Château de Lacquy (Jean-Vianney de Boisséson)

Status: Operational

Established: 1711

Visitor Policy: Visitors welcome throughout the year

Tel: +33 5 58 03 88 22

Website: http://www.chateaudelacquy.com

Owned by the same family since 1711, Château de Lacquy is the oldest family-owned armagnac producer. The 10th and 11th generations, Gilles de Boisséson and his children, operate 22 hectares of vineyards on their 400 hectare estate which is situated in the best part of Bas-Armagnac region of Gascony. They only make armagnac using wines from grapes grown in their own vineyards. This “estate armagnac” production continues with their own winery, distillery, ageing cellars and bottling facilities.

Three different grape varieties are equally represented in Château de Lacquy’s vineyards: Baco, Folle Blanche and Colombard. Each variety is harvested, vinified and distilled separately. The armagnac made from each grape variety is also aged separately to allow traceability and the different qualities of each grape variety to develop.

Vinification is completely natural, without additives. The wine is distilled immediately after vinification at 52-54% alc./vol. in the estate’s own continuous still which was made in 1939 and is direct wood heated. The resulting distillate is poured directly into 420 litre oak casks made from local or Limousin oaks in the Neighbouring village. Château de Lacquy uses 40-50% new casks for each new vintage with casks varying from light to heavy char.

The cellar (above ground) has thick stone walls and a traditional tiled roof with earth floor to help govern humidity. The stock held represents around 30 years of sales (as opposed to 8 years typically in cellars in the region).

Château de Lacquy's Armagnacs are bottled without any added colour, caramel or sugar and are categorised as follows: “Vintages” (cask strength, from 2005 to 1985), “Blends” (3, 7, 12, 17 and 30 years) and “Single Casks” (single cask bottlings from specific vintages).