HINE

"We are one of the smaller houses in Cognac and produce a small percentage of what the major houses do," says Francois Le Grelle, the Managing Director at the House of Hine. "For us, its not about growth its about maintaining the highest level of quality."Founded in 1817, the House of Hine has been in the same family for six generations. In 1791, Thomas Hine the companys founder left his native England in order to learn the art of making cognac. Today, nearly 225 years later, his great-great-great-great grandson, Bernard Hine, oversees the 297-acre Hine Estate.Situated on the banks of the River Charente, the estate benefits from a south-facing aspect, which maximizes the grapes exposure to sunshine and heat. In addition, "we only work with Grande and Petite Champagne where the soils are very chalky," explains Eric Forget, Hines Cellar Master. "Hines finesse comes from the terroir."Hine Rare VSOP Fine Champagne Cognac is a blend of Grande (60 percent) and Petite Champagnes (40 percent). After the grapes are harvested and fermented, they are distilled with their fine lees, which helps maintain the richness and structure of the cognac.Following distillation, Hine Rare VSOP is aged in fine-grained wood sourced from northern France. "We prefer oak from the north of France because it has a finer grain which gives greater delicacy and less toast," says Forget. In addition, "we dont age too much in new oak as the wood flavors can dominate and hide the fruity and floral elements of the wine."Hine Rare VSOP Fine Champagne Cognac is aged between six and twelve years. It has a rich, perfumed aroma, with notes of jasmine, acacia, vanilla, oak and fruit on the palate. The finish is delicate and well-balanced, with mellow touches of vanilla, caramel and chewy leather dominating. The cognac earned the Gold Medal at the International Wine and Spirits Competition in 2012, and a score of 90-95 points from Wine Enthusiast. In addition, it earned a score of 95 points from the Ultimate Beverage Challenge.Pick up a bottle today!