If one were to bottle opulence, what would you get? Cognac. Liquid gold. Smooth, amber liquid that blurs the line between wine and spirits. 

This fabled creation is revered for good reason among even the most discerning drinkers. Put on a pedestal where whispers of its prestige swirl at its foot – songs are sung about it and no fine bar is complete without it. But what IS Cognac?

We at Dhall & Nash live and breathe wine all day every day so to find something that adheres to all the rules and intricacies within the world of wine, yet sits in a sphere of its own has captivated us.

Cognac is a type of Brandy named for the region of Cognac in France. The easiest way to explain it would be that all Cognacs are Brandy, but not all Brandies are Cognac. It must fit strict criteria to be a Cognac rather than a Brandy:

• It must hail from the Cognac AOC (Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée). Just as wines labelled Champagne must be from the Champagne AOC. Source of origin and locality is everything to French winemakers, and this extends to Cognac, too.
• It must be made from a specified grape variety (majoritively Ugni Blanc), that has been distilled twice in special copper alembic stills. The designs of such stills are – you guessed it – controlled by law.
• Once the distillation process has occurred, it must be aged for a minimum of two years in Limousin oak casks.

If you’re familiar with French wine, you will be familiar with appellations and the great impact they have on winemaking. 

The AOC system was formally introduced in the early 20th century when the Law for the Protection of the Place of Origin was passed. This was to guarantee the authenticity and quality of a product.

They are, in Layman’s terms, specific geographic areas wherein each area has its own set of strict rules that are enforced by law and overseen by a specially appointed government bureau (they take reputation very seriously!). If you don’t follow the rules, you don’t get to use the prestigious label name.

There are seven growing regions or ‘departments’ within the Cognac AOC, sometimes referred to as ‘Cru’. 

There are two major players, of whom have (arguably) the highest reputation – Grande Champagne and Petite Champagne. (Side note: these have nothing to do with the sparkling cuvées that are synonymous with the name). 

The other five are Borderies, Fins Bois, Bons Bois, Bois Ordinaires and Bois à Terroirs.

Cognacs hailing from the Grande Champagne department (area) of the AOC are considered to be the cream of the crop, followed closely by Petite Champagne. If a Cognac is a blend of these two designations it can be labelled as ‘Fine Champagne’ so long as the portion of Grande Champagne Cognac is 50% or more. Both areas boast shallow clay-limestone, over limestone and chalk.

One of the most frequently asked questions about Cognac is “what’s with the labelling system?” There are V’s and S’s and X’s aplenty – which can lead to a lot of head scratching for anyone who isn’t familiar with Cognac and all its intricacies. 

The good news is, there’s really only four designations of which you need to remember. VS, VSOP, XO and Hors d’âge, and each of them are an indication of age.

• VS: has been aged for a minimum of 2 years. VS stands for “Very Special” and can sometimes be represented as three stars.
• VSOP: Guarantees at least 4 years of aging. VSOP stands for “Very Superior Old Pale” or “Reserve”.
• XO: Until 2018, XO meant a wine was aged for 6 years. It now represents an aging time of 10 years, and the designation “Napoléon” will step in as the label for any brandies aged for 6 years. XO stands for “Extra Old”.
• Hors d’âge: or “Beyond Age”. To be labelled Hors d’âge, the Cognac fits the criteria of an XO, but the term Hors d’âge is often used to differentiate Cognacs that represent an even higher level of quality than an XO.

The best bit about these Cognacs is that the label given to a Cognac is determined by the age of the absolute youngest brandy used in the blending. Even in a VS bottling it is possible that some of the blend comes from barrels aged for decades.

Our little corner of the world of Cognac rests with Hine. While it isn’t quite one of the big wigs like Rémy Martin or Hennessy, it isn’t a small name and definitely shouldn’t be passed by. 

Hine was awarded the Royal Warrant in 1962 by Her Majesty the Queen Elizabeth II, and remains the only official supplier of cognac to the British monarchy. Honestly, if it’s good enough for royalty, it’s good enough for us, but its praises don’t end there.

In 1791, one Thomas Hine set out from his home in Dorset, England to learn the ins and outs of how Cognac was produced. He was a mere sixteen years old and curious about what went into creating the copper-tinted brandy his father favoured. 

