Vallein Tercinier Napoleon Fine Champagne Vieille Réserve 40.0 "OB"

Vallein Tercinier Napoléon Fine Champagne [Official Bottling] Assemblage de Grande Champagne et Petite Champagne - Cépage Ugniblanc - Vieille Reserve - Matured in French Oak Barriques - 40.0% abv.

This is a blend of the highest crus Petite and Grande Champagne. The youngest component is 15 years of age. Like most of their cognacs, it is brought down to 40% vol. but very gradually to guarantee a good integration.

Cognac is an alcoholic spirit of 40% ABV or higher, obtained by distilling white wine.

To be legally called Cognac, the spirit must meet several specific requirements:

• Only certain grape varieties may be used.
• It must be double distilled.
• It must be aged for at least two and a half years in wooden casks.
• The alcohol content must be at least 40%.
• It must come from the Cognac region.
• The spirit originates from the area surrounding the French town of Cognac, covering the departments of Charente and Charente-Maritime (in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region).

Only nine grape varieties are permitted for Cognac production:
Ugni Blanc, Colombard, Folle Blanche, Jurançon Blanc, Meslier Saint-François, Montils, Select, Follignan, and Sémillon.
The majority of the grapes used (around 90%) are Ugni Blanc, also locally known as St-Emilion.

By law, the exact age of a Cognac cannot be printed on the label. However, an age classification system is used, the most common being:

• V.S. or ***: minimum aging of two and a half years
  (V.S. stands for Very Special or Very Superior)
• V.S.O.P, V.O, or Réserve: minimum aging of four and a half years
  (V.S.O.P. stands for Very Superior Old Pale or Very Special Old Pale; V.O. for Very Old)
• Extra, X.O, Napoléon, Hors d’Âge, or Ancestrale: minimum aging of six and a half years
  (X.O. stands for Exceptionally Old)