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Rémy Martin releases the second edition under its Carte Blanche collection, this time a blend derived from Merpins that showcases the genius of Cellar Master Baptiste Loiseau and his legendary predecessors, says zara zhuang
like a magnum opus, Rémy Martin’s Carte Blanche expressions highlight treasured eaux de vie, reinforces house style and showcases the sheer artistry of its Cellar Master. So imagine the stir that followed the release of the Carte Blanche Gensac-la-pallue Cellar Edition in 2016 — a blend crafted by then newly minted Cellar Master, Baptiste Loiseau.
That first product, an elegant XO cognac bearing notes of nutmeg and aromas of black tea and aged leather, landed a Gold Award at the 2016 International Wine & Spirits Competition. Judges praised its “beautiful flow across the palate, seamless integration of wood and spirit, with the flavours combining and effortlessly changing in the mouth — silky smooth throughout with a warm and eminently satisfying finish.”
Credited with contributing towards half of the cognac maker’s 10-percent growth in 2016/2017, the Carte Blanche à Baptiste Loiseau limited edition was followed by other exclusive, custom blends on the market — from the Master Blender’s Selection No 2 Hennessy of October 2017 to the more recent Louis XIII The Legacy by Rémy Martin. The latter is a combined legacy of its four Cellar masters: André Giraud, Georges Clot, Pierrette Trichet and Baptiste Loiseau.
The House of Rémy Martin is poised to repeat the success of its first Carte Blanche, with the debut earlier this year of the second instalment: The Rémy Martin Carte Blanche Merpins Cellar Edition. Limited to just 9,650 bottles worldwide, this blend represents the virtuosity of three generations of cellar masters — Clos, Trichet and Loiseau — and celebrates the Old Cognac Fine Champagne quality for which the company is famed.
Without any pressure on the release date or mandatory size of each edition, Loiseau embarked on his journey with a colossal inventory nurtured through the decades by his predecessors. Numerous tastings led him to a promising blend from Merpins, a Cognac Fine Champagne reserve that he monitored over time. (Merpins, a southwestern French commune and the heart of Rémy Martin, hosts a 20-ha winery with more than 140,000 barrels.) Aged at least 27 years, the Carte Blanche Merpins Cellar Edition is bottled at the percentage proof naturally occurring in the vat, and beckons with notes of cinnamon, clove, mirabelle plums, honey and gingerbread, punctuated with spicy, intense flavours. Its perfect balance of roundness, smoothness and longevity in the mouth means it is best savoured neat.
In another nod to the heritage of Rémy Martin, Carte Blanche Merpins Cellar Edition exemplifies its dedication to the exclusive blend of Grande and Petite Champagne, with the former constituting at least 50 percent of blends. This tradition dates back to 1948, when cellar master Renaud steered the House to offer only Fine Champagne cognacs.
Keeping to Grande and Petite Champagne grapes increased the complexity of the mission: The area of chalky soil that can properly support these vines is small, making cultivating grapes of unsurpassed quality a yearly challenge. But it is something the House