At the doorstep of the Beaujolais wine region, in the town of Romanèche-Thorins, Maison Jacoulot has been offering for nearly 130 years an exclusive and extensive range of artisanal refined Spirits: Marc de Bourgogne, Fine de Bourgogne, Crèmes de Fruit and Liquors. In 2013 Philippe & Anne Vançon had an opportunity to take over the historical Maison Jacoulot, bringing forgotten spirits and liqueurs up to date, alternating brilliantly between authenticity and innovation. Note that all Jacoulot products are made in Burgundy in a genuine artisanal way. No manufacturing process is subcontracted, thus guaranteeing the excellence of Jacoulot’s know-how. Internationally recognized for its excellence and quality of its distillates, Jacoulot is distributed through a selective network of gourmet wine shops and Michelin Starred restaurants in France and Europe.
Prunelle de Bourgogne is one of Jacoulot’s great specialities. It was awarded the Gold Medal at the 1900 Paris Universal Exhibition. Made from late harvest local burgundian sloe berries, referred as plosses, that are picked at peak concentration and freshness after the first frost of the season. The stones of the fruit and broken down and added into spirit to macerate with a touch of sugar for over a year. The effect adds incredible and unexpected dimension to the final spirit with notes that show almond brittle, chamomile tea, ginger snaps and mulled cider amongst others. 300 g/l of residual sugars.
Made with sloe berries –a type of wild plum—this classic liqueur has a deep golden hue and bold amaretto aroma. The palate is similarly sweet and almond-y. However, it’s also full strength, meaning that baking spice profile includes fiery cayenne and a hit of alcohol bite.
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At the doorstep of the Beaujolais wine region, in the town of Romanèche-Thorins, Maison Jacoulot has been offering for nearly 130 years an exclusive and extensive range of artisanal refined Spirits: Marc de Bourgogne, Fine de Bourgogne, Crèmes de Fruit and Liquors. In 2013 Philippe & Anne Vançon had an opportunity to take over the historical Maison Jacoulot, bringing forgotten spirits and liqueurs up to date, alternating brilliantly between authenticity and innovation. Note that all Jacoulot products are made in Burgundy in a genuine artisanal way. No manufacturing process is subcontracted, thus guaranteeing the excellence of Jacoulot’s know-how. Internationally recognized for its excellence and quality of its distillates, Jacoulot is distributed through a selective network of gourmet wine shops and Michelin Starred restaurants in France and Europe.
Like Cognac and Armagnac, the Fine de Bourgogne Jacoulot is an eau de vie produced from the distillation of the Clair de Lie (wine and lees left at the bottom of a barrel after racking) produced exclusively from Pinot Noir of the Côte de Beaune. The wine is distilled on small copper pot-stills before being aged, like their Marc, in various sized barrels for decades at a time. The Fine has an elegance and grace that is lost in the intense flavors of the Marc. It will suit the palate of any lover of Cognac or even Armagnac thanks to the quality and complexity achieved after more than 7 years of aging. No chill filtration. No other additives are used.
The nose is discrete at first, but more assertive with time. It is vinous with notes of fruits (vineyard peach, cherries), marzipan, caramel, milk chocolate filled with raisins and a touch of hazelnuts (‘praliné’). With time, spices show up with notes of vanilla and ginger. Fruits are more ‘gourmand’ (raspberry jam, candied fruit cake). A touch of sandal wood on the background. On the palate, the attack is mellow, with caramel, cooked plums, tobacco, and spices (cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon, vanilla) on the mid-palate. The finish is rather long on prunes, badian, caraway and tobacco.
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At the doorstep of the Beaujolais wine region, in the town of Romanèche-Thorins, Maison Jacoulot has been offering for nearly 130 years an exclusive and extensive range of artisanal refined Spirits: Marc de Bourgogne, Fine de Bourgogne, Crèmes de Fruit and Liquors. In 2013 Philippe & Anne Vançon had an opportunity to take over the historical Maison Jacoulot, bringing forgotten spirits and liqueurs up to date, alternating brilliantly between authenticity and innovation. Note that all Jacoulot products are made in Burgundy in a genuine artisanal way. No manufacturing process is subcontracted, thus guaranteeing the excellence of Jacoulot’s know-how. Internationally recognized for its excellence and quality of its distillates, Jacoulot is distributed through a selective network of gourmet wine shops and Michelin Starred restaurants in France and Europe.
Marc de Bourgogne is compared to its Italian cousin grappa and it actually rarely finds its way out of France. Using a mobile alembic still, the pomace (Marc) of destemmed organically produced Pinot Noir grapes are distilled once to an average of 52% alcohol. The grapes come exclusively from the Domaine des Hospices de Beaune known to organize every year the world’s oldest and largest charity wine auction. After distillation the spirit is transported to Jacoulot’s cellars and left to rest in French oak barrels. 228 litre barriques and 600-700 litre demi-muids are used for élevage, and 10,000 litrer foudres are used for blending. The aged spirits are cut with water at blending to produce an alcohol level of between 40-45% depending on the product. No chill filtration. No other additives are used.
Complex nose of spices, toasted bread, rye bread, touch of almond. The woody tones are well integrated. With time, some bee wax scent come forward and almond gets stronger. On the palate, the attack is straightforward. The mid-palate is vinous with notes of ripe and candied fruits. Mouth is rather dry which brings some tension and balance. A layer of wood envelops the fruitier notes. Some spicy notes (ginger, gingerbread) can be felt at the background. The finish is rather long on tobacco and soft spices.
◊ Producer's page ◊ Producer's website ◊ ◊ Tech sheet ◊
At the doorstep of the Beaujolais wine region, in the town of Romanèche-Thorins, Maison Jacoulot has been offering for nearly 130 years an exclusive and extensive range of artisanal refined Spirits: Marc de Bourgogne, Fine de Bourgogne, Crèmes de Fruit and Liquors. In 2013 Philippe & Anne Vançon had an opportunity to take over the historical Maison Jacoulot, bringing forgotten spirits and liqueurs up to date, alternating brilliantly between authenticity and innovation. Note that all Jacoulot products are made in Burgundy in a genuine artisanal way. No manufacturing process is subcontracted, thus guaranteeing the excellence of Jacoulot’s know-how. Internationally recognized for its excellence and quality of its distillates, Jacoulot is distributed through a selective network of gourmet wine shops and Michelin Starred restaurants in France and Europe.
Marc de Bourgogne is compared to its Italian cousin grappa and it actually rarely finds its way out of France. Using a mobile alembic still, the pomace (Marc) of destemmed organically produced Pinot Noir grapes are distilled once to an average of 52% alcohol. After distillation the spirit is transported to Jacoulot’s cellars and left to rest in French oak barrels. 228 litre barriques and 600-700 litre demi-muids are used for élevage, and 10,000 litre foudres are used for blending. The aged spirits are cut with water at blending to produce an alcohol level of between 40-45% depending on the product. No chill filtration. No other additives are used.
This Burgundian aged ''grappa'' shows remarkable finesse, with notes of rum and raisin ice cream, a bit of spice, measured oak character, precision, good length and a warming but smooth finish. This style owes a lot to the fact that it’s made from the pomace of destemmed grapes, instead of whole bunches that can give the resulting brandy a much more rustic edge. Also, the 7-year mark indicated on the label is a legal minimum, and Jacoulot’s marcs are made from spirits aged much longer, on average. Forget the rough character of entry-level grappa. This is a drink to sip quietly, almost meditatively.
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