Origin of Pineau des Charentes
How was Pineau des Charentes created?
Pineau des Charentes is said to be the result of a mistake!
In the 16th century, a winegrower poured grape juice into a barrel of Cognac eau-de-vie. Years later when the blend was tasted, it was no longer Cognac but a liqueur wine: Pineau des Charentes. In 2018, The Guilon-Painturaud House created a Pineau Creation activity, during which you blend your own Pineau, then leave with your personalised bottle! To learn more it's just here !
What is Pineau des Charentes?
The Pineau des Charentes has been an AOC (Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée) since 1945. It is produced in the same area as Cognac. Pineau des Charentes can therefore only be made in the Charente, Charente-Maritime and a few communes in the Dordogne and Deux-Sèvres.
The second condition to obtain the Pineau des Charentes designation is that the grape juice and the eau-de-vie must come from the same estate.
At Domaine Guillon Painturaud, all our pineau is made from 100% Grande Champagne Cognac eau-de-vie, the 1st cru of Cognac, since all our parcels are located in Segonzac, capital of Grande Champagne. This allows us to obtain very fine and balanced Pineau des Charentes.
How is Pineau des Charentes made?
The Pineau des Charentes is a liqueur wine. To make Pineau des Charentes, ¾ of freshly pressed grape juice is mixed with ¼ of cognac brandy from the previous year.
This ratio creates a Pineau at 17°C, which will then be aged in French oak barrels for varying lengths of time.
How to recognise the age of Pineau des Charentes?
Pineau des Charentes must respect very precise specifications. Thus, it must only be aged in oak barrels, for several years or even decades. According to the color of the Pineau, the minimum ageing period will not always be the same.
What are the differences between a young pineau, an old pineau and an extra old pineau?
- Young white pineau: it must be aged for a minimum of 18 months, including 12 months in oak barrels.
- Young pineau rosé or young pineau red: it must age for a minimum of 12 months, including 8 months in oak barrels.
- Old white pineau, old rosé pineau and old red pineau : it must age for at least 7 years in oak barrels.
- Very old white pineau, very old rosé pineau and very old red pineau: it must age for a minimum of 12 years in oak barrels
Guillon-Painturaud was one of the first and the few to cultivate the art of long ageing for its Pineau des Charentes. Today, it is still one of the few houses to offer Pineau des Charentes wines with a long ageing process. White and rosé Pineau over 20 years old , thanks to a savoir-faire transmitted from generation to generation.
Which grape varieties are used to make Pineau des Charentes?
Whether it is white, rosé or red, Pineau des Charentes offers a very rich aromatic palette. Each grape variety will bring its own aromas and particularities.
What are the differences between white pineau, rosé pineau and red pineau?
White pineau is made from white grapes pressed as soon as the harvest is finished. The main grape variety used in the region to make white pineau is ugni-blanc, but you can also find sémillon, colombard, folle blanche, montils, chaché gris or sauvignon. On the palate, white pineau reveals mostly fresh fruit notes: peach, plum, fig...
The red or rosé pineau is made from red grape must. The red grapes are macerated for some time so that the skin of the fruit produces this beautiful bright color, typical of Pineau des Charentes. The main grape varieties used for red and rosé Pineau are Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Malbec. In general, these pineau provide notes of red fruits.
At Guillon-Painturaud, we produce both White and Rosé Pineau. We use Semillon and Ugni-Blanc for the White Pineau and Cabernet Franc and Merlot for the Rosé Pineau.
How to store Pineau?
To preserve Pineau, we recommend that you always put the bottle of Pineau upright and not lying down like wine bottles.
Before opening the bottle of Pineau, we recommend that you put it in the refrigerator. Ideally, Pineau should be served chilled between 6°C and 8°C.
Once the bottle of Pineau is opened, you can leave it in your refrigerator, upright. Pineau can then be kept in the refrigerator for 2 months.
When and how to drink Pineau?
Traditionally, Pineau des Charentes is best drunk as an aperitif, either chilled, on the rocks or in cocktails Here are some ideas for Pineau des Charentes cocktails.
But contrary to popular belief, Pineau des Charentes can also be drunk with a meal, especially when it is an old and very old pineau. Thus, an extra old pineau rosé goes perfectly with vanilla ice cream or a chocolate dessert. As for the extra old white pineau, it goes perfectly with Roquefort, Comté or Foie Gras.
Guillon-Painturaud: an exceptional figure in the world of Pineau des Charentes
In 1975, Jean-Pierre Guillon was one of the first in the region to market his own Pineau des Charentes directly in bottles, whereas at the time everything was sold only in bulk.
This is where the love story between Guillon-Painturaud and Pineau des Charentes began.
From the beginning, Jean-Pierre decided to promote the value of the Grande Champagne terroir, the 1st Cru of Cognac, by patiently aging his Pineau. Thanks to this savoir-faire transmitted from generation to generation, the Guillon-Painturaud House has become today one of the emblematic figures in the art of long ageing of its Pineau des Charentes.
If you are looking for old and very old Pineau des Charentes to buy in our store, then we offer Pineau extra vieux blanc and Pineau extra vieux rosé for sale.
Today, Mathilde & Élise, two sisters, are carrying on the tradition of the long ageing on their Pineau des Charentes.
Do you like Pineau des Charentes but don't really know how to choose it? We give you all the keys in our article "How to choose Pineau des Charentes