His timing, however, was most unfortunate as he reached France right in the middle of the French Revolution – not the safest place for an Englishman at the time by any stretch of the imagination. After turning on his heels and attempting to high-tail it out of there, he was imprisoned at the Château de Jarnac. 

In a strange twist of events, he marries the daughter of the hosts – Françoise-Elisabeth – and in 1817 he retrospectively gave his name to the house which had been established on the banks of the Charente in the Jarnac region in 1763, before he’d even been born.

Since then, the descendents of Thomas and Françoise-Elisabeth have maintained the Hine Cognac House, and six generations have upheld its prestige. They are proud of the fact their cellar door has seen many a year pass by – all whilst being tended by the Hines. Today, Bernard Hine is at the helm, with Paul Szersnovicz as Cellar Master (preceded by the excellent Eric Forget).

“The identity of this wine is imprinted beneath our feet, at the heart of a living land that has evolved over thousands of years. Vines form the link between the earth and the heavens, replete with vagaries and caprices. They infuse the grapes with a character extracted from this unique, unparalleled place, imbued with a temporality that commands the here and now. Cognac embodies a perpetual quest for balance between consistency and virtuosity.”

And it was this philosophy that reeled us at Dhall & Nash in – hook line and sinker. We pride ourselves on our deep respect for the families who work their piece of earth until they know it as instinctively as the back of their hand – it etches itself into the bloodline, and to find this reflected so perfectly in the Hine belief was something that spoke to us all. 

“So where does Hine sit in relation to the big four producers: Hennessy, Courvoisier, Martell and Rémy Martin?” Asks Club Oenologique speaking to then-cellar-master Eric Forget, ““Hine is the opposite of Hennessy,” Forget explained. “Hine is elegant, delicate, light and aromatic. But compared with Hine, Hennessy is quite heavy, with a lot of body and power, and rich in wood. In the middle you have Courvoisier and Martell. Rémy is more on the Hine side, as it has the delicacy. People often say ‘I don’t drink Cognac because it burns when I drink it’. But with Hine? Never.””

Add to this the admirable way they’ve maintained a real essence of ‘cool’ that keeps up with modern times and remains approachable and fun, whilst marrying this with a real seriousness and respect for tradition and history. It’s rare for a brand to transcend these rather demographic-defining boxes and become a voice for both new generations of cognac-lovers and loyal veterans of the prestigious tipple.

As well as our word, and that of Her Majesty the Queen, there are plenty of critics who sing the praises of this House as well. Jason Wilson for Vinous has published a piece detailing his love and exploration of Cognac. In this he says,

“…For this report, I’ve pushed beyond the Big Four, beyond the flashy and expensive, and tried to bring you a broad sense of what’s really happening in Cognac. I have covered more than 50 brands and offering reviews and ratings on more than 200 bottles. I found value and quality among medium-sized producers like Frapin, Hine, Braastad-Tiffon, Pierre Ferrand, Delamain and Bache Gabrielsen, among others.“

The Guardian, too, listed it among the top ten distillers, tours and tastings.

Hannah Crosbie for Berry Brothers & Rudd writes “What Hine Cognac lacks in size, it more than makes up for in quality,” in her piece  “Hine: “the future of Cognac”, “Hine is not a Cognac house with a mile-long driveway or ostentatious signage, nor does it want to be”, she explains. “It’s where a young Eric Forget arrived in 1999 – a stark contrast, surely, to his time at Hennessy.

“The thing that immediately surprised me was how much less Cognac Hine made,” Eric recalls. “But I soon realised that it’s because we are so focused on quality. We’re working with very small batches to get single casks of the very finest eau de vie. In this way, I sometimes feel like a parfumer, or like I work in haute couture.””

88 Bamboo (who writes some seriously good blogs we thoroughly enjoy, we must note,) poses that “Hine Cognac has quite the streak of doing something no one else does – and yet somehow does so in a way that seems to only subtly demonstrate just how great a grasp they have on what makes Cognac special… Hine [has a desire] to bring its Cognacs closer and more distinct to its fans. Here it’s all in the subtlety and the precision – call it quiet elegance and deft mastery.”

