St-Rémy: French brandy ‘needs rules’

St-Rémy brandy has said it would like to see “special specifications” for French brandy, similar to those that regulate Cognac and Scotch whisky.

St-Rémy brandy has redesigned its VSOP and XO variants

Speaking to The Spirits Business ahead of an event in London earlier this week, during which the brand unveiled the new designs for its VSOP and XO expressions, St-Rémy marketing director Hervé Buzon said he would welcome rules for French brandy to assure quality across the category.

Buzon added that while he enjoys the greater freedom brandy producers have to experiment with grape varieties, a more tightly controlled French brandy sector would install greater confidence in consumers and elevate the category’s reputation.

Brandy can currently be distilled from any fruit, anywhere around the world, making it difficult to regulate the category as a whole.

“What people forget is that Cognac is a type of brandy, but it has to be made in a certain part of France, in a certain way,” explained Buzon. “Rules for French brandy is something we can totally make happen and that should happen in the coming months or year.

“We hope and are confident and very positive that some rules will be created for French brandy. For several years, the Federation of French Brandy (FFB) has held discussions about the description of French brandy, with special specifications on what French brandy should be.

“The Federation has prepared a project to submit to the EU for approval. It should happen quite fast, but you never really know.

“We are one of the only French brandies that are French from the grapes to the bottling – even the casks are French oak.

“But anyway, we believe it’s very important for the category to have rules because all players are playing the same game.”