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The oldest French eaux-de-vie
The story of Armagnac known as the most ancient in France, began at the beginning of the 15th Century in Gascony. The first sales emerged at the Saint Sever market in the Landes between 1411 and 1441 proved by a document from 1439, as well as commercial records regulating sales in 1461. However, Armagnac was already known by the name « Aygue Ardente » (« water that burns ») around 1310 at the Vatican where the records speak highly of its merits, namely the composition by Maître Vidal Duffour who advised the consumption of Armagnac to preserve one's health and stay on good form, setting out 40 virtues of Armagnac. « It makes redness and burning of the eyes disappear, cures hepatitis if drunk with sobriety, gout... , wounds by application. Regular administration to a paralysed member will restore it to its normal state. It sharpens the mind ... delays senility ... soothes toothache ... gets rid of earache ... relieves headaches etc.».
In fact it was produced in the first place for its therapeutic virtues. These have been in part confirmed by recent studies conducted by the SFRI (Société française de recherche et d'investissements) who have established that the ageing of Armagnac in oak barrels reinforces the protection of DNA and that Armagnac has shown proven antiradical activity.
The expertise that has permitted the development of this exceptional eau-de-vie are equally diverse, from : Latin Europeans who introduced the vines, Arabians who brought us the alambic (still) and the Celts who gave us the barrels. The fruits of multiple invasions, this knowledge has been added to the characteristics of this terroir : the land, the climate and the oak.
The Armagnac vineyards are situated in the heart of Gascony, once home to the famous D'Artagnan. It is mainly gently sloping, well exposed hillsides. The climate is quite harsh. In winter, a cold wind rushes down from the Pyrenees. In the summer, the hills and valleys bake under a blazing sun. Meanwhile, the ocean influence brings humidity from the West and along with the Mediterranean in the East, combines to give a mild and moderate overall climate.
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