Family Tradition Cognac

02/04/2022

Billy Flynn will be accompanying me on guitar!! Experience 5 exquisite, artisan Cognacs and two Cognac aperitifs and a charcuterie plate from the delicious City Winery kitchen! Blues and Cognac go together like dots on dice and like cold is to ice!!!

*All indoor guests of City Winery will temporarily need to provide proof of vaccine or show a negative Covid-19 test within the previous 72 hours, and wear masks indoors when moving throughout public areas. Ci

03/12/2021

https://fb.watch/4byzjjfKB1/

I am so excited to partner with Dayna Malow
and her amazing team at Live Art International
to bring you (virtually) a Blues and Cognac event I have been working on for many years. Join me while I pair my portfolio of artisan, family made Cognac with my music! Get the Spirit, Dance to the Music and Taste the TRUTH!!

05/04/2020

Hey Cognac lovers! Here are some thoughts and folklore regarding Pineau. It is truly one of the most delicious and versatile beverages I have ever experienced.

Pineau des Charentes

The most versatile alcohol beverage you have never heard of. What is it besides being hard to pronounce? The answer to all your questions is YES!
Is it an aperitif?
Is it good with dessert?
Can it be the base for a cocktail?
Is it a good cocktail modifier?
Is it good neat?

One day long ago in the 1560’s on a cold and cloudy morning a distiller realized he was running low on wine for family consumption. Although in the French department know as the Charente, most grape juice is slated to become the liquid gold we know as Cognac, a family still needs their wine stash. The distiller took some freshly pressed grape must (unfermented grape juice) and poured it into one of his many oak barrels. Three days hence he revisited the barrel and realized that it was silent. You see fermentation is audible. In fact in a different time the word fermentation was a synonym for the words agitation and excitement. Well it seemed the party never got started in this barrel of fun and the
distiller was perplexed. He dipped his wine thief into the barrel. Upon nosing the light yellow liquid he immediately realized his mistake: He had poured the must onto a third of a barrel of cognac, killing the yeast that starts the fermentation process. Disgusted with himself he put the barrel in the back of the cellar and forgot about it for a couple of years. In need of an empty barrel he remembered the “mistake” and fetched the vessel with the intention of emptying it and using it to age his brandy in. But first he decided to see what had happened during the unintended two year union between the must, the eau de vie and the oak. His look of disgust turned to surprise followed by exhilaration when he realized his blunder had yielded something not less than ambrosial. Thus was born Pineau des Charentes! (Whether this is true or not is of no consequence to anyone.)
Our Pineau:
Jean-Luc Pasquet Pineau des Charentes
Tasting notes:
White-gold in color, the nose of this Pineau is lively�and complex, with aromas of dried fruit; notes of pear- flambée and honey persist. It is wonderfully balanced on the palate as pear and honey flavors blossom from the start. The finish shines with invigorating, complex tannins and hints of candied grapefruit.
The classic use of this beverage is as an aperitif. Served neat and well chilled before dinner. My goodness the complexity of this aperitif is astounding. Especially considering it’s low ABV. In so many trendy bars and restaurants they are extolling the virtues of house-made, oak aged cocktails. PdC is the first ready to drink oak aged cocktail dating back to the mid 1500’s!!!

Do not get caught in the Charente pairing Sauterne with artisan Fois Gras, it is a capitol offense! PdC is the perfect pairing.

There is a small melon that resembles a cantaloupe in France called Melon Charentaise. It is 6” in diameter and about 3 lbs. If you are ever in Europe they are ubiquitous but they originated in the Charente. They are the REAL cantaloupe, what we in America call cantaloupe in really a muskmelon. In Cognac they cut it in half, remove the seeds in the middle, creating a luscious, salmon colored bowl. The flesh has a creamy texture and an ambrosial flavor. The bowl is then filled with the Pineau. You then take a spoonful of the musky melon drowned in PdC and…lord have mercy!!

