Artez Bas Armagnac
Jean-Philippe Brunello co-founded the family business, Artez, in 1995, on 12 hectares (30 acres) of land located in the Western part of the Bas Armagnac, although the eaux de vie have been produced at this distillery for many decades.
Jean-Philippe developed a passion for Armagnac and spirits from an early age due to his grandfather, a cellar master in Ognoas.
Single Varietal Armagnacs
The uniqueness of Artez is to produce mostly single varietals of Armagnacs, a very rare specialty which requires special skills from the distiller and blender.
Vineyard location: a high, sun-bathed hill on the Western part of the Bas Armagnac.
Soil: iron-rich sands (sables fauves), which produce eaux de vie that are generally supple in their youth and show a great finesse.
Vines: the vines are about 40 years old and the vineyard is planted with Baco, Ugni Blanc and Folle Blanche vines.
Production: about 40,000 bottles per year
Artez products are all natural with no sugar or caramel added.
Baco Napoléon
This Bas Armagnac is made from the hybrid clone of the Folle Blanche grape and an American grape called Noah. It was developed by French professor, Francois Baco after the phylloxera destroyed the whole Folle Blanche vineyard in France in 1862.
Nowadays, Baco covers only 10% of the total Armagnac vineyard, making Artez Armagnac Baco a very rare spirit.
This Napoléon is single distilled at the estate and put into oak barrel for 10 years minimum. It displays a robust middle palate, with flavors of pitted plum, dried apricot, quince and vanilla.
Reviews
94 points. "The Baco grape variety represents only 10% of vineyards used to make Armagnac, so it’s not often seen as a single varietal bottling. The end result is a sweet vanilla fragrance and pleasing gingerbread interspersed with espresso, vanilla and a hint of hazelnut. The drying finish is lifted by orange peel and cracked black peppercorn. Best Buy." (Wine Enthusiast, 2021)
"91 points" (Cigar & Spirits Magazine)
92 points. "This tawny brandy, with orange highlights, benefits from some time in the glass. Silky and elegant, this has mild apricot, vanilla and nut flavors that stretch into the long, long finish. Pair with a rich dessert like bread pudding." (Wine Enthusiast, 2012)
Folle Blanche Napoléon
This Bas Armagnac is made from 100% Folle Blanche grape, which was the staple grape in Armagnac, France until the phylloxera destroyed the whole vineyard in 1862. Today, Folle Blanche represents only 5% of the total Armagnac vineyard, making Artez Armagnac Folle Blanche a rare spirit indeed.
This Napoléon is single distilled at the estate and put into oak barrel for 10 years minimum. It displays floral aromatics typical of the grape varietal, white peach flower, dried apricot and orange peel flavors.
Learn more about Folle Blanche grapes.
Reviews
93 points: "The Folle Blanche grape variety represents only 5% of vineyards used result here is a restrained vanilla aroma, leading into lip-smacking brown sugar, maple and cocoa powder. Best Buy." (Wine Enthusiast, 2021)
4 stars, Highly Recommended: “Initial whiffs find a more elegant opening aroma than the burly baco as the first impressions are of ripe grapes, holiday spice cake, dried tropical fruits (pineapple, banana), oaky tannins, sawdust, and brown butter; secondary inhalations encounter a more streamlined, integrated bouquet of gravitas and harmony where the fruit and wood marry seamlessly. Entry is elegant, dry, mildly oaky, a touch toasty, and velvety in texture; midpalate reaffirms the splendid flavors found in the entry, being more woody than I recall, but still the flavor integration is what makes this brandy so delectable. Finishes medium long, with savory tastes of coffee, crème brûlée, vanilla bean.” (Paul Pacult, The New Kindred Spirits 2021)
Gold Medal (Bartender Spirits Awards, 2021)
"95 points. Superb!" (Wine Enthusiast, 2012)
"Finalist: 94 points. Excellent/Highly Recommended" (Ultimate Spirits Challenge, 2011)
Ugni Blanc Napoléon
This rare Bas-Armagnac is produced from historic Ugni Blanc grapes grown in the appellation's highly regarded "Golden Triangle." This is the grape varietal that producers in Armagnac and Cognac turned to following the phylloxera outbreak in 1862.
Today, Ugni Blanc remains the primary grape used in Armagnac. It is resistant to frost and diseases, and provides a good foundation for making a well-rounded and extremely pleasant Armagnac.
This Napoléon is single distilled at the estate and put into oak barrel for 10 years minimum. It marries a robust powerful nose with light floral aromatics and develops into rich vanilla flavor.
Vintage 1995
This Armagnac is produced in the Midour valley, in the heart of the Bas Armagnac, known for its soil of tawny sand, giving very supple and ripe spirits.
100% Baco - Old Vines
Single Distilled at the estate
Distilled in 1995. Bottled in 2017. 22 years old
Bottled at Cask Strength, 46%
1200 bottles from Gascon oak barrel no. 5
Reviews
93 points. "This 22-year-old single-cask bottling, distilled in 1995, has a mild cinnamon aroma and velvety palate showing cocoa, fudge and hazelnut. Orange peel briefly perks up the midpalate, fading to chocolate and clove." (Wine Enthusiast, 2021)
4 Stars! Highly Recommended "Chestnut / deep brown color; immaculately clean and pure. I like the opening aroma right away as it features rich grapy / white raisin, yellow plum, and baking spices (clove, cinnamon) fragrances in equal measure; more time in the glass allows the aroma to expand to include scents of baked banana, cherry strudel, and crème caramel dessert. Entry is tightly wound, lean, and acidic without an ounce of oaky lipids (fats) or resins showing, as the baked fruit aspects ascend, becoming more accentuated than in the bouquet; mid-palate echoes the entry findings, adding a heightened nuttiness that's more paste- and butter-like than candied. The deep-seeded nuttiness lasts long into the finish, providing a silky texture and razor-edged crispness that are beguiling and sensual. Even at 22 years and counting, it is clear that this Bas-Armagnac has lots of vibrancy to spare." (Paul Pacult, The New Kindred Spirits 2021)
Other Artez Products
Press
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