Simply put, Cognac is the Champagne of brandies. Or you could say Champagne is the Cognac of wines. They are both produced exclusively in France, and both must meet strenuous requirements in order to be called Champagne or Cognac. I have never been overly impressed with Champagne, but I love Cognac. It really is liquid gold. According to French Law, in order to bear the name, Cognac must meet strenuous legal requirements, ensuring that the 300-year old production process remains unchanged. It must be made from at least 90% Ugni Blanc, Folle Blanche, or Colombard grapes, although Ugni Blanc, specifically Saint-Emilion grapes, are today virtually the exclusive variety used. The remainder may consist of the grape varieties Folignan, Jurançon blanc, Meslier St-François (also called Blanc Ramé), Sélect, Montils, and Sémillon, It must be distilled twice in copper pot stills and aged at least two years in French oak barrels, most commonly from oak shipped from all over Europe but passing through the town of Limoges and for that reason called 'limousin' oak. ... WikipediaThere are various grades of Cognac:
VS Very Special, or ✯✯✯ (three stars) where the youngest brandy is stored at least two years in cask.
VSOP Very Special (less commonly 'Superior') Old Pale, where the youngest brandy is stored at least four years in cask, but the average wood age is much older.
XO Extra Old, where the youngest brandy is stored at least six, but average upwards of 20 years.
I love Cognac, and I have some gorgeous brandy snifters and a little gizmo to heat the Cognac that my daughter gave me for Christmas one year. There is nothing nicer than a warm snifter of Cognac on a cold winter evening, in front of the fireplace. And needless to say, Cognac can be rather expensive, but worth the price. So, when I saw this video on CTV News this morning, I almost fell of my chair laughing. Let it be a warning, never, ever drink and drive, especially in a warehouse full of expensive French Cognac.
The driver of the forklift was drunk, and he wasn't hurt, but oh, the horror, the horror...
thanks for all the info - great post as ever !
ReplyDeleteYikes.. the co-workers looked frantic. That had to be one scary moment.. or several. I'm glad he wasn't injured. What a mess.
ReplyDeleteI posted the same link! My son is in a warehouse related business and sent it to me today. In my prior life, I was once a warehouse manager and we went to great links to secure the shelves to the concrete and each leg of the shelving had a steel boot around it. Ahh...that was the life...as for cognac, I am not a partaker!
ReplyDeleteOMG JO! its not funny.. BUT IT IS! OMG
ReplyDeleteACK! Holy smokes, that had to have been terrifying, but going into it knowing that the driver is all right does make it funny.
ReplyDeleteThat whole place went down like a spectacular house of cards. I'm so glad he wasn't hurt, but can you even imagine what he was thinking under that massive, gargantuan pile??
"I wonder if they'll dock my pay for this..."
Into the next century.
I saw that this morning Jo! OMgosh! I didn't know though that he was drunk in a warehouse with Cognac!
ReplyDeleteI find it heartwarming to see his fellow workers rush to his aide!
Yikes! How'd you like to be a janitor at THAT place?!
ReplyDeletePearl
Until now I haven't tasted Cognac in my whole life.
ReplyDeleteThere is rarely a day passing by, without seeing a driver drinking a beer while being behind the wheel, sometimes a taxi-driver other times a delievery from the Supermarket.
Maybe a reason why parents take their kids by the hand wherever they go.
A safe Wednesday for you.
OMG, I saw this video but didn't realize what was in the warehouse - such a waste! Thank you for the Cognac lesson. I shall have to try some this winter. I better go buy some of those special glasses now.
ReplyDeleteIf I were he and I wasn't drunk when I hit the stacks, I certainly would have been by the time they dug me out?
ReplyDeleteI also love cognac Jo but haven't had any for ages. Here we drink Spanish brandy and it seems to go in hand with a small strong espresso coffee at the end of a good dinner.
ReplyDeleteWe also saw that clip on TV news but I didn't realize those were cases of cognac. I guess from now on they'll secure those stands to the floor and not overload the shelves LOL!
Heh! Well, I now have ANOTHER fun video to show my business law students!
ReplyDeleteLet's see... worker's compensation, negligence, repondeat superior, insurance claims .... is stupidity a legal topic?! Heh!! Goodness!
Can you imagine being a mouse and having access to that much Cognac? Talk about happy mice!!
Elise, you're welcome. And thank you. :-)
ReplyDeleteHilary, but all that cognac ... gone...! :-)
Deb, I think they will be securing that Cognac now...! *heh*
Leilani, oh, yes, it's sad but funny. :-)
Alane, it was like an intricate game of dominoes, wasn't it? And too funny!
Alicia, the forklift driver was drunk on vodka, and destroyed all that Cognac!
Pearl, I wonder if any of it was salvagable. *heh*
Robert, Cognac is very nice. But yes, drunk driving can be dangerous!
Bonnie, Cognac is wonderful. It can be expensive, but worth it...!
Mark, LOL...!!! I'll bet some of the salvaged bottles "went missing". :-)
Sharon, oh, yes, that whole warehouse was Cognac. Thousands of dollars worth. :-)
Russell, oh, yes those would have been very happy little mice scurrying around there. They probably told all their friends too. :-)
Jo, I explained what was going on to my husband before I showed him the clip and his addition was, "Presumably they are digging him out so that they can kill him, right?"
ReplyDeleteAmazing he didn't get hurt! And yes, NEVER EVER drink and drive!
ReplyDeleteI love Cognac too. I cook with it and it makes the most delicious sauces :)
xxO :)
Cognac is wonderful! I saw that video a few days ago and I too was laughing out loud but shaking my head at the same time. Did you hear the story about the fellow who was arrested for drunk driving in his motorized Lazy-boy chair? (It's not a joke, it's true.) The chair that got the gentleman into trouble was recently auctioned off on e-bay for $10,000!!! Go figure!
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