Why it matters
The producer
Family traces reach back to 1701, when the Prunier family apparently traded with winegrowers. Maison Prunier dates its Cognac activity to 1769 and has remained in the Prunier and Burnez family since then.
The house ages and blends selected eaux-de-vie, with stocking and bottling included among its activities. Prunier owns some vineyards and handles distillation, ageing and blending itself. Stéphane Burnez, the current cellar master, develops a lighter modern style with less wood, giving more room to the natural taste of the eaux-de-vie.
Place and vineyards
Where the wines begin
Maison Prunier stands at 30 Rue Léonce Laval, 16100 Cognac. Its cellars are at the historical site and in Gimeux.
The Twenty Years Old comes exclusively from Grande Champagne, specifically Salles d’Angles. Grande Champagne is a named Cognac area, while Salles d’Angles identifies the village behind this bottle's origin.
Wines to know
The range in view
The range spans VS, VSOP, XO, Twenty Years Old, XO Très Vieille Grande Champagne and vintage Cognacs released periodically. XO is made entirely from Ugni Blanc and combines eaux-de-vie individually aged from 15 to 30 years in old oak barrels of 200 and 400 litres.
XO Très Vieille Grande Champagne is entirely from Grande Champagne and uses components aged from 40 to 60 years, with an average age of 45 years. Vintage Cognacs are aged separately in French oak and bottled at cask strength without blending, filtering or modification.