A harmonious blend of Grande and Petite Champagne eaux-de-vie, this is XO Rare Fine Champagne in all its fullness after twenty years of aging in Limousin oak barrels.
Grande Champagne
Bordered to the north by the Charente, to the south and west by the Né and to the east by the roads from Barbezieux to Châteauneuf and from Châteauneuf to Saint-Même. Named for the clay-limestone nature of its soils on the surface, complemented by soft chalky limestone in the subsoil. The clays give the soil structure, high fertility and good water retention. These soils are therefore not very sensitive to drought, the subsoil acting as a sponge through which water can slowly rise as the summer drought worsens. It is this cru that produces the finest, most delicate, cleanest and most aromatic eaux-de-vie, and those that improve the most with age. When you taste them, you'll be pleasantly surprised to find that the glass retains the delicious scent and aroma of the cognac it once contained.
Petite Champagne
Much larger than the Grande Champagne, it surrounds it on all sides except the north. It too produces excellent eaux-de-vie with all the qualities of its opulent neighbour, but perhaps with a little less finesse. They reach their optimum quality after a shorter ageing period than Grande Champagne eaux-de-vie. The soil in Petite Champagne is very similar to that of Grande Champagne. However, the soil is a little lighter and a little deeper. This cru benefits from both the oceanic climate in the west and the continental climate in the east. It should be noted that "cognacs" presented under the complementary geographical denomination "Fine Champagne" have organoleptic characteristics resulting from the blending of eaux-de-vie from Grande Champagne (at least half) and Petite Champagne.
