The core holdings of the "la Voute" vineyard are pre-phylloxera, planted before 1870. You can count the number of bottlings from such pre-phylloxera vineyards on one hand: Quinta do Noval Nacional port ($400-$3000) and Bollinger Vielles Vignes Francais champagne ($500-$1000) are two of the precious few ancient vineyards left and they produce some of the most other-worldly, and yes, expensive/sought-after wines of all.

Given its pedigree, you can imagine the intensity/power and silky finesse that these grapes produce. In addition to the excellent cognac being produced today, the house�s cellar still holds some of the original 19th century distillate (worth more than its weight in gold) which is blended into Paradis. I find it staggering to think that a portion of this nectar was around to see the end of Emperor Napoleon III's reign.

Ragnaud-Sarbourin is a Cognac drinker's Cognac. No extravagant marketing campaigns, no glitz and glamour, and unlike a lot of high-end Cognacs that tack on the cost of gaudy crystal bottles, Ragnaud-Sarbourin focuses on what's in the bottle. This is our kind of Cognac, especially appreciated at the lowest price in the country (by far!).

The Paradis is the highest expression of their art and frankly one of the greatest expressions of a spirit in the world. For me personally, it has been a revelation of what Cognac can be at any price.

Finding a comparison is daunting: even associating the Ragnaud-Sarbourin Paradis with VS, VSOP and even XO Cognacs is like watching Nureyev dance among his peers. They're just not in the same category. Once a Cognac reaches the maturity level of the Paradis, it becomes a whole different animal, showing off unending layers of warm evolved richness ("rancio" is the word used to describe this intangible) matched to a dense silky texture that spreads itself far and wide inside the mouth.

Paradis Lost

I know it goes without saying, but there are extremely limited quantities. Sadly, this is the last of it. Paradis has been discontinued in the United States at the wholesale level because there is too little produced and therefore not enough money to be made from a brand that only insiders and connoisseurs are aware of. Whether you�re shopping for the holidays or buying for your own personal stash, grab a slice of "Paradis", possibly for the last time.

If you are interested in this offer, please either reply to this email or call us at (212) 980-9463 as soon as possible to guarantee yourself a bottle. Paradis will be available for delivery early during the week of November 6th, 2006.

Bobby Schagrin
Managing Partner
Crush Wine & Spirits

Ragnaud-Sabourin "Le Paradis"

Crush NET Sale Price: $539.99/btl
(Compare at $600-800/btl)

Among Cognac cognoscenti, Ragnaud-Sabourin is a legend. They've been in the same place since the 1850s. When the land within Cognac was finally ranked in 1936, Ragnaud-Sabourin's vineyard "la Voute" found itself in the center of the greatest of the 6 Crus of Cognac: "Grande Champagne." (Here the "champagne" refers not to bubbly, but is an old term meaning referring to an agricultural field.) With a vineyard in the greatest region of Cognac, why would you move?

Today, three generations of Ragnaud-Sabourin matriarchs oversee everything involved in the production of their Cognac. The grapes are grown in the family vineyard and they oversee the harvesting and the distillation of the juice. Of course they oversee the spirits aging and blending. A telltale sign of their true obsession, they also tend to the bottling and labeling themselves.

Cognac the Region, Cognac the Spirit

France's Cognac region lies about 70 miles north of Bordeaux. Cognac (the spirit) is distilled from grapes, therefore Cognac (the region) has about 200,000 acres under vine to support this production. Cognac divides its vineyards into 6 distinct Crus. From highest to lowest quality, they are: Grande Champagne, Petite Champagne, Borderies, Fins Bois, Bons Bois, and Bois Ordinaires.

Wine produced in this region is barely palatable - weak and acidic for most tastes. Distillation, however, changes everything. Cognac is in fact distilled twice, resulting in a super-potent and harsh "eau-de-vie" (water of life) that is transformed into Cognac by one thing: aging in wooden barrels.

A smorgasbord of influences affects the eau-de-vie in barrel. First of all, both the water and the alcohol slowly evaporate. As alcohol evaporates faster, the proof of the brandy slowly lowers, and the spirit becomes mellower. (Experts estimate the equivalent of 20 million bottles evaporate every year in the region's barrels.) Oxygen also acts upon the brandy to soften it and enrich its complex aromatics. Lastly, the oak adds rich and creamy vanilla notes and slowly darkens the brandy into the recognizable shade of Cognac.

VS, VSOP, XO?

Though vintage Cognac does exist, most Cognac, like most Champagne, is a blend of different vintages and barrels. The common ratings you see on Cognac bottles - VS, VSOP, etc - are actually indicators of the youngest eau-de-vie in the blend.

Here's the official breakdown: VS (very superior): The youngest eau-de-vie is not less than 2.5 years old; VSOP (very superior old pale): At least 4.5 years old; XO (extra old): At least 6.5 years old. Keep in mind that the average age of the blend is probably much older. For example, the average age of the eau-de-vie in an XO Cognac is probably closer to 35 to 50 years old.