Gilles Brisson

  • Cognac, France
Gilles Brisson

The Gilles Brisson estate has been family owned and run for 4 generations. Located in Châteaubernard, the cradle of the Grande Champagne appellation, 2 miles away from the city of Cognac, the estate owns 65 hectares in total, 25 of which are planted to Ugni-Blanc for Cognac production; this is quite a lot for an independently run Grande Champagne estate. Cyril Brisson has run the estate since 1989, having learned the arts of distillation and aging under the attentive eye of his father. In turn, Cyril’s young son Alexis is already learning from his father to keep and follow the family tradition. Little has changed in how the cognacs here are made over the last century. The estate uses only their own fruit. Grapes are harvested in mid-October, and are vinified before undergoing a careful distillation from Oct. 15th to Jan. 15th. Only the coeur de chauffe- the finest cut of the newly distilled spirit- is put into cask, where it ages in the estate’s cellar far longer than legislation requires. This additional aging time is a must for these cognacs: the refined and precise aromatic expression (floral, dry vine shoots, lime tree, etc.,) develops intense aromas, and more fruitiness, with a longer time in barrel. Gilles Brisson labels their cognac under the prestigious and rare Grande Champagne Appellation, “1er Cru de Cognac”.

Cognac Gilles Brisson from Generation to Generation
Image Producer PRODUCT Description Country / Region

DB7430-NV
WS:93
Gilles Brisson Cognac Napoléon
NV
Napoléon designates a blend in which the youngest brandy has been stored for at least six years in cask; this is aged for 12 years. 100%... France

DB7577-NV
Gilles Brisson Pineau des Charentes
NV
A blend of unfermented grape juice mixed with unaged brandy then aged together for 18 months in oak. 17% abv   France

DB7428-NV
WE:91
Gilles Brisson Cognac VS
NV
 VS (“very special”, or three stars) designates a blend in which the youngest brandy has been stored for at least two years in cask; Gilles... France

DB7429-NV
WE:94
Gilles Brisson Cognac VSOP
NV
VSOP (“very superior old pale”, or Reserve) designates a blend in which the youngest brandy is stored for at least four years in cask; aged... France

DB7431-NV
WE:97
Gilles Brisson Cognac XO
NV
The minimum age of any brandy used in an XO must be 7 years. In 2016, the law will change to a minimum of 10 years;  this estate will not... France