Le cognac de Pierre L.62

This Petite Champagne cognac represents not only the spirit of family, but also, of friendship. Count Pierre de Joyet was born into French nobility in 1921 and was governess reared in a Ruffec castle, one of the family’s many properties. Perhaps their favorite was a thirty hectare vineyard, family owned since the early 19th century, located in Jurignac, Petite Champagne. 

Pierre’s father, Henri, and his grandfather before him, had studied at the Ecole Polytechnique, among the finest higher educational centers in France. Although Pierre was most certainly intelligent, his father had told him that he would never be equal to the task of learning there. Pierre did end up becoming a doctor, while simultaneously perfecting his English, Russian, German, Spanish, along with acquiring East Asian languages, as well. He subsequently served as a medical officer in the French forces before becoming the doctor on board the cruise ship, Ile de France, which transported passengers on a Marseille to Dakar circuit. His medical knowledge was valuable, but even more so were his cultivation and manners, as he dined at the captain’s table every night along with the ship’s most prestigious passengers. 

Meanwhile, back in his native Charente, the cycles of harvest and distillation continued under his father’s care. Upon Henri’s death in the 1960’s, Pierre and his younger sister, Thérèse, inherited the Jurignac property. This cognac dates back to that transitional time period. Although they had no idea how to grow vines, nor distill wine to make cognac, they were certain they had a magical terroir. The first vineyard manager they hired to help, only took advantage of their lack of knowledge. It became apparent they needed to find another, honest manager to direct their staff. 

For that purpose Pierre turned to Jean Glemet whom he had met while purchasing a plot of vines that had previously been in the de Joyet family. Jean accepted this unusual proposition from this most exceptional person.