pressed from 90% made from Ugni blanc(ie trebbiano), folle blanche, Colombard and 10% of the grapes used can be Folignan, Jurançon blanc, Meslier St-François (also called Blanc Ramé), Sélect, Montils, or Sémillon
juice is left to ferment for 2–3 week with local region's yeast
at which point is about 7/8% alcohol
This wash is distilled using
Charentais copper alembic stills
the wash is poured into the curcubit,
where it is heated
collected by the anbix, (or the curcubit & anbix have been combined into a “retort”),
dribbling down into the receiver
the resulting distillate is called low-wine with an alcohol content of 25-35%.
Do it again to produce a 70% alcohol, colourless eau de vie, containing congeners that would not be there if we were talking about neutral spirits developed via a 90%+ rectifier based column still.
put into caskets, losing 3% to the angels per year, ends up as 45% alcohol.
Blended by the maître de chai (taster) with other blends to make complexity.
Transferred to bottles as aged, coloured, 40% alcohol.