AMERICANS ARE BACK IN COGNAC

Sazarac Logo

On 22nd December 2016, in Jarnac (Charente) in front of Notary Marcadié, the family owned Sazerac Company (www.sazerac.com) purchased Earl Domaine du Breuil de Segonzac.

The Sazerac Company (US distributor of Meukow) announced the purchase of Domaine Breuil de Segonzac Cognac from Patrick and Maria Brillet, which is located near the town of Segonzac, in the center of the Cognac region, precisely in the Grande Champagne appellation.

Domaine Du Treuil de Segonzac, Chateau

E.A.R.L. DOMAINE DU BREUIL DE SEGONZAC
Lieu DIT CHEZ COLLET
BP 70032
16130 SEGONZAC

The acquisition includes the cognac distillery, vineyards, existing buildings including a manor-style mansion dating from 1870, an 18th-century restored farmhouse, visitor center and existing stocks. The property is about 220 acres and includes its own grape-pressing operation and distillery with four pot stills, two of which are antique.

Domaine Du Treuil de Segonzac, Distillery

Back in the early 1990s, Patrick and Maria Brillet started turning their production
into certified bio/organic. This decision was rather disruptive in the region as their were among the first.

They originally started converting their wine production in certified bio/organic, and later completed this convertion entirely in about 2006.

About 140 acres (57 hectares) are planted in ugni blanc for the production of cognac.
The Estate produces about 200.000 bottles per year altogether of cognac, pineau des Charentes, wines, and grape juice.

Domaine Du Treuil de Segonzac, Distillery

Mark Brown, Sazerac Company president and chief executive, makes its first purchase in France, and not the least because it makes a connection to the roots of Sazerac, whose ancestors came from France to Louisiana a long time ago and who originated the famous cocktail Sazerac which favors the use of cognac.

Mark Brown is a family descendant who has a very dynamic managerial style. He is an avid reader of the news and makes a digest of the wine & spirits news pretty much everyday and share it with his associates. Sort of his own blog.

Patrick and Maria Brillet will retire and the managerial position will go to Clive Carpenter. Clive has worked about 25 years in executive sales for Hennessy (mostly in Asia), then about 10 years for Camus also mostly in Asia, then semi-retired, and for the past 2 years for Cognac Prunier.

The existing team of Domaine Breuil de Segonzac will remain in place, the contracts in place for vineyard services are being honored, and the visitor center will remain open.

Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed but one would have to believe the price to be in the 6 million euro range, which is a bargain for Sazerac in comparison to the other recent acquisitions which were above 100 million euros.

Domaine du Breuil de Segonzac was using the brand of cognac named "Cognac Ouches du Breuil", which is very difficult to pronunciate in many other languages, hard to remember and rather not famous. The name "Breuil" in cognac and the Cognac region is very common and this brand is already used by many in Cognac and by other spirits, i.e., Calvados Chateau du Breuil for instance.

Therefore, what will Sazerac use? That is interesting. Could they use 'Sazerac'? Perhaps!

I propose: Cognac Sazerac de Segonzac!

===> Becareful Internet site of Domaine Breuil Segonzac has a malware-virus right. User beware!

Sources: Sazerac, Domaine-Breuil-Segonzac, Charente Libre

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COGNAC LOUIS ROYER HAVE PURCHASED A VINEYARD IN GRAND CHAMPAGNE

Cognac Louis Royer was established in 1853 in Jarnac. With more than 2,000,000 bottles sold they appear as one of the leader in the 2nd group of cognac trading houses.

First group is composed of Hennessy, Remy Martin, Martell and Courvoisier.

In 1989, Louis Royer was purchased by Suntory, a Japanese brewing and distilling company more famous under its malt whisky named Yamazaki. First thing the japanese did in the early 1990 was to refocus the business on the core competencies and they sold the vineyards in the Borderies.

After the first group cognac houses announced paying 10% more for the eaux-de-vie just this months, and all indicators showing a healthy growth for the cognac market, and that Cognac Louis Royer is benefiting from this growth it seems logical that they look and why not acquire again a vineyard in cognac. Well, it is done. The local newspapers Charente Libre and Sud Ouest have both announced that Cognac Louis Royer purchased last Monday 12th November 2012, a vineyard in Grande Champagne.

Cognac Louis Royer Happy Bee Going to the Vineyards

Exactly, they acquired 83 hectares of land including 34 hectars of planted vineyard in Saint-Fort sur le Né from SCEA Domaine Du Ménis, created in 1961 was in the hands of the Giraudet family since 1980.

One would imagine that this purchase may limit their dependencies on other suppliers but perhaps this is not the reason since they need about 15,000 Hecto liter of Pure Alcohol (HPA), and this vineyard will only contribute up to 350 HPA.

Suntory has already invested in vineyards in Bordeaux and perhaps they are trying to gain more control by vertically integrating the production. Traditionally, Cognac Louis Royer has not been involved in the cognac vineyards, and this change will be something new for the company.

Sources: Charente Libre and Sud Ouest