Méry Melrose Grande Champagne Ancestral Cognac

The Ancestral pours a deep amber color in the glass. Bringing this up to the nose, aromas of exotic fruits and sweet berries are joined by dried stone fruits with a touch of fruit cake, honey, spice, and smoky rancio. The palate is similarly complex and harmonious and the finish is very long. D&M Tasting Notes

This is the oldest release of the domaine. Some of these distillates were still in cask while the oldest vintages were in glass demi-johns. All came from the above ground stone ‘cellar’ whose walls are blackened by Baudoinia compniacensis—the black mushroom fungus that grows on humid walls in alcohol storage spaces that provides an ideal humid environment where spirits can age gracefully. There are four different vintages in total: 1960, 1975, 1983, and 1995. The 1960, 1975 and 1983 were distilled by Jean-Paul in the cold winter months on the family’s 20 hectoliter still, while the 1995 was distilled by François himself at the start of his time at the domaine. A new vigneron to us that is one of the rare Cognac producers that grows their grapes organically .The Ancestral is Janis and François’ release to honor those that have come before and that have worked the land for decades. They gained Ecocert and USDA organic certifications in 2011