVK - from cognac spirits of average age of at least eight years;
• cognac old KS - from cognac spirits of middle age for at least ten years;
• cognac is a very old OS - from cognac spirit of average age of at least 20 years.

Ready-made blends of cognacs must meet certain requirements presented in the table.

Name of indicator	***	****	*****	HF	KVVK	KS	OS
Volume fraction of ethyl alcohol, %	40,0	40,0	42,0	40,0-42,0	40,0-45,0	40,0-45,0	40,0-45,0
Mass concentration of sugars in terms of invert, g / dm 3	7,0-15,0	7,0-15,0	7,0-15,0	7,0-12,0	7,0-20,0	7,0-20,0	7,0-20,0
Mass concentration of iron, mg/dm 3 , no more	1,5	1,5	1,5	1,5	1,5	1,5	1,5

Below are the permissible limits of deviations from the norms established for a particular brandy brandy.

• by mass concentration of sugars - plus or minus 2.0 g / dm 3;
• by volume fraction of ethyl alcohol in bottles - plus or minus 0.3%;
• according to the mass concentration of iron, the upper limit of the permissible deviation from the norm is 0.3%.

The mass concentration of methyl alcohol in cognacs should not exceed 1.0 g/dm3, the upper limit of the permissible deviation from the norm is 0.05 g/dm3.

Cognacs of three, four and five years old are made from cognac spirits aged in oak barrels, oak bottles or in enameled tanks with oak staves. They may have their own names indicating the aging period of cognac spirits on the label.

Cognacs of the KV, KVVK, KS and OS groups are made from cognac spirits aged in oak barrels or bottles. They must have their own names.

Cognacs with a designation of origin are produced in wine-growing regions from locally produced cognac spirits, while the use of cognac spirits from other manufacturers in an amount of not more than 20% of the cognac blend volume is allowed, provided that the typical organoleptic characteristics of a particular denomination are preserved.

Collection cognacs include cognacs of the KV, KVVK, KS and OS groups, additionally aged for at least three years in oak barrels or bottles, excluding post-blend rest.

The preparation of the components of cognac blend has its own characteristics.

softened water is used to reduce the strength of cognac alcohol and is prepared from drinking water from artesian wells by distillation or treatment with ion-exchange resins to remove salts of heavy metals to a hardness of not more than 0.36 mg.eq / dm 3. It is allowed to use water from natural sources if its hardness does not exceed 1 meq/dm 3 .

Purification of water from metals prevents cognac from turbidity.

Alcoholic waters also used to reduce the strength of cognac alcohol. They are prepared by diluting cognac spirit with softened water, the age of which is equal to the average age of cognac, to a concentration of 20-25% vol. Then alcoholized water is poured into barrels or tanks filled with oak staves and kept at a temperature of 35-40 o C for 60-70 days. Due to the use of alcoholized waters, compared to softened water, the quality of cognac improves.

Fragrant waters, used to improve the aroma and soften the taste of cognac, are obtained by simple or fractional distillation, selecting shoulder straps with a strength of 50% vol. up to 20% vol. They have a pleasant aroma, which can be improved by aging water in new treated barrels or cisterns with oak staves at a temperature of 35-40 o C for 60-70 days.

sugar syrup It is used to give cognacs the specified conditions for sugar. For its preparation, sugar is added to boiling softened water with constant stirring at the rate of 1 kg per 0.05 dal of water until it is completely dissolved.

Syrup is boiled in special steel enameled tanks - reactors equipped with agitators and heating devices. Citric acid is added to the prepared syrup - 330 g / 100 l, cognac alcohol - four years old for three to five years old cognacs and seven years old - for cognacs of six years and older up to a strength of 25% vol. and keep for 1-2 years.

Color serves to give cognacs a more intense color. To prepare it, refined granulated sugar is loaded into copper boilers with fire or electric heating, 1-2% of water is added and heated with constant stirring at 180-190 o C. The readiness of the color is determined by color - the mass should acquire a dark cherry color. Then the heating is stopped, the temperature is reduced to 60-70 o C and hot water is added to the boiler with continuous stirring at the rate of 0.055 dal per 1 kg of sugar. The finished color should have a dark cherry color, a density of 1.30-1.34 g/cm 3 , contain 30-40% residual sugar and not give cloudiness in an alcohol solution with a strength of 40-50% vol.