Mentioned a few times is Hine’s ability to broach the gap between generational drinking trends. For many of the more mainstream names, this would be a very “How do you do, fellow kids?” move. Newer generations don’t want to be drinking the same stuff their grandparents were drinking – whether it was good or not.

One scroll down Hine’s bright, modern, funky and interactive website tells you right off the bat this isn’t a dusty old brand, even if it is, well, an old brand.

“Try something new, especially if it’s 260 years old” is the bold statement that introduces you into the world of Hine.

This juxtaposition is everything to Hine. Their product is the result of centuries of careful and mindful craft and tradition but their approach once it leaves the cellar looks forward, not backwards. It asks what the drinkers of today want from their Cognac, not what the drinkers of the 20th century want. It’s a new world, they want in, and they have the expertise and product to do it.

“In the world of Cognac, Hine means to shake things up,” explains Luxury Society. “Hine is on a new mission to shake up the world of cognac by attracting younger, experience-led consumers to its cognac brand, starting with a radically different brand expression and bold communications strategy…Gone are the days of middle-aged men in padded jackets, smoke-filled cigar rooms, sitting on leather Chesterfield sofas in panelled wood rooms…”

A couple of years ago, Besos Latinos was a thriving Ceviche bar in the Auckland CBD. Run by Chef Luis Cabrera, it had a steady stream of regulars, and great reviews. Looking at them now, a theme was certainly emerging…

And on and on they go… Margarita, margarita, margarita! Besos Latinos restaurant, first at Elliot Stables then in Wynyard Quarter was cementing itself firmly as the spot in Auckland to go for Margarita excellence. In fact, when opening the Wynyard location, Chef Luis decided to do something potentially crazy… he was only going to offer Margaritas on the cocktail list.

Then, as the story so often goes… Covid-19 hit. (dun dun…) We all know how tough this period was for hospitality, followed up by significant staff shortages across the whole sector… Chef Luis got in touch with his regulars and asked what he can offer in the absence of a fully functioning premises. “Margaritas!” was their resounding answer. They told Luis that while they missed his delightful ceviche and food, they were missing his signature margaritas even more. And so, an idea began to form…

Luis started preparing his margaritas but didn’t have a license to sell alcohol off-premises, so to get them safely delivered to his loyal fanbase, he partnered with a liquor shop in Wynyard Quarter who sold it on his behalf, and from there it snowballed. They told friends, and friends told friends, and eventually, Besos Latinos closed its doors to make way for Besos Margaritas!

Chef Luis Cabrera’s journey is nothing short of a culinary odyssey that has led to the creation of this remarkable product.

Born in Jalisco, Mexico, the birthplace of Tequila, he embarked on a culinary adventure that took him from the enchanting canals of Venice, where he honed his skills in the art of cooking, to top restaurants and hotels in Mexico City, Boston, Dublin, Milan, Venice, and Sydney. However, it was in New Zealand, more than a decade ago, that Luis decided to make his home.

Throughout his extensive culinary career, Luis dedicated over a decade to perfecting his signature Margarita recipe. His passion for this beloved cocktail led to the establishment of Agave Spirits in Auckland, with a single purpose: to capture the magic of his Margarita and share it with the world.

The exact birthplace of the margarita remains a delightful mystery, with Mexico being a prevailing theory due to the sacred Agave Plant which is native to unique states in Mexico, but it doesn’t stop all kinds of claims.

Difford’s Guide has a fantastic account of the known history here – following it’s evolution from ‘The Tequila Daisy’ to the ‘Picador’ and ‘Tequila Sour’ through to the ‘Margarita’s first known mention by name in the 1950’s, as well as detailing some of the claimed creators and pioneers.

Regardless of knowing the truth behind the origin of this delightful cocktail, the Margarita continues to be one of the world’s most popular cocktails. And whilst it is a drink that needs no introduction in 2020 the Margarita reached new heights, proving to be pandemic-proof and remarkably resilient. Particularly, it seems for Luis in Auckland.

According to the IWSR, whilst sales of Tequila and cordials (which include liqueurs) surged by 66.5% and 44.6% in growth that year the trend of “Home Mixology” and convenience cannot be overlooked.