As a base for cocktails: Our summer PdC Spritzer is a low maintenance high flavor, super refresher for a hot summer day:
In a Champagne flute, combine 1 ounce of Pineau des Charentes and 4 ounces of your favorite sparkling water. Garnish with a long lemon peel.
For a little more kick one can substitute their favorite sparkling wine for the sparkling water. Both versions work beautifully on the rocks as well. If served neat be sure Pineau and water (wine) are VERY well chilled.

As a modifier: PdC is wonderful in all classic cocktails as a substitute for sweet vermouth. Negroni, Manhattan, Boulevardier etc. Happy cocktail hour to all, enjoy responsibly!

01/31/2020

To all LOVERS of things with Soul and Spirit! Find out why family made, artisan Cognac goes together with deep Chicago Blues like Dots on Dice, cold is to ice, egg is to hen, Siamese Twins, red beans and rice..well you get the idea. With the accompaniment of Blues guitar master Billy Flynn we shall discuss the history, beauty and process of enjoying and producing the greatest Cognacs available in the world today, while seamlessly pairing my music to my Cognac. There are only 30 seats available so get your tickets NOW!!

Join us for an exclusive cognac tasting party and private acoustic blues performance in our beautiful barrel room adjacent to the winery. We'll be tasting cognac curated by Matthew Skoller, US Sales and Co-Founder of Family Tradition Cognac. Matthew is not only an expert in the world of cognac but i...

09/18/2019

Super excited to be going to NYC! Amongst other things I will be holding a seminar/Blues & Cognac extravaganza at The Brooklyn Wine Exchange on September 28th!! Check it out:

06/09/2019

Pasquet L’Organic 04 – Certified organic, artisan, single vineyard, grower-cognac.

Tucked in the rolling hills of the Grande Champagne region of Cognac lies a tiny village called Eraville, it is here you will find the Pasquet family farm and distillery. The Pasquet Cognac vineyard has been family owned since 1730. Jean-Luc Pasquet and
his wife, Marie-Françoise, had been growing fruit conventionally on their 7 hectare estate until 1995 when they began to explore organic winemaking. In 1998, they were granted “Agriculture Biologique” certification. JLP is now spear-headed by Jean-Luc’s son, Jean who has apprenticed under his father since childhood. Jean does not chill-filter or add caramel or sugar to his cognac and only uses native yeast to start fermentation. He ferments his wine sur-lie and distils his cognac sur-lie.
L’Organic 04 (a fun play on the English word “Organic” with an ‘L’’ added for a French twist!) is a delightful expression of young and complex Grande Champagne Cognac. The “04” signifies the youngest eau de vie in the blend: 4 years old. But instead of adding older eau de vie to make the blend woodier and older tasting, Jean Pasquet wanted to celebrate the amazing characteristics of younger cognac by only blending 4 and 5 year old together.
The result is a lively pale gold cognac with a pale straw hue. Vibrant, fresh aromas of dried flowers, ripe pear, ripe apricot and orange zest. A very soft palate entry builds to a full, round and rich mouth feel, delivering bright,
fresh flavors of ripe stone fruits, dried figs, honey, cloves and cinnamon. Very gentle spirit warmth. Excellent balance. Long, dry aftertaste of dried fruits, cedar wood and cinnamon.

Best served neat or in your favorite cognac cocktail.

06/09/2019

We had a ball at Printer's Row Wine Shop yesterday! Between the Bluesfest and the Book Fair the joint was jumping! We moved a few bottles and gained a bunch of new Pasquet fans and rocked some tunes!! People are amazed by the Pineau. But the L'Organic 04 won the popularity contest in sales! It's a new frontier! (Photo: courtesy of Mavis Mather)

05/31/2019

I AM THE BLUES AND COGNAC GUY!!! Don't miss Saturday June 8th from 1pm-4pm at Printer's Row Wine Shop at 719 S Dearborn St, Chicago. I will be there pouring Pasquet's L'Organic 04 Cognac, Pasquet Pineau des Charentes and Pasquet Marie Framboise. I will have Tom Holland playing guitar while I pour and blow harmonica!! FREE ADMISSION!!!