The House of Rémy Martin: 300 Years of Excellence

Rémy Martin’s headquarters is housed right in the heart of Cognac, France, where for three centuries the brand has carried out its mission to bottle the spirit of Cognac.

Baptiste Loiseau, the Rémy Martin Cellar Master since 2014, has been charged with steering the brand towards the next generation of Cognac enthusiasts.

“Being a Cellar Master is the perfect combination of tradition and innovation,” Loiseau says. “Everything that has been transmitted by previous cellar masters has to be combined and explained to the new generation that I am part of. I credit most of my education to Pierrette Trichet, my mentor and former Cellar Master at Rémy Martin. She gave me a clearer vision of the aging process and the confidence to take on the role as Cellar Master. In addition of this transmission, I bring my own touch, respecting the style of the House.”

The distinctive flavors of Rémy Martin represent the unique characteristics the land in Cognac has to offer, which is an aspect Loiseau considers central to his approach to producing high-quality Cognac.

“It’s important to respect what our terroir has to offer,” Loiseau explains. “I’m always reaching for exceptional harmony in our final blends.”

What’s the secret to Rémy Martin’s success? One of them is growing vines in remarkably chalky soil, as the texture reflects the sunlight and helps ripen the grapes to perfection.

Eaux-de-vie, the fruit brandy used to make Rémy Martin Cognac, is one of Cognac’s most-celebrated elements and has almost unmatched potential for exceptional aging, which is why the Rémy Martin House ages its Cognac much longer than the minimum required by law. However, the longer-aging process comes with a very interesting disappearing act.

“During the aging process, a percentage of the eaux-de-vie evaporates into the air,” Loiseau says. “We call this ‘The Angel’s Share.’ Approximately the equivalent of 8,000 bottles evaporates every day!”

The oak trees used during the aging process are always at least a hundred years old and are carefully curated by expert coopers working under the direction of Loiseau. Prior to the wood logging its time as a cask, the wood is left out in the elements for nearly three years so nature can wash away what the brand calls “less-interesting tannins.”

Bringing the spirit of Cognac to life in a way that engages consumers across the globe doesn’t come easy. As Loiseau explains, his role requires a lot of out-of-the-box thinking and pure instincts to take the region’s finest grapes from the soil and guide it on a carefully executed journey into the bottle.

“For me the most important skill as the Cellar Master is to be curious and sensitive to aromas,” Loiseau concludes.

“You also have to be creative to do this job, because a cellar master is more than just the ‘guardian at the temple door’ that people often imagine. Above all, you need to be a visionary, because you must prepare the House’s future in the medium and long term. This requires constant work and constant self-questioning.”