Hine releases 2006 single vineyard Cognac

Cognac producer Hine has released the second vintage of its single vineyard Grand Champagne Cognac from its Domaine de Bonneuil estate.

Domaine de Bonneuil 2006 is made from Ugni Blanc grapes grown on the producer’s Grande Champagne estate situated in the tiny parish of Bonneuil.

Recalling the 2006 vintage, Eric Forget, Hine’s cellar master and estate manager, said it was a year with very mixed weather with hot periods immediately followed by heavy rains and storms.

However, the weather turned fine just before and held during the all important harvest period.

The wines were distilled on their lees to enhance the fruit and flavour in the new spirit with the young eaux-de-vie then transferred into French oak, second fill casks, each of around 350 litre capacity, to mature for the next 10 years.

Only 19 casks, yielding 9,500 bottles, have been produced, bottled at 42.8% volume, with each label detailing both the cask and bottle number.

Forget describes Bonneuil 2006 as “generous and suave” with an “evocative” nose of candied apricot, nougat and hints of toasted bread, while a hint of lychee “awakens aromas of exotic fruits, honeyed flavours and roasted peach”.

Stock of Bonneuil 2006 will be on allocation to customers in the UK, USA, Russia, Germany and Hong Kong.

In the UK it will be available at a retail price of £80 (US$120/€110) at: Hedonism Wines, Master of Malt and the Whisky Exchange.