5TH International Cognac Summit : THE FEMININE SIDE OF

5TH International Cognac Summit : THE FEMININE SIDE OF COGNAC!
Now in its 5th year, the International Cognac Summit 2012, organised by the Bureau National
Interprofessionnel du Cognac (BNIC), brought 24 international women and men drinks professionals to
Cognac (for full list see Notes to Editors) to address the subject of Cognac and Women.
From 22nd to 25th of January, three days of intense discussions, workshops, tastings, lectures and visits
to Cognac houses by bartenders, sommeliers, retailers and specialist journalists from the UK, USA, France,
Germany and Austria threw light on women’s perception of Cognac from taste and aromas to packaging
and consumption.
Tasting sessions showed that in terms of packaging women have a clear preference for a style that is
luxurious and contemporary, and are particularly attracted to round bottles with creative and eye-catching
labels - all characteristics that strongly reflect women’s preferences in their choice of perfume packaging.
The same parallel with perfume was evident when it came to taste and aroma: the sweet, fresh-fruity notes
in Cognac (cocao, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, ripe fruit, toffee and orange) were judged by all tasters to be
female-friendly. Again these are all fragrance notes found in the current Top 10 perfumes for women in
France, Europe and throughout the world.
In a creative Cognac cocktail workshop, teams of bartenders, sommeliers, retailers and journalists came up
with new cocktails that would appeal to women consumers. ‘Lady Cœur’ (pictured below) was voted the
winner for its subtle blend of Cognac, orange, cinnamon sweet rosé vermouth (again flavoured with hints
of cinnamon) and champagne.
What better cocktail for Valentine’s Day ?
Lady Cœur
4.5cl of VSOP Cognac
1.5cl of freshly squeezed
orange juice
0.75cl of lemon juice
1.5cl of sugar syrup
2cl of rosé vermouth
Method
Shake over ice, strain in to a martini
glass and top up with
Champagne.
Sprinkle very lightly with cinnamon
and decorate with orange zest.
-endsFor further press information, please contact Sarah or Janet at the BNIC London Press Office,
C/o Accent Communications : sarah@accent-communications / janet@accent-communications
0208 661 2061
NOTE TO EDITORS :
INTERNATIONAL COGNAC SUMMIT 2012: BARTENDERS – SOMMELIERS – RETAILERS
Matt
Armitage
Bartender/General Manager London Cocktail Club
UK
Sommelier/VP of Beverage
Sandy
Block
Operations
Legal Sea Foods
USA
Sophie
Bratt
Head Bartender
Harvey Nichols, Leeds
UK
Andrea
Briccarello
Sommelier/Wine buyer
Galvin Restaurants
UK
Alexandre
Chalmandrier
Sommelier
La Tour d'Argent, Paris
France
Matthias
Dathan
Retailer
Weinladen Schmidt, Berlin
Germany
Carol
Donovan
Bartender
Hearty Boys restaurant and
owner of Intoxicatingly Fin Cocktails,
Chicago
USA
Richard
Ellis
Retailer/Head of Spirits
slurp.co.uk
UK
Jakob
Etzold
Bartender
Stagger Lee, Berlin
Germany
Sandrine
Houdré-Grégoire Bartender
virgincucumber.com
France
Bettina
Kupsa
Bartender
3 Freunde Bar, Hambourg
Germany
Dominique Laporte
Sommelier
Dominiquelaporte.com
France
Jérôme
Lefèvre
Retailer
Cave Hardivin
France
Olivier
Madinier
Retailer
Au Verger de la Madeleine
France
Laure
Patry
Sommelier
Pollen Street Social
UK
Herchelle
Perez-Terrado
Retailer/Spirits Buyer
Waitrose
UK
Patricia
Richards
Mixologist
Wynn & Encore Resorts, Las Vegas
USA
Samuel
Roustaing
Bartender
Le Black Pearl, Cannes
France
Willy
Shine
Bartender (founder)
Contemporary Cocktails
USA
Klaus
St Rainer
Bartender
Goldene Bar, Munich
Germany
Bernard
Vidal
Retailer
Le Repère de Bacchus
France
Lidwina
Weh
Sommelier
Louis C. Jacob, Hambourg
Germany
Lennart
Wenk
Sommelier
Fährhaus Munkmarsch, Sylt
Germany
Konny
Wunder
Bartender
Halbestadt, Wien
Austria