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Torula Newsa news service for Cognac and the region edited by M. Andrew, F.I.J.E.V. |
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Torula Newsa news service for Cognac and the region edited by M. Andrew, F.I.J.E.V. |
| Op.dot.Ed | Spirit markets financials | Sponsored Competitions | Cognac Calendar 2000 | Meteo Weather | News Archives | Best travel deals |
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 Jean LAGARRIGUE,France, 94 Jonzac, 1 - 24 July 2000 |
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| 29/06/00 | Georges Roullet of Cognac Roullet-Fransac has return to his roots by moving to the house that once belonged to his ancestors like Arriette Martell, along the river Charente in Cognac. Selling about 250000 bottles a year in the USA, Germany and Scandinavian markets, Cognac Roullet-Fransac has open a shop presenting all of their products, from VSOP and up including several interesting Grande Champagne vintages (1934, 1937, 1940 and 1970). There are also Pineaux, Poire William and soon the new product that is about to be released in the USA. The shop reminds of an elegant club room with its antique furniture, Jacques Narceau' paintings and a relax atmosphere conducive to sampling and buying. Using his cousin's Fins Bois products from Chermignac and buying various Grande (from around Malaville and Bouteville) and Petite Champagne eaux-de-vie, Georges Roullet is building an interesting Cognac house. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 28/06/00 | The 25th World Congress of Vine and Wine took place in Paris last week. Participants from 48 countries discussed topics ranging from wine and health, viticultural economy, oenology to viticulture. Of the many position papers presented, we found "The 'bottom line' - Do moderate wine drinkers live longer?" with a resounding yes for the answer, "Integrated Production of Wine (IPW)" being most interesting and relevant to the Cognac region. The IPW concept can be applied to the Vin de Pays Charentais situation almost step-by-step. In the "Consumer behavior and marketing strategies" presentation many points apply directly to Cognac. The market is in a perpetual change where product style, packaging or distribution strategies must be frequently adjusted. To differentiate the product, an emphasis must be placed on terroir, appellation and brand (frequently associated with price value and quality). Consumer is changing from a traditional to experimental as a result of fewer trade barriers and increased access to information exemplified by Internet. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 27/06//00 | After years of absence, a French Minister of Agriculture stopped over in the Cognac region. A credit for his short visit must go to a local politician, Marie-Line Reynaud who is determine to raise the region visibility in Paris. After plenty of photo opportunities, meetings with young producers, the BNIC, the Minister left the region with words of encouragement: restructure, organize, AOC etc. In other words, the long needed change must come from viticulteurs and merchants. If the recent creation of Syndicat du Cognac, a Cognac Wine Growers' Association (yet another bureaucratic level?) is any indication, than the region is simply not prepared for a change. The much needed and much talked about change is about making drastic decisions; less producing hectares, new pricing methods, fewer syndicats (eliminate all except one for growers and one for merchants), restructure BNIC, eliminate the purchasing alphabet soup (ACBC, Champaco, UVDC, UVPC, SICAVAC and others), get competitive, diversify and most importantly, start promoting and marketing generic Cognac product worldwide. Those steps need a vision, unity and strong decision making. They are in short supply in the Cognac region. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 26/06/00 | A frequently recurring dream in the Cognac region is that the locals (mostly former executives at the Cognac houses) have any say in the future of Cognac Martell. The dreams range from Martell going to AlliedDomecq who in turn will sell its Cognac Courvoisier to RémyCointreau (a parent of Cognac Rémy Martin). A good logic but short on reality. Another one is that the family Martell will buy it back. And yet another one, is that the locals will organize a management buyout. Both of those dreams defy logic and reality. Seagram spirits group price tag is somewhere between $6 to $8 billion. What is Cognac Martell price tag? Torula News sources at the Paris Bourse estimate a $400 to $600 millions, at best. But they quickly add: "Money can be found but a management team capable of running it is a different story". While VivendiUniversal executives keep enjoying whisky and water and watching Gladiator, AlliedDomecq leads a pack of potential buyers of the Seagram spirits group. Dreams have a rare habit of becoming a realty. (SudOuest24/06/00) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 26/06/00 | Click here to view an additional pictorial essay of Registry C5 (Corvettes and its drivers) experience at Cognac Hennessy. Pictures are courtesy of the Hennessy staff. They had fun! | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 23/06/00 | Torula News correspondents awarded the Silk Banner 2000
