With three centuries of Cognac making under its belt, the Rémy Martin family certainly has perfected the art, and nowhere is this more clear than with its top-of-the-line offering, Louis XIII de Rémy Martin.

"Louis XIII is not a Cognac," they say at Rémy. "Put simply, it's a moment." Why is it a moment? Figure this: each bottle is a blend of 1,200 Cognacs, ranging from 40 to 100 years old, across three generations of Cellar Masters, resulting from the combined labor of 10,000 people.

The philosophy of Cognac is terroir. According to Rémy Martin's philosophy, if you start with fine grapes from the best vineyards, sift through the proper and best eaux de vie, and then blend them artfully, you will get a fine Cognac.
 

The packaging of Louis XIII shares almost as much history as the Cognac itself. The idea for the glass came from an old bottle found by Emile Rémy Martin on a Jarnac battlefield. Since then, the carafe has evolved into its distinguished shape, manufactured by Baccarat since 1936. A solid gold collar encases the neck, which is adorned by a signature fleur-de-lys crystal stopper. Its Baroque-style glass and design may have been the inspiration for the name Louis XIII, a French king who ruled during the Baroque era. It is also noted that the Rémy Martin family had close connections with King Louis XIII, which serves as another explanation for the Cognac's name. Also of note: the exquisite red box that the bottle comes in is the first new design in 25 years.

As for taste, this Cognac boasts only the finest flavors. You are greeted by a noble deep amber color. On the nose there are aromas of delicate flowers, rich fruits and intense spices. On the palate, Louis XIII takes you on a world journey: to China with flavors of lychee and ginger, to Cuba with cigars and cigar box, and Central America with cinnamon.

More than a gift, an unforgettable and timeless memento.

WINE FEATURE

The majority of this hedonistic beauty, the Cuvée Christine, is from warmer and rockier sites east of the Russian River Valley. Fermented with less stems (about 30%), and aged for one year in more new oak (about 70%) than most wines, this

tasty drop is ready to rip but will reward as much patience as you are willing to give.

Dark purple core with a ruby hue, black raspberry andblackberry dominate the Cuvee Christine with underlying notes of bramble, fennel and black cardamom. Waves of rich, thick, juicy fruit stroke the palate, marked by a bright, fresh and crystal clean finish, thanks to last year's cooler, extended growing season.  

The new kid on the block from Black Maple Hill. This small batch bourbon is blended from casks averaging 8 years old at Black Maple Hill and has some barrels as old as eighteen years. It is surprisingly smooth at 95 proof, and is a truly enjoyable small-production product. The Black Maple Hill came up very sweet and fruity on the nose, with a complex woodiness and an intriguing depth. On the palate, the whiskey continued its waves of sweetness, with touches of apples and pears mixed with brown sugar and leather. Touches of mild sourdough in the luscious middle were the main clues that this was a rye, and - most remarkable to me - the whiskey had an incredibly long and luxurious finish, with bright fruity notes that danced on the palate long after the whiskey was swallowed.