Millésime 1996 - Cognac Grande Champagne Raymond Ragnaud - Ugni Blanc

In the 1860s, the Ragnaud family owned a small vineyard in the Grande Champagne area of Cognac, a cru not yet classified as Premier Cru but recognized by all the professionals of the time as the best Cru in the Cognac region; it was later classified as Premier Cru for its exceptional qualities.

Like today, the vineyard at that time was planted with Folle Blanche and Ugni-Blanc, a grape variety resistant to phylloxera, a deadly disease that was rampant in the Cognac vineyard.

In 1920, Paul Ragnaud settled in the Château, in Ambleville, followed in 1941 by his son Raymond who decided to create the Raymond Ragnaud brand by bottling under his name the eaux de vie he inherited. 

In 1963, his wife, helped by her two children, Françoise and Jean-Marie, increased the vineyard to 47 hectares spread over 3 properties: Ambleville, Criteuil la Madeleine and Lignères-Sonneville, located on the famous limestone slopes of Grande Champagne.

For 30 years Françoise Ragnaud-Bricq, faithful to her ancestral roots, has been managing her three vineyards by perpetuating the traditions and know-how.