to L'Aventure du Cognac for the best guided visit tour to Cognac
Houses. The Torula News Silk
Banner 2000 award will be presented at L’Ecomusée du Cognac, 17770 Migron on Tuesday,
27 June 2000 at 17:30. |
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| 22/06/00 | Our British correspondent writes: "The aftermath of the recent BNIC CognacAlambic promotion at the Waterloo Station in London reverberates in the British press. Much of it is based on quotes attributed to Claire Coates and Pierre Nouailletas of the BNIC. They range from such inaccuracies as: 'In the USA there is a veritable fashion for Cognac in long drinks' to outdated comments like 'We are now looking for sexual equality, we are seeking a younger and particularly a more feminine drinker'. And the topper comes from Christophe Neufcoeur, an owner of a bar outside of Paris: 'British women are prepared to try almost anything alcoholic. Perhaps they'll be the salvation of Cognac'. After a successful presentation at the Waterloo Station, the follow up in the press is not helping the Cognac industry. Shouldn't the industry take a notice and finally do something about it?" | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 22/06/00 | In
Cyrillic or not, click here to see Cognac
made in Moldova. Torula News has learnt that a major marketing campaign is being prepared
to launch these products into the USA market. |
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| 21/06/00 | Vivendi/CanalPlus spends $46 billion for a ticket to Hollywood, Sting concerts and content to fill its payTV, Pathe and Vizzavi distribution networks. The purchase of Seagram Co.(a parent of Cognac Martell) opens the possibilities for the next big deal; VivendiUniversal (as the new entity will be known) and Murdoch's News Corp. If that is the objective than Jean -Marie Messier, author of this deal and its new chairman, is on a right track to compete with AOLTime Warner in the future. By that time, VivendiUniversal promises to sell its spirits assets, preferably in one transaction, to the no.2 spirits company in the world, AlliedDomecq (a parent of Cognac Courvoisier). Putting aside vodka, whisky and other spirits that Seagram assembled over the years, its faltering Cognac Martell business may benefit from the AlliedDomecq's management and distribution networks. So, what of Bronfmans family, who always like to come to Cognac and spend time at the Château de Chanteloup? Samuel Bronfman started a distillery in Montreal some 75 years ago, his sons successfully developed it while his grandson, Edgar Junior sold it all. He did not like oil business so he sold it at the bottom prices to DuPont. Than, in pursuit of his music and movie hobbies he run up a huge debt and forgot the spirits cash machine. He needed to sell. It will be a surprise to all, if Edgar Junior is still at VivendiUniversal for the next big deal. Will we see any Bronfmans in Cognac this autumn? Probably not. For Cognac Martell, a new ownership might be better than the current state of limbo. What AlliedDomecq or other buyer must realize that Martell is not Courvoisier thus the effort to fix it will be much greater. But it is still one of the best brand names in Cognac. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 21/06/00 | RémyCointreau, a parent of Cognac Rémy Martin, reports year ending, through March, positive numbers: revenues are up 22.5%, profits are up 51% and the stock has finally moved up as well. Its strength is based on the improved sales of Cointreau liqueurs and Rémy Red in the USA, better than expected performance of Rémy Silver (recently renamed Rémy Platinum, a vodka-cognac blend) and, of course, a solid champagne performance. As important to the group, its Cognacs sales have improved by some 20%. So, what’s next for the group? Dominique Hediard-Dubreuil, the President, believes in partnerships (like their distribution group Maxxium) but not in acquisitions according to the recent interview on CNBC. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 21/06/00 | Paradis
is owning the 5th generation Corvette cars to the members of C5 Registry. They met recently at Hennessy
in Cognac to taste among others, Hennessy Cognac Paradis. 20 Corvettes
with 40 drivers from the USA and Canada were on their way to Le Mans 24 race. Led by the
in fatigable Dan Adovasio of Florida, the C5 Group
had a great time at the Hennessy courtesy of Jean-Marc
Granger, a hospitable boss of the Quais Hennessy. Cromwells of
Massachusetts, Maglios of Milford, NJ, the family Clark of Delaware (parents Susan and
Richard, daughters Mary and Lisa and son Allen) and other members enjoyed their drive
through Charentes and unanimously picked Hennessy Paradis and XO
Grande Champagne as Hennessy's best. But we noticed that some of the younger
members were into Pure White tasting as well. Frederic Dupont, a
