{"id":10362,"date":"2019-10-09T22:19:41","date_gmt":"2019-10-09T20:19:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.cognac.fr\/?page_id=10362"},"modified":"2026-02-12T21:22:20","modified_gmt":"2026-02-12T20:22:20","slug":"a-protected-origin","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.cognac.fr\/en\/discover\/a-unique-spirit\/a-protected-origin\/","title":{"rendered":"A Geographical | Indication"},"content":{"rendered":"[vc_row full_width_row=”non”][vc_column][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1\/2″][vc_single_image image=”4077″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center” css_animation=”none”][\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1\/2″][vc_column_text]Product specification<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Cognac production and aging conditions are recorded and regulated in the specifications, which guarantee its originality and uniqueness. Compliance with specifications is monitored by the Bureau National Interprofessionnel du Cognac (BNIC), recognized as the Cognac Defense and Management Body (DMB).<\/p>\n

Specifications for the “Cognac”, “Eau-de-vie de Cognac”, or “Eau-de-vie des Charentes” Geographical Indications established by the Cognac DMB are officially recognized by the French decree No.2015-10 dated 7 January 2015.<\/p>\n

These specifications are subject to change; the BNIC, via the DMB, is responsible for any modifications.[\/vc_column_text]

<\/span>Download Cognac specifications<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div>[\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][\/vc_column][\/vc_row]\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

[vc_row full_width_row=”non”][vc_column][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1\/2″][vc_single_image image=”4077″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center” css_animation=”none”][\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1\/2″][vc_column_text]Product specification Cognac production and aging conditions are recorded and regulated in the specifications, which guarantee its originality and uniqueness. Compliance with specifications is monitored by the Bureau National Interprofessionnel du Cognac (BNIC), recognized as the Cognac Defense and Management Body (DMB). Specifications…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":5170,"parent":10619,"menu_order":1,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-10362","page","type-page","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"acf":{"video_page":false,"titre":"A Geographical Indication (GI) is a combination of a physical and biological environment, a traditional community, and a terroir, resulting in a unique product.<\/em>","nom_de_la_page_liee":false,"titre_frise_explicative":"","zone_texte_mentions":"

The age of a spirit corresponds to the youngest component of the blending. Cognac cannot be sold before a minimum of two years of aging, without interruption and exclusively in a oak vessels. Below are the aging categories mostly used.<\/p>\n","titre_mentions_complementaires":"Other aging categories","mentions_complementaires":[{"nombre_dannees":"3 years
of aging","description":"\"Sup\u00e9rieur\", \"Cuv\u00e9e Sup\u00e9rieure\", \"Qualit\u00e9 Sup\u00e9rieure\""},{"nombre_dannees":"5 years
of aging","description":"\"Vieille R\u00e9serve\", \"R\u00e9serve Rare\" and \"R\u00e9serve Royale\""},{"nombre_dannees":"6 years
of aging","description":"\"Napol\u00e9on\", \"Tr\u00e8s Vieille R\u00e9serve\", \"Tr\u00e8s Vieux\", \"H\u00e9ritage\", \"Tr\u00e8s Rare\", \"Excellence\" and \"Supr\u00eame\""}],"titre_bouteille_mentions_legales":"MAIN LABELLING INDICATIONS","titre_frise_histoire":"History of the Cognac geographical indication","image_de_fond":false,"frise_explicative":[{"pictogramme":4747,"description":"The specifications establish the origins, terroir, and production methods"},{"pictogramme":4749,"description":"define and characterize the product"},{"pictogramme":4751,"description":"specify the obligatory declarations of certified operators"},{"pictogramme":4753,"description":"outline the main points to monitor"}],"bloc_mentions_principales":[{"pictogramme":11574,"mention":"At least","titre":"2 years
of aging","description":"

Other terms: “3 Etoiles”, “S\u00e9lection”, “De Luxe” and “Very Special”<\/strong><\/p>\n"},{"pictogramme":12092,"mention":"At least","titre":"4 years
of aging","description":"

