Notes: Pineau de Charente is a very much overlooked libation that falls between a spirit and a wine into the fortified wine category – similar to sherry Orr port but with usually much less regard ( see the final thought section for more commentary).A blend of cognac eau die vies and wine, it has an alcohol content from roughly 10 to 20% alcohol. Color can vary from a white , rose, to red depending on the grapes used.Generally sweet and classified as a dessert wine it is also seeing a resurgence in cocktails .

In this the Pierre Ferrand Pineau  it is aged for 18 months 12 of which are in oak cask. Both the wine and the cognac Eau de Vie are made from Grande Champagne grapes, and aged at the Chateau . Great for dessert and with desserts , pair with cheese plates, foie gras also.
fruitier, sweeter and slightly more viscous alternative to vermouth in cocktails.

Appearance: Clear, slightly oily thickness on swirling . Amber or light maple syrup colored from the barrel aging and mellowing.

First Impression: Subdued nose as it is cold, figs, dates, dried papaya almonds, candied orangeade other fruit peels, smells

Taste: Delicious, thick oily almost sac-like honeyed candy notes, of dried fruits, peaches almond and touches of oak providing some nice structure and bones to a otherwise sweet and decadent experience.

Drinks: Either by itself in a gall or use it as a cocktail modifier somewhat similar to vermouth but sweeter, spicier and a slightly heavier mouth feel .

Bottle: A classic clear glass wine or brandy bottle with a simple label with a drawing of the Maison ( Chateau) with some tasting notes. Neck capsule has the AOC logo for Pineau de Charente along with the instruction ” Servier Frais” – serve cold.Platic topped composite cork keeps it fresh yet easy to open.

Other: Be sure to check out the many and varied other products of Maison Ferrand and their rum portfolio ( under the name of either Plantation or the new more PC name Planteray on Spirits Review also, They make some very good products and they are usually substantially cheaper for the quality you get compared to a lot of bigger and better advertised brands overall.

Final Thoughts:I’ll never understand why Pineau has been so largely ignored frankly. Yes, it is sweet, yes it can be simple. It is usually cheap also, and cheap and sweet is an unfortunate combination for any kind of standing in the wine or spirit world , except among the underage and the chronic ( and amateur) alcoholics. But that is not the case for good Pineau – of which there are many. The unfortunate part is something that I’ve noticed over the years- Very few people export the good stuff. They don’t have to.That is why you don’t see a lot of the better Pineaus ( or many other things for that matter) . This is the exception with the Pierre Ferrand Pineau Des Charentes  and it is also fairly cheap so you can start your journey of Pineau discovery without having to get on a flight to France or Break the bank on a experiment.

Website: https://maisonferrand.com
Extensive website with links to many ( if not all ) of their products and a fair if not extensive amount of information