Frenchman living in the region, driving his ’65 Corvette, was their pacesetter in the
best of Franco-American friendship tradition. |
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| 20/06/00 | Taking
the lead from, perhaps, Ile de Re potatoes cooperative (see our item in May), 3 farmers
around Jarnac Champagne in the Petite Champagne cru of
the Cognac region, are into carrots production. Jacques Sahuc, Jean Louis
Girard and Jacques Charrier are taking the diversification of the region in the right
direction. Carrot Juice, Carrot cake or the small sous-vide raw carrots from Jarnac
Champagne are just around the corner. |
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| 20/06/00 | Daniel Bouju
Cognacs (including his Royal at 60% alc. vol.) extend their Scandinavian reach into Sweden
after a big success in Denmark. Jon
Bertelsen Prelude and Symphonie Cognacs from Léopold
Gourmel entered Sweden recently after a successful first year in Norway. |
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| 19/06/00 | After a very successful campaign build around recent Vinexpo 2000 in Tokyo, Cognac producers led by a formidable Hennessy marketing machine are seeing renewed interest in Cognac. Prices are moving up (with VSOP being offered at retail in the ¥5800 – 8000 range and XO in a ¥12000 – 20000 range), women are buying it and the local sellers expect good news towards the end of the year writes our Japanese correspondent. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 19/06/00 | Cognac
Gourry de Chadeville opened a shop in Cognac St.Jacques, across Charente river
from Hennessy, Otard and Cognac&Pineaux shops of Mery
and Fransac. The shop is open Tuesday to Saturday from 10:30 to 14:00 and
from 16:00 to 19:30. It offers Cognac Long Drink, VSOP, Très Vieux and XO,
all Grande Fine Champagne and Pineau des Charentes. You
can taste before buying. |
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| 19/06/00 | Seagram (a parent of Cognac Martell) is negotiating a merger/sell to the French media and water powerhouse Vivendi. Target date for concluding this transaction is set for 26 June, with the Vivendi Board meeting today. This, almost certainly means that Martell will be sold or its assets exchanged. Many names are in the shopping ring for this declining asset; Allied Domecq (a parent of Cognac Courvoisier), Pernod Ricard (a parent of Cognac Bisquit), Marie Brizard (a parent of Cognac Gautier). But, more realistically speaking names like BacardiMartini (a parent of Château du Cognac), Nestle, Diageo are potential acquirers. And then, of course, there are dark horses in the running like large buyout groups of KKR, Muse Hicks etc. We will not be surprised, however, that Vivendi will keep Martell (and other spirits assets), fix its problems and then sell it to the public over the next 2-3 years providing there is enough management skill and time at the group. But the main deal is not done yet. Merging, for example, Courvoisier and Martell makes little sense except that the combined companies will be number 2 behind Hennessy. Being number 2 should not be the objective, any business objective is to be number 1. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 17/06/00 | Torula
News has learned of the following results from the International Spirits Challenge in
London: |
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| 16/06/00 | After
a short slowdown, the Girls behind le-cognac.com
are back and ready to roar. Amelie and Chantal are revamping the site, business concept
and preparing for a September re-launch. Welcome back! |
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| 15/06/00 | Barry
Hantman wrote in a recent email: “Thank you for adding a very nice touch to my
family's |
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| 15/06/00 | Prion
Books expanded their spirits Classic series (from tequila to rum) by adding Classic
Brandy by Nicholas Faith, a well known and respected journalist, writer and
taster. Well written in a breezy style, this Classic is a slim down version of his other
bestsellers published under The Mitchell Beazley and Flammarion imprints. It covers some
40 Cognac producers, several brandies with lots of labels and bottle pictures. Classic
Brandy is available in the UK, at £12.99. Cognac is still looking for a quality book that
can compete with the Paczensky masterpiece of the early 1980s. |
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| 14/06/00 | The
family Lefoulon bought 10
hectares of Petite Champagne vineyard in 1900. Today, Patrick, the 4th
generation son, took over from his father Jean-Paul and works only with 3 hectares
vineyard. But the size has put no limit on the quality of his products. He makes an
excellent VSOP and Vieille
Reserve. Both are aged beyond the required minimums, VSOP is about 10 years old
and the Vieille Reserve dates back to 1986-88. A classy packaging with product notes and
Cellar Master tasting comments makes this tiny producer (less than 2000 bottles per year)
from Saint Bonnet, a pleasant surprise among new arrivals to the bottling world of Cognac.