To improve the technological properties of color during its cooking, yeast autolysates, baking soda, ammonium chloride are sometimes added.

In the preparation of individual exclusive brands of cognacs, in order to impart special enhanced organoleptic qualities, blended cognacs are sometimes used, which are old, often collection samples.

A cognac blend is made up of initial materials, the proportions of which in the mixture are determined by calculation or on the basis of an organoleptic analysis of trial blends.

The prepared blend, especially if it has an unpleasant roughness in taste, is pasted over (with gelatin, fish glue, egg white) or treated with bentonite, filtered and sent to rest, after which it is filtered again and after another rest it is bottled.

Unstable cognacs are treated with cold at a temperature of -10 -12 o C for 5-10 days.

The duration of rest for three to five summer cognacs is at least three months, for the KV group - at least six months and for older cognacs of the KVVK, KS and OS categories - at least 1 year.

Bottling of cognac is carried out at a temperature of 15-20 o C in bottles with a capacity of 0.25, 0.5, 0.7 liters and souvenir vessels. Cognac, bottled, must have transparency with a sheen, do not contain sediment.

The production of cognac is a complex long process that requires special grape varieties, unique equipment and craftsmen who are able to accurately observe all technological nuances. Next, I will talk about the stages that real French cognac goes through before getting on the shelves.

Cognac technology is controlled at the level of French legislation, it is allowed to be produced only in one geographical region of the country - Poitou. All drinks created in other regions and countries are not cognac, they are called grape brandy.

Stages of cognac production

1. Growing grapes. According to the classical technology, the following grape varieties are allowed to be used: Folle Blanch, Ugni Blanc and Colombard. But in the vast majority of cases, Ugni Blanc is used; 98% of cognacs are made from this grape variety.

The grapevine is planted in rows at a distance of three meters from each other. This allows the use of special machines for harvesting, which reduces the share of manual labor and reduces the cost of production. Cognac houses begin cleaning in mid-October.

2. Getting juice. All harvested grapes are immediately sent under special presses, which only slightly crush the berries. At the legislative level, it is forbidden to use continuous screw presses that can squeeze the berries dry.

3. Fermentation. The juice obtained at the previous stage is immediately sent for fermentation. This process takes place in special containers with a volume of 50-200 hectoliters. In this case, it is strictly forbidden to add sugar.

The manufacturer has the right to add only antiseptics to the juice - antioxidants and sulfur dioxide. The maximum amount of these substances is also regulated. Control over fermentation is especially strict, since the quality of the finished cognac largely depends on this stage.

As a result of fermentation, unfiltered and unclarified dry wine(sugar content less than 1 g/l), which is stored on its own yeast sludge until distillation. This wine contains a lot of acid and little alcohol (no more than 8-9% of the volume).

4. Distillation. The cognac house is obliged to complete the distillation process by March 31 of the year following the year of harvest. The following requirements are put forward:

• distillation should be carried out only within the boundaries of a certain geographical area;
• you can use only special copper stills, called alambiks (in the figure), which must be registered before use.

Alambik

Before serving in alambic, the wine is preheated. Distillation is carried out in two stages. First, the wine is simply distilled in order to get the maximum possible amount of alcohol. A milky liquid containing 27-32% alcohol comes out. In the language of manufacturers, this substance is called "brouillis" (brui).

The purpose of the second distillation is to obtain pure cognac spirit and fractionate volatile substances. At this stage, the initial output of the distillate (the so-called "head"), which contains many harmful volatile substances, is cut off. Next, the master collects the "body" - a fraction containing 69-72% alcohol, which will go to the production of cognac.

After the concentration of alcohol is reduced to 60%, the distillation is completed, the rest of the fraction is called the "tail". It is not used in the preparation of cognac, but the "tail" is allowed to be added to the next batch of bruyi.

It takes about 24 hours to distill one batch of cognac. From 10 liters of young wine, you can get up to 1 liter of pure cognac spirit.

5. Exposure. The aging process of cognac spirits lasts at least 30 months, and the age of the oldest spirits can be more than 100 years. Cognac is placed in oak barrels that do not have metal parts, it is also forbidden to use glue-based compounds. Therefore, the price of real oak barrels for cognac is very high.

For barrels, oak is at least 150 years old. Before using the finished barrel, it must be kept in the fresh air for 5 years.
During aging in barrels, substances that form the color and aroma of the drink pass into cognac spirit from wood. Barrels are allowed to be used repeatedly.

