Pineau recipes at the Gastronomades
23 novembre 2005
On Saturday 26 and Sunday 27 November, seven famous chefs will be preparing recipes based on pineau at the Gastronomades (gastronomic fair) in the town hall in Angoulême.

Cognac : year’s shipments
23 novembre 2005
From October 2004 to September 2005, a total of 389,973 hectoliters of cognac were shipped (a 6.10% increase over a year).

New Internet site for the Bnic
23 novembre 2005
The Bnic has unveiled its new website (www.cognac.fr) produced by N141.com (31,000 euros).

Cognac houses in China
23 novembre 2005
Among the companies of the Poitou-Charentes regional delegation participating in the SME Forum in Shanghai from 16 to 22 November were several cognac houses including ABK6, Ferrand and Hillairet. The Brasserie de Bercloux, a brewery in Charente-Maritime, presented a new product for the Chinese market : a blend of beer and cognac.

Pineau in Quebec
16 novembre 2005
The pineau des Charentes committee is organizing an advertising campaign in Quebec where 450,000 bottles are consumed annually.

The SGV calls brokers to order
16 novembre 2005
The winegrowers union (SGV) would like some reaction from brokers on the question of raising the collection cost of eaux-de-vie. The SGV has denounced rising overheads : "Gas has risen by 100% in five years, heating oil by 85% and labor costs by 25%" since 2000. But the "price of fins bois wines, over the same period, has fallen from 637 to 509 euros, a drop of 20%". A further rise in the price of gas is due just as distilling is about to start.

Land allocation to take effect on 1 August 2007
16 novembre 2005
The minister of Agriculture has announced that wine growing in the Charente will change regime on 1 August 2007. Land allocation will force growers to produce, for a given hectare, either cognac or wine and they will have to decide which to produce. After consideration, financial aid will be made available to wine growers to move to the new system.

Pernod Ricard results
16 novembre 2005
On 10 November Pernod Ricard announced quarterly results of 1.334 billion euros (+54.9%) thanks notably to 459 million resulting from Allied Domecq. Sales of Martell cognac have risen by +6%.

Université des eaux-de-vie
9 novembre 2005
The new term started at the université des eaux-de-vie in Segonzac on 8 November. The students include professionals who are considering starting up a business, joining a cognac brokerage, etc. The course costs 4,700 euros.

Martell wants to reinvent XO
8 novembre 2005
On 4 November Martell presented its new XO to winegrowers prior to a presentation in Paris on 9 November.