Click here for
our tasting notes. |
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| 14/06/00 | Rixendis’ Cognac Tasting Society and Restaurant La Cagouille in Paris hosted recently a Cognac tasting for the foreign press accredited in France. Among the products tasted were: Paul Beau VSOP, Dubiny Napoléon, Forgeron Hors d’Age, Gnac&Co XO, Leopold Gourmel Essence, Les Antiquaires Chais Houlette, Hennessy XO Grande Champagne, Lefoulon VSOP, Jacques Leteux XO, Laurent Merlin Hors Pairs and André Petit XO Extra. Italian, Japanese and American journalists together with some producers participated in a lively debate on the state of Cognac. Regretfully, no one from BNIC was present and there were many lessons to be learned. And all in French! During the outdoors lunch, one of the journalist entertain us with a poem from Goulbaneze and many anecdotes of past years press coverage of Cognac ... | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 13/06/00 | Some time ago, their father sold his Cognacs in bottles, mainly to Italy. Then, he stopped. Since March of this year his two sons, Jean and Roger Glemet began bottling their Cognacs, again. But it all really began in 1791 when their Grande Champagne vineyard started cultivating and producing eaux-de-vie. Today, both brothers work on a 43 hectares estate, Vignobles de Beaulieu, that is exclusively Ugni Blanc. They heavily lean towards a biological treatment of the vines. Long time suppliers to big eaux-de-vie merchants, Glemet brothers have now began bottling Long Drink Cognac, VSOP and XO in addition to their Pineau des Charentes. The Pineau Rouge uses Merlot grapes only. Both brothers are also interested in arts and recently held an exhibition of paintings and sculptures in their unique distillery. For tasting notes click here. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 12/06/00 | New
e-commerce web sites offering Cognac region products: www.pro-wine.com, based in Angouleme, offers e-commerce
for vini- and viti-culteurs, www.les-halles.com
that is managed by CER16, www.agrifirst.com
are now open for business. In addition, www.02vie.com
that offers information on spirits is open as well … |
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| 10/06/00 | Click here to read Gérard Allemandou' Cognac tasting comments on Rixendis' and Restaurant La Cagouille 20 of May tasting in Paris ... | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 10/06/00 | Another
way to sell Cognac in Brazil? It is a pouch that includes 3-measure
Doy-pack with Ginger Cognac. |
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| 10/06/00 | Que se passe t-il du coté des groupes de vins&spiritueux
? Si hier la rumeur d’une offre... |
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| 09/06/00 | Jean-Marc Olivier is the Cellar Master/Maitre d'Chai at Cognac Courvoisier in Jarnac. A proud and knowledgeable man working under the watchful eyes of his predecessors, Ronard and Boufflet. Recently we visited, talked about it and tasted his product range. A challenging tasting as products range from Fins Bois with a touch of Petite Champagne, all Fine Champagne with lie to exquisite selections of Fine Champagne, Grande Champagne and Borderies products. All very proper, quality products. The stand outs for us were: XO Imperial, Fine Champagne/Borderies of 20-25 years of age and the newest L'Esprit de Courvoisier, a superb blend of some 30 eaux-de-vie at 42% alc. vol. Both scored 10 out 10. Another outstanding product was Initiale Extra, a Grande Champagne and Borderies blend, so complex that we would like to re-taste it again. For now we scored it at 8/10. His Napoléon and VSOP, both blends of Fine Champagne, are quality products as well at 6/10 each. The VS, a robust Fins Bois blend with a hint of Petite Champagne and 4 crus blend Millennium scored 5/10 and 4/10 respectively. Cognac Courvoisier, a perennial number 2 in the UK and the USA markets offers quality. For notes on tasting click here. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 08/06/00 | AlcoholReviews.com recently reviewed our Independent Guide to Cognac. Their reviewer, Kevin R. Kosar, wrote: "This is a fine guide to cognac. It is chock full of everything the novice or more seasoned cognac drinker could want to know...This spiral bound, sparsely illustrated and eminently usable guide slips nicely in your jacket's inner-pocket and includes bare pages in the back where you can record your own tasting notes...