For each year of aging, 0.5% of alcohol evaporates, the masters call this the “angels' share”. In fact, the evaporated alcohol is fed by bacteria living on the walls of the cellars. For 50 years of aging, the cognac strength decreases from 71% to 46%, but the alcohol itself becomes darker and has a unique bouquet of aromas.

Cognac cellar

6. Blending (assemblage). It involves mixing alcohols of different aging to obtain a finished drink that will go on sale. If further aging of cognac is impractical, it is poured into glass bottles, braided with a vine.

7. Adding other ingredients. Cognac production can do without this stage, but in most cases it is still present. Distilled water is added to the cognac to adjust the strength, sugar (maximum 3.5% by volume) to adjust the taste, oak chips and caramel to give the cognac a rich dark color. The drink is bottled, labeled and it goes on sale.

Classic way it is a complex and lengthy manufacturing process that requires certain grape varieties, special skills, knowledge, production equipment and experience.

There are a lot of nuances, let's look at them using the example of making a real “French Cognac”

It received its real branded name from the city of Cognac (France Cognac), Poitou region. By law, all other drinks cannot be called by his name, even though it was made and bottled in France. But let's not be so scrupulous and consider one of his cooking recipes.

Cognac production in stages in brief

According to existing standards, it is allowed to use grape varieties: Folle Blanch - blanc, mostly in demand (ugni blanc) - Ugni Blanc, Colombard Colombard white variety, late ripening, valued by winegrowers and considered by them to be a treasure of France.

There are a lot of vineyards, so they harvest with the help of machines, this allows you to speed up and reduce the cost of the process. Harvesting is done in mid-October. The harvested crop is sent under the grape press, which gently crushes the berries without crushing their seeds. It is forbidden even to almost completely squeeze the berries.

The juice that was obtained at the first stage immediately enters the fermentation tanks with a huge volume of 50 to 200 hectoliters. Fermentation takes place without the addition of sugar,
and strict control over the amount of antiseptics, antioxidants and sulfur dioxide.
This stage, like all the others, affects the quality of the finished cognac.

After a while, a dry, young, sour wine is obtained with a sugar content of less than 1 g / l, with an alcohol content of not more than 9% by volume. Before the start of distillation, it is stored on its own yeast sludge.

Then comes the moment of distillation, it takes place in a certain area and must be completed before the end of the first month of the spring of the following year after the grape harvest.
The distillation of the wort is carried out only on Alambiks (fr. alambic) copper distillation cubes of a special design.

First, the time for the distillation of the wort comes up, and after repeated distillation, a basic high-quality cognac spirit is obtained.

The second fraction with a strength of 68% to 72% is suitable for aging in oak barrels, it is from it that cognac is obtained after the selection of the first, second and third fractions of the distillate.

The aging or infusion process of cognac lasts more than 2 years, and the age of the most honorable spirits can exceed 100 years, although it has been proven by practice that cognac aging in a barrel for more than 70 years does not particularly make tangible changes in its composition.

French cognac is placed in oak barrels, without metal parts, glue is also completely excluded with contact in oak joints.

These barrels are made from oak wood, the age of which has crossed the age limit of 80 years. The made barrel is stored for the first 5 years in the fresh air, and a multi-level firing mode of the barrel from the inside is also used.

Barrels are filled with alcohol and placed in the basement for aging. Over the years, cognac acquires an amber color, becomes softer, the taste is different in many shades, with hints of flowers, aromas of spices and fruits. Barrels are used repeatedly.

Each year of aging, the strength of the product evaporates from the barrel, approximately 0.5% of alcohol, many already know that this is the “share of angels” in French sounds part des anges. Aging cognac, its strength decreases by tens of degrees, but it acquires its value, acquires saturation color, taste and originality of a bouquet of aromas.

The process of mixing (assembling) spirits with different aging periods in barrels is also called cognac blending.

For ready-made cognac, which has matured over the years in barrels, glass bottles are prepared for them; in France, “ladies” are poured, corked and can be stored for decades. Cognac is a strong alcoholic drink (a kind of brandy), so there are many other recipes for its preparation.

Often, purified water is added to cognacs to adjust the strength to standard numbers.
Sugar (maximum 3.5% by volume) to regulate the taste, less often oak chips and caramel to give the drink a rich dark color.

All stages of the production of the drink are completed, it is poured into containers, labeled and sent for sale.