Chances are, the drink is Cognac, the newly "rediscovered" drink trend of the moment. Once considered a rather stodgy spirit enjoyed by snooty older men, Cognac is now popular with rap stars, who increasingly set the trend for all things cool and fashionable. Need proof? Check out Hennessy's lavishly produced commercial featuring gorgeous models frolicking aboard a yacht anchored off St. Tropez.

Rich, sophisticated, and yet affordable at about $12 a glass, you may be startled to know this fragrant, smooth-drinking spirit began its life, like all brandies, as a wine. Yet, if it is a brandy, you may wonder, why is it called Cognac? How is a brandy produced, anyway?

Cognac is a delimited region in France that has been granted permission from the Appellation Controlée to call their brandy Cognac, signifying the region's importance as a quality producer of this product. Any region in France can produce brandy, but only brandy produced from grapes grown, distilled, and aged in Cognac can call their brandy Cognac, with its time-tested associations with quality.

What makes Cognac so exceptional is not the winemaking style as much as it is the terroir (the French word for "a sense of place"). The best areas of the Cognac Region have a white, chalky soil that gives grapes growing in this region a very unique flavor profile.

The Grapes of Cognac

Ugni Blanc (called Trebianno in Italy) is the main grape (95%) used to produce the eaux-de-vie (base wine) that will ultimately become Cognac. This grape offers high yields, has a good natural acidity, and provides floral, spicy notes - an aroma the French define as patisserie (pastry) to the finished product. Folle Blanche provides weight, a deeper fruitiness, and aromas of violet and angelica flower, but is more prone to disease.

Colombard has high acidity and is also aromatic. These grapes are grown in six specific subdivisions of Cognac called crus, with each cru representing a distinctive flavor. For example, Grande Champagne, the area around the towns of Cognac and Seconzac, yields the most delicate and fragrant brandy.

Harvest and Quick Fermentation

Once harvested by hand, these grapes are increasingly picked by machines that make their way through the widely spaced plantings, where the grapes are supported by high trellises. The grapes are quickly fermented with a gentler, traditional plate press, as any bruising of the skin would give the eaux-de-vie acidic bitterness.

Instead of adding sulpher (a common preservative), the wine maker relies on the grapes' high acidity to prevent oxidation and arranges a quick fermentation (five days to a week) at a temperature of 20-25 C°. The alcohol of the eaux-de-vie at this point is between 8 and 10 abv. Malolactic fermentation (the process that gives Chardonnay some of its buttery character) occurs naturally.

Distillation

By law, all Cognac must be distilled by midnight on March 31 of the year following the harvest. Distillation takes place on the Charentais still, with the eaux-de-vie distilled twice. The first pass is distilled in its entirety, with the resulting product called the brouillis (low wine, abv between 26 and 29% percent).

The brouillis is then redistilled, with the distiller keeping close watch on a mechanism called a hydrometer (along with relying on his own eyes and nose) to cut the distillate into three parts. The heads (the first part) are discarded, as are the tails (the third part) as they contain off-aromas. The only part the distiller is interested in is called the heart, now called the bon chauffe.

Aging

The bon chauffe is aged in new oak for six months to a year, and then moves into older oak barrels until it's legally of age (at two years) to be sold as VS Cognac. VSOP must spend four years in oak, and XO a minimum for six years, but in practice up to forty years.

In addition to these classifications is Fine Champagne, which is a blend of grapes only from Grand and Petite Champagne. After aging, the Cognac is blended and reduced from 70% abv to 40% with purified water.

Enjoying Cognac

James Bond and other sixties jet-set icons typically used a balloon glass to sip cognac, but experts advise that a tulip shaped glass (Riedel makes special glasses for this) be used to best concentrate the flavors. You can enjoy Cognac on its own or in a cocktail.

Next time you're at your favorite lounge, resist the temptation to order your usual chardonnay or cabernet sauvignon, and savor the history and cellar master tradition of a Cognac instead.