“The 10-litre batches became 30 litres, then 40, and then 200 litres a week, as demand exploded among customers stuck at home during lockdown… I applied for the licence and registration and then it reached a point where I was pretty much ordering all the Patron tequila that was available,” recalls Cabrera, “and I was struggling to find it. Suppliers were surprised that I was buying such an amount of tequila during Covid!”

Margaritas are popular the world over, but NZ has a secret weapon: Chef Luis Cabrera!

Earlier this year, The Post (formerly known as The Dominion Post’) released an article that appears at first to make a bold claim; that NZ serves better margaritas than Mexico City.

Less controversial than it perhaps first appears, Luis is profiled and explains that in Mexico, Margaritas actually aren’t that popular. “If you want tequila in Mexico, you drink just tequila. You don’t do anything with it.”

But after settling in NZ and opening restaurants specializing in Mexican cuisine, he was somewhat surprised at the repeated requests for Margaritas, but was all too happy to delve into the welcome challenge of creating the best darn Margarita they could possibly have, and then keep making it again and again and again. His quest for perfection and consistency has made him the Margarita King of Auckland (and soon to be NZ!)

… reads the title of Charlotte Cowan’s report for The Shout in November 2023, which is packed with fantastic information.

“Chief Executive of Spirits NZ, Robert Brewer, says the survey of bar and restaurant owners across New Zealand, provides evidence that consumer habits have changed post-COVID, and with the increasing cost of living; “Kiwi consumers are now drinking less but are more discerning with their spend and are drinking better,” he says. “Where a patron may have previously had three averagely-priced drinks on an evening out, the trend is that they are instead choosing to savour one high quality cocktail.”

“Despite consumer spending habits changing, their tastes appear to be more consistent, with the respondents reporting that the Espresso Martini is the most popular cocktail they serve – both in 2023 and at the same time last year. The Margarita comes in second in 2023, replacing the Mojito which was runner-up in 2022.”

“If asked about their first experience with tequila, unfortunately, most folks do not have a positive story to tell. That infamous bottle of gold labeled liquid could be passed around a table like a torch, each person reliving those not so fond memories. How can this experience be so similar for so many people? And how is it that we’ve come to love and enjoy the good Tequila the way we do now?

Our answer lies in a simple distinction between two categories: Tequila Mixtos and 100% Blue Agave Tequila. Choosing products with the latter on the label is the number one rule in quality Tequila selection. Selecting anything missing this label, may send you back to those not-so-good ol’ days.

Tequilas that say ‘100% Blue Agave’ on the label are spirits made from just that, 100% Blue Agave. Tequila Mixtos on the other hand, are only required to be made from 51% Blue Agave sugars, and the other 49% can be made from any other kind of sugar.

Doesn’t sound too bad when we say it that way but let’s break it down a little bit further and see why we really want to stay away from those Mixtos tequilas.

Something Chef Luis settled on pretty quickly when concocting his signature recipe was that he needed to use 100% Blue Agave Tequila and only 100% Blue Agave Tequila – no Tequila Mixtos allowed!

With any consumer product, there are quality differences at different tiers. For Tequila, that difference lies in its ingredients. It makes sense when you lay it out that simply, but there’s a lot to it. Sip Tequila details this perfectly in their aptly titled write-up;

We’ve all had those nights where we start with a nice cocktail, maybe bourbon based, and switch to red wine for dinner. The next morning, crawling out of bed, head pounding, we wonder where we went wrong. Mixing alcohol has generally been accepted as a bad idea and with Mixtos tequilas, it happens right away, in every single drink that you consume. In addition to the sugary mixers they are usually paired with, you’re teeing yourself up for a bad time.

All tequilas are allowed to add 4 different kinds of additives up to 1% of volume: sugar-based syrup, glycerin, oak extract, and caramel color. Most 100% Agave brands say “absolutely not” to this allowance, instead relying on quality of agave, process, and barrels when aged. Mixtos, on the other hand, use them as a crutch to hide the defects in the production process and less than desired flavors. These additional sugars, artificial flavors, and chemicals make your body feel just like they do in any other product: not so hot.

The lesson: Keep it pure

Just as we want to keep our food local, unprocessed, and of the highest quality, the same applies to beverages. The best tequilas are made from just agave and water.”