(read more) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 07/06/00 | Results from the Rixendis' Cognac Tasting Society first of six events in Paris this year, are in. Hosted and co-sponsored by Restaurant La Cagouille in the 14th, many amateur tasters (several women among them) worked hard on a recent Saturday morning. The topic was Cognac age and the tasters worked with 8 products from Paul Beau, Jacques Esteve, André Petit, Hennessy, Rémy Martin, Paul Giraud, Jean Dubiny and Merlin. For results click here. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 06/06/00 | Led by Cognac Hennessy (click here for Hennessy press release), Cognac producers are attacking Japanese market again. Opening today is a Vinexpo2000 in Tokyo. In addition to Hennessy, Moyet, Rémy Martin, Martell, Brugerolle, Meukow, A.E. Dor, Frapin, L&L, Château Pulet and others are also present. Drinks International magazine is sponsoring a Cognac Cocktail competition which will include all of the Cognac exhibitors. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 06/06/00 | Following on the past successful promotions in Lille and Paris (Roissy Airport, Montparnasse train station), BNIC led JAAC (Young Viticulteurs Association) into London for CognacTonic and Alambic promotion of Cognac at the Waterloo Train Station, last week. Our correspondent wrote: "Great idea, lots of enthusiasm, free tasting and an excellent goodwill gesture. Now is the time to follow up with an advertising campaign in press and on the television." | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 05/06/00 | Cognac pricing examples (in FRF) from
randomly selected 2 French supermarkets; Géant in Angouleme (Cognac
region) and Auchan in Paris (Bagnolet). Confusing to say the least. For
example, a difference between Hennessy VS and VSOP is only F0.35 in Angouleme, no XO
qualities in Angouleme, Cognac selection in Paris, next to some 400 different whiskies
ranging in price from F88.95 (Famous Grouse) to Talisker 12 years old at F182.75, is
appalling. Why is the BNIC promotion and advertising campaign in France
not working?
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| 05/06/00 | Joining the prestigious space on the Cognac waterfront (Charente river), between Hennessy and L&L with Martell, Mery and Otard nearby, is Cognac Roullet-Fransac. Georges Roullet, the owner, purchased the property which now houses a bar La Flammande and already sells his products. By mid-June he will open a shop for his famous Cognacs and Pineaux. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 02/06/00 | Cave Gambetta in Barbezieux is owned by a local Cognac and Pineau des Charentes producer. A month ago, we wrote about it praising this initiative showcasing Cognacs and Pineaux of Jean-Louis Texier, André Petit, GNAC&Co, Omer Julien. On a recent visit, we noticed new addition to its product range; scotch whisky in the price range of F120 - 224. Well below of, for example, XO GNAC&Co at F360 in the Cave. A great disappointment! | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 01/06/00 | Up till now there were 20 industry men and women (10 traders/merchants and 10 viticulteurs) who directed communication efforts at the BNIC (The Cognac Association). Torula News often commented on the inability of the BNIC to communicate a simple message; what is Cognac? We often suggested that a simple, generic campaign a long the lines "Cognac is a product of wine" would go further than CognacTonic and Film Festivals promotions. We, however, always applauded the CognacAlambic at the train stations and airport campaigns. So, it came as a real surprise that the Cognac industry decided to enlarge its communication committee to Forty members. If Twenty can't do it right (just look at the sales figures for March 2000!) how could Forty do any better? The plan, as we understood, is to create an Operations Group of 10 who would interface between The Forty and the Communication Department (also due to some re-configuration) of the BNIC. More layers of inefficiency, more layers of collective disagreements, more obstacles toward a single communication vision for the product but a political status quo. In meantime, rules upgrading Cognac labels are bogged down in another committee for the past few months. Shouldn't that tell the industry something? |
.Torula News logo courtesy of Marie Claire Pajeile. |
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