Other terms: “R\u00e9serve”, “Vieux”, “Rare”, “Royal” and “Very Superior Old Pale”<\/strong><\/p>\n"},{"pictogramme":12094,"mention":"At least","titre":"10 years
of aging","description":"

Other terms: “Hors d\u2019\u00e2ge”, “Extra”, “Ancestral”, “Anc\u00eatre”, “Or”, “Gold”, “Imp\u00e9rial”, “Extra Old”<\/strong><\/p>\n

The termes below are specific to Cognac that have aged 14 years or more.<\/p>\n

“XXO.”, “Extra Extra Old”<\/strong><\/p>\n"}],"bloc_bouteille_mentions_legales":{"titre_du_groupe":"Cognac labels#Cognac","description_gauche":"

A Cognac can be identified by the indications on the label.<\/p>\n

Roll over each mention and discover their meaning.<\/strong><\/p>\n","information_gauche":"

\"\"<\/p>\n","description_droite":[{"label_bouteille":"COGNAC","titre_droite":"Geographical indication","description_droite":"

The Geographical Indication must feature on the label:<\/p>\n

    \n
  • Cognac<\/li>\n
  • Eau-de-vie de Cognac<\/li>\n
  • Eau-de-vie des Charentes<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    GI wine spirits may be accompanied by the wording “Fine”.<\/em><\/p>\n

    This is the sales denomination<\/p>\n"},{"label_bouteille":"XO","titre_droite":"Aging categories*","description_droite":"

    Aging categories indicate the age of the youngest wine spirit used in the final blend. Cognac cannot be sold before a minimum of two years of aging, without interruption and exclusively in oak vessels.<\/p>\n

    *Optional wording<\/p>\n"},{"label_bouteille":"70 cl","titre_droite":"Capacity","description_droite":"

    Net capacity in liters, milliliters or centiliters.
    \n(Lettering of minimum 4 mm height for a capacity ranging from 20 cl excluded up to 100 cl included)<\/p>\n

     <\/p>\n"},{"label_bouteille":"40% vol","titre_droite":"Alcohol by volume","description_droite":"

    Wine spirits must have a minimum alcohol content by volume of 40% in order to be sold.<\/p>\n"},{"label_bouteille":"Petite Champagne
    Appellation Cognac Petite Champagne Contr\u00f4l\u00e9e","titre_droite":"Complementary geographical denomination*","description_droite":"

    100% of the wine spirits in the final blend come from a “cru” indicated on the label.<\/p>\n

    “Appellation Cognac Fine Champagne” is used for wine spirits made exclusively from Grande Champagne (minimum 50%) and Petite Champagne.<\/em><\/p>\n

    *Optional wording<\/p>\n"}]},"frise_histoire_de_laoc":[{"annee_":"1909","date_precise":"1 May","description":"

    delimitation of Cognac production areas<\/p>\n","image":false},{"annee_":"1936","date_precise":"15 May","description":"

    Definition of the production conditions for the GI “Cognac”, “Eau-de-vie de Cognac” or “Eau-de-vie des Charentes”<\/p>\n","image":false},{"annee_":"1938","date_precise":"13 January","description":"

    Definition of the production areas within the Delimited Region for each “cru”<\/p>\n","image":false},{"annee_":"1941","date_precise":"5 January","description":"

    Founding of the “Bureau National de R\u00e9partition des Vins et Eaux-de-vie de Cognac”<\/p>\n","image":false},{"annee_":"1968","date_precise":"30 May","description":"

    Founding of the GI regional committee “Comit\u00e9 R\u00e9gional de l’Institut National des Appellations d\u2019Origine” (CRINAO)<\/p>\n","image":false},{"annee_":"1975","date_precise":"18 March","description":"

    Prohibition of the sale for consumption of Cognac aged for less than two years<\/p>\n","image":false},{"annee_":"1989","date_precise":"24 July","description":"

    recognition of the “Bureau National Interprofessionnel du Cognac” (BNIC) as an interprofessional body<\/p>\n","image":false},{"annee_":"1992","date_precise":"11 May","description":"

    One hundredth anniversary of the BNIC “Station Viticole”<\/p>\n","image":false},{"annee_":"2008","date_precise":"26 May","description":"

    Establishment of Climate Reserve Stocks to support producers in the event of unforeseen circumstances<\/p>\n","image":false},{"annee_":"2009","date_precise":"21 September","description":"

    the first product specification<\/p>\n","image":false},{"annee_":"2009","date_precise":"18 December","description":"

    Cognac becomes the first foreign Geographical Indication to gain recognition in China<\/p>\n","image":false},{"annee_":"2010","date_precise":"22 December","description":"

    recognition of the BNIC as a Defense and Management Body (DMB) for the Cognac GI.<\/p>\n","image":false},{"annee_":"2011","date_precise":"16 June","description":"

    first modifications to the specifications (the 2009 version cancelled and replaced)<\/p>\n","image":false},{"annee_":"2015","date_precise":"7 January","description":"

    new Cognac specifications (updated 8 November 2018)<\/p>\n","image":false}],"illustration_desktop":"https:\/\/www.cognac.fr\/wp-content\/uploads\/bloc-unvignobleuneaoc-1.jpg","illustration_mobile":"https:\/\/www.cognac.fr\/wp-content\/uploads\/fondmobile_unspiritueuxunique.jpg","description":"

    It identifies and protects a product that results from several stages involving carefully monitored practices and know-how, applied in a delimited geographical area.<\/em><\/p>\n

     <\/p>\n","illustration_couleur":"#e34817","titre_mentions_de_vieillissement":" Cognac aging categories","a_retenir":{"titre":"Key points to remember","contenu":"

      \n
    • Cognac is traditionally made by blending wine spirits of different ages from different production areas, although it is not a requirement.<\/li>\n
    • Cognac always retains the age at which it is bottled since, unlike wine, spirits do not evolve after bottling.<\/li>\n
    • Cognac wine spirit is aged without interruption, exclusively in oak vessels.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n"},"header_type":"default"},"yoast_head":"\nA Geographical | Indication | Cognac<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"A Protected Designation of Origin is a combination of a physical and biological environment, a traditional community, and a terroir.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.cognac.fr\/en\/discover\/a-unique-spirit\/a-protected-origin\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"A Geographical | Indication | Cognac\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"A Protected Designation of Origin is a combination of a physical and biological environment, a traditional community, and a terroir.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.cognac.fr\/en\/discover\/a-unique-spirit\/a-protected-origin\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Cognac\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-02-12T20:22:20+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.cognac.fr\/wp-content\/uploads\/paysage.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1275\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"850\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"1 minute\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.cognac.fr\/en\/discover\/a-unique-spirit\/a-protected-origin\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.cognac.fr\/en\/discover\/a-unique-spirit\/a-protected-origin\/\",\"name\":\"A Geographical | Indication | Cognac\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.cognac.fr\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.cognac.fr\/en\/discover\/a-unique-spirit\/a-protected-origin\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.cognac.fr\/en\/discover\/a-unique-spirit\/a-protected-origin\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.cognac.fr\/wp-content\/uploads\/paysage.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2019-10-09T20:19:41+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-02-12T20:22:20+00:00\",\"description\":\"A Protected Designation of Origin is a combination of a physical and biological environment, a traditional community, and a terroir.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.cognac.fr\/en\/discover\/a-unique-spirit\/a-protected-origin\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.cognac.fr\/en\/discover\/a-unique-spirit\/a-protected-origin\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.cognac.fr\/en\/discover\/a-unique-spirit\/a-protected-origin\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.cognac.fr\/wp-content\/uploads\/paysage.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.cognac.fr\/wp-content\/uploads\/paysage.jpg\",\"width\":1275,\"height\":850},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.cognac.fr\/en\/discover\/a-unique-spirit\/a-protected-origin\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.cognac.fr\/en\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Discover\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.cognac.fr\/en\/discover\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":3,\"name\":\"A unique spirit\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.cognac.fr\/en\/discover\/a-unique-spirit\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":4,\"name\":\"A Geographical | Indication\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.cognac.fr\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.cognac.fr\/\",\"name\":\"Cognac\",\"description\":\"Cognac.fr - 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