SINGLE VARIETAL BRANDY MADE IN AUSTRALIA CALLED OCHRE - IS IT A COGNAC?

The Australian Cognac says Melbourne Food & Wine Festival in its recent article introducing Ochre Brandy.

Ochre Brandy, Aged Grape Spirits

Further, Ochre Brandy website ochrespirit.com.au says: "...Ochre is a handcrafted Cognac-style spirit..."

Sorry but Cognac is brandy but not all brandies are cognac. To be called 'cognac' a brandy requires a huge list of characteristics, too many to summarize in a short blog. But essentially, this brandy need to be made in the cognac region which is in the South West of France, from grape harvested in the same region, double distilled in small copper pot stills, and aged in French oak casks.

As I said this is only a summary, learn more from cognac.fr for the different details which makes cognac such a unique and the finest brown spirits.

I am very intrigued by this chardonnay brandy as Ochre is just launching its first batch. The article says:

"This rare 1st vintage spirit is double distilled in an Alembic still on the Mornington Peninsula from Chardonnay grapes. The resulting deep golden colour of the spirit reflects the rich red soil that is prevalent in the Red Hill wine growing region."

Something is wrong here ... Distilling is extracting the vapor of alcohol first, and vapors are always clear like water, at least if distilling correctly the heart of the distillation. Hence, the 'deep golden color' does not come from the chardonnay but from the aging in wood barrels.

See more Single Grape distillations from Monteru Single Grape Brandy.

Clearly Ochre seems like a fine brandy which is very much inspired by cognac. Germain Robin Brandy in the USA for instance as successfully with time established a good reputation for a super premium brandy so it is possible that Ochre becomes the brandy from the Southern Hemisphere.