INTERNATIONAL REACH,
LOCAL EXPERTISE

EXPERTISE

PROMOTING THE TERROIRS

Spirit France is an ambassador of French terroirs of Calvados and Armagnac. The group’s activity revolves around producing spirits exclusively from these regions.

CALVADOS

The group produces Calvados from two AOC: Calvados AOC and Calvados Pays d’Auge AOC. The main differences are the geographical location as well as the distillation method. Spirit France selects a wide variety of apples from various AOP to give their eaux-de-vie more aromatic complexity.

ARMAGNAC

The Armagnac AOC is divided into Bas-Armagnac, Ténarèze and Haut-Armagnac. By distillating wines from these three regions, each bearing distinct and complementary characteristics, Spirit France promotes the whole AOC region. By the same logic of obtaining varied and complementary products, the group distillates various varieties of grapes (Ugni Blanc, Folle Blanche, Colombard and Baco) by single or double distillation.

DISTILLATION

The story of Calvados and Armagnac spirits begins while ciders and wines boil in their copper alembics.

The unique expertise of Spirit France is embodied in their perfect mastery of both authorized distillation techniques of the AOC regions: single distillation (in column stills in Calvados and in Alambics armagnacais (Armaganac column stills) in Armagnac) and double distillation (said à repasse). During the distillation the slightest variation of the still’s temperature can deeply change the character of an eau-de-vie. This is when our cellar masters’ expertise is crucial to foresee, a few years in advance, to which blend an eau-de-vie will participate as soon as it is leaving the still.

AGEING

Resting in the silence and darkness of our cellars, our eaux-de-vie age patiently. For years, for decades. By being in contact with oak wood from French forests (Limousin, Tronçais, Allier, Gascogne) they structure and assert their aromas. Spirit France innovates by being the first to introduce casks made from Normandy oak in the ageing of their Calvados. Coarser of finer grain, new casks or casks of previous years, the cellar masters chose according to the final character they wish to obtain for each eau-de-vie.

BLENDING

Some eaux-de-vie reach full maturity after a few years of ageing. Others will wait decades and up to 50 years. It is up to our cellar masters to decide when the ageing ends and when the time has come for blending. When coming out the cask each eau-de-vie has an unique personality given by the duration of ageing, the vessel it aged in, the chosen distillation method and the variety of apple or grapes it is made from. These eaux-de-vie are all the notes the cellar masters select patiently to compose a perfect harmony. Thus are born our great Calvados and Armagnac.

OUR CELLAR MASTERS

SYLVAIN
PLUCHARD

CELLAR MASTER
for BOULARD / LECOMPTE

Cellar master for Maison Boulard and Maison Lecompte, Sylvain Pluchard portrays himself as a passionate creative. Lecompte’s Secret or the XO Auguste and the range of Boulard’s finishes are creations whose qualities he perpetuates with expertise and know-how.

JEAN-LUC
FOSSEY

CELLAR MASTER
for PÈRE MAGLOIRE

Jean-Luc has been the cellar master for Père Magloire since 2008. As a true conductor, he blends his eaux-de-vie the same way one would the notes of a symphony, creating cuvées such as Mémoire XO, Héritage Extra and the cuvée celebrating the bicentenary of Père Magloire…

JEAN-NOËL
DOLLET

CELLAR MASTER
for JANNEAU / LE MARQUE

Specialist in wines and spirits, after having travelled the world for major international brands for groups such as Moët Hennessy, Diageo or even Distell, and, with a Doctorate in hand, attached to the land, the vine, the terroir and the French way of life, Jean-Noël Dollet decided to settle down in Armagnac Ténarèze…