Maison Gautier Cognac VS

Maison Gautier Cognac VS is an elegant, fruit-forward cognac from one of the oldest cognac houses in France — a blend of Fins Bois and Bons Bois eaux-de-vie aged a minimum of two years, named World's Best VS Cognac at the 2015 World Cognac Awards.

Maison Gautier was founded in 1755 in Aigre, in the Charente, where the house occupies an 18th-century water mill on the Osme River — the river's humidity creating cool, moist cellars that encourage rounder, more delicate maturation. The VS, crafted by cellar master Isabelle Couprie, blends two crus: Fins Bois, whose heavy soils give quick-aging eaux-de-vie with fresh-grape aromatics, and Bons Bois, whose coastal character adds a rustic depth. The result is unusually balanced for such a young cognac.

Tasting Notes

• Nose: Soft white peach and apricot with a whisper of vanilla and a flinty mineral edge
• Palate: Juicy orchard fruit, gentle baking spice, and honeyed oak — round and generous
• Finish: Smooth with lingering spice and mineral warmth

Specs

• Producer: Maison Gautier, Aigre, Charente, France (est. 1755)
• Style: VS Cognac
• Crus: Fins Bois and Bons Bois
• Aging: Minimum 2 years in French oak
• Award: World's Best VS Cognac, 2015 World Cognac Awards
• ABV: 40% (80 Proof)
• Size: 750mL

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Frequently Asked Questions

• What does VS mean? "Very Special" — a cognac whose youngest eau-de-vie is aged at least two years in oak.
• What makes Gautier VS distinctive? Its blend of Fins Bois and Bons Bois crus gives it unusual balance and fruit purity for an entry-level cognac — enough to earn World's Best VS Cognac in 2015.
• How should I serve it? Enjoyable neat or over ice, and an excellent base for a Sidecar or French 75.