SPECIAL FE ATUR E : O N E FO R T H E L A DIES
A LADY BEHIND COGNAC
Her career in the cognac world is impressive. Pierrette Trichet has been working for the brand Rémy Martin for over 36 years. Without any rival, she became the first woman Cellar Master. By Cécile de Forton
Born in the land of D’Artagnan, the fourth musketeer, Pierrette got the love of the land thanks to her father, a wine-grower. Once she got her baccalaureate, the young woman started studying biochemistry and biological analysis at university. Both scientifically-minded and close to the land, Pierrette Trichet was noticed by Rémy Martin at the age of 20 and was offered her first job. An employer that she will never leave. In 1993, she joins the prestigious “tasting committee”. Very much appreciated for her work and patience, she becomes the Cellar Master assistant in 2000. Recognized for her “nose”, Pierrette Trichet works on all stages of the creation of cognacs. Three years later, it’s time for consecration. That’s it, she is the Cellar Master and is proud to be THE only one woman worldwide who holds this position with a major producer of cognac. BESPOKEN : Could you please explain the different steps of the creation of cognac ? PIERRETTE TRICHET : Rémy Martin’s cognac is elaborated in the two best regions of France : Grande Champagne and Petite Champagne. It’s a human business before everything. The best wine, coming from the finest grapes is distilled with yeast and turns into an eau-de-vie. Then, the Cellar Master selects the tastiest eaux-de-vie. A long phase of ageing in barrels made from oak from the Limousin forests starts. This step, of 4 years minimum, can last for decades. It enables the eaux-de-vie to develop a wide palette of flavours : vanilla, honey, etc. Once the eaux-devie are mature enough, the Cellar Master makes blends. A whole aromatic universe is created. In which countries is cognac more drunk ? Everywhere in the world but at 80 % in the Asian continent, particularly in China and Vietnam. Asian consumers are attracted by its history. They often give it as a present. For them, it means the access to a high social category and the entry in the luxury world. USA is a big market as well where we always have to innovate. Cognac is drunk in different ways depending on the
culture. In the United Stated, cognac is appreciated as a cocktail meanwhile Chinese people love to taste it with ice. Europe is an important market but the competition is hard among the many other hard liquors available. Could you describe the typical cognac amateur ? The cognac amateur is always looking for a tasting and aromatic experience. He’s an epicurean. Cognac appeals all senses. It brings a personal pleasure and is also a way to share a moment of joy with friends. The taboos need to be broken. Young people are cognac lovers. They enjoy it as a cocktail or with ice. Cognac is a hard liquor but with an aromatic complexity on top. Do women appreciate cognac as many men do ? For some women, cognac can be too strong like other alcohols. That’s why we created Cœur de Cognac, a special blend with sweet notes like apricot. They are very welcome to add ice in their glass to make it even softer. Which qualities made you become a Cellar Master ? First of all, your mission is to taste. Nothing has to be taken for granted. You always have to take a new look at yourself. Then you need to be rigorous, passionate and patient. It takes ages to make a cognac. The creation that I am more proud about is the “Louis XIII” cognac, which is made by four generations of cognac. You also have to be a good team-player as well as independent. Each year, I have to recreate cognacs. Last but not least, humility is a must. A Cellar Master isn’t eternal, one day I’ll have to step down… Wasn’t it too hard to enter in a world where men have a majority ? Cognac is sexless, all it requires is work. I became Cellar Master thanks to my qualities. It doesn’t matter if you are a man or a woman. As women, it’s our role to show our innovation and audacity. Yes, there has been some remarks but from other cognac houses. Recently, I nominated a woman as my assistant. I chose her because she responds
to what I was looking for. Women have a different sensibility regarding cognac. Which combinations of food and cognac are your favourites ? The combination of foie gras and XO on ice is sumptuous. And I am very fond of chocolate combined with a neat XO. Are you one of those who regard diluting a cognac as a sacrilege ? A sacrilege ? Everyone has the right to drink their cognac in the way they prefer it. When I assemble a cognac, what I hope is that the consumers will get pleasure from drinking it. It is of no importance that it is drunk neat, on ice, in a cocktail or during a meal to accompany a starter or a dessert. The cognacs that I create are all different and suit the largest number of people because they can be personalized.
THE WORLD’S COGNAC MARKET Number of bottles consumed per year : 162.84 million Annual turnover from Cognac sales : 2,049,000,000 € 5 bottles of Cognac are sold worldwide every second. World’s top five Cognac consumers : 1. United States ; 2. China ; 3. United Kingdom ; 4. Germany ; 5. France Cognac varieties : VS (Very Special) – Minimum two years’ aging VSOP (Very Special Old Pale) – Minimum four years’ aging XO (Extra Old) – Minimum six years’ aging About Remy Martin : All over the world, Cognac is a symbol of the French lifestyle. And in the Cognac universe, Rémy Martin is considered the benchmark, the house that produces the best grapes, harvested from the best vineyards. Surely yet gradually, the fame of the centaur brand has spread, first throughout Europe, then in the East, and most recently in the Americas. The fact that Rémy Martin is the only large Cognac house with a family ownership pays homage to the character, determination, spirit of innovation, and ability to adapt that has passed through generations in the Rémy Martin clan.
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