In partnership with Explore Cognac, Bache-Gabrielsen is opening its new “Cellar Master Challenge” experience to the public. Our Cellar Master, Jean-Philippe Bergier, invites you to learn about his art of blending. The Bache-Gabrielsen team has of course tested this challenge in preview. We tell you more…
1st step: KNOW YOUR TERROIR!
A good preparation is essential to approach the experience with serenity… after an immersion in the cellars of Maison Bache-Gabrielsen, it is time to discover the terroir of cognac.
Ailsa, host of our “Cellar Master Challenge”, provides us with some figures and keywords on the cognac AOC and its particularities. We listen carefully and start salivating over our blending set. Cognac crus have very distinct characteristics, whether in terms of aroma, taste, length in mouth… an opportunity to perfect your vocabulary when tasting spirits.
Discovering the terroir
2nd step: LET’S PLAY !
We now look forward to handling our flasks of cognac. One for each of the three crus (Fins Bois, Petite Champagne and Grande Champagne). Be patient ! says Ailsa…Jean-Philippe Bergier has a few recommendations for you before you start. The video message begins and dives us into his world of blending. Some of us feel a little pressure, others want to get started without further delay….
The secret blend made by Jean-Philippe Bergier is poured into a tulip glass. Let’s play !
3, 2, 1… Let the challenge begin!
Step 3: REFLECTION / ACTION !
“Mostly play with your nose,” warns Ailsa. Otherwise, beware of saturation of the taste buds. The goal of the game is to find the exact quantities of each of the three wines that make up the secret blend. It is therefore necessary to appropriate the aromas of each of the three vials. On the nose, in the mouth. Go back to the secret assembly. Handling the cognac in the test tubes; then let your mind or your sensations speak.
In the team, there is the engineer who prefers to measure out his tests methodically (great, there are several possible tests), there is the one who thinks she does not have a nose and who goes there by feeling, there is the passionate about cooking who already has her olfactory cues (Fins Bois cognac reminds her of her apple/vanilla cake), there is the one who has the right answer fairly quickly but who sets out again on other tests because he is not sure of himself….in short, everyone approaches their experience as they feel it and it is precisely all the freedom that this workshop offers.
Recompose the secret blend…
Step 4: FINAL DECISION !
Ailsa comes to see each of us to redirect, explain, refine… then invites us to give our final verdict (we didn’t see the time slipping away!).
It’s not so easy to improvise oneself Cellar Master (ok, the training is quite short).
It’s Jean-Philippe Bergier’s turn to reveal the secret of his blend. Some are far from it but they like their blend really well, others have aimed rather right (the next generation is assured!:)).
Everyone then fills their 20cl bottle with the blend of their choice (their own or that of the CM) and affixes their personalized label to their own cognac. Can’t wait to have our loved ones taste this old cognac!
Leave with your own cognac
Marielle Chopin-Pascaud, Marketing & Communication
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