LIFT YOUR SPIRITS

On her tour of Cognac HANNAH BALLANTYNE has a barrel of laughs

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A DARK amber liquid was indeed the first thing that impressed me when I arrived in Cognac, yet it wasn't what I expected.

No, I'd arrived in the spiritual home of the famous brandy in southwest France to be immediately wowed by... balsamic vinegar.

On arrival in the sunny Charente I went straight to the beautiful home of Baume de Bouteville, makers of five premium artisanal cognac-barrel-aged balsamics in the pretty village of Bouteville, midway between Cognac and Angoulême.

I enjoyed a fascinating tour of the Compagnie de Bouteville factory, where L'Original, Le Fume, Le Vegetal, No. 6 and No. 10 vinegars are made. We also learned about the manufacturing process and how the barrel ageing takes a minimum of 18 months and up to 10 years for “supreme quality” products.

A post-tour tasting is essential, with the sample vinegars accompanied by oysters, charcuterie and a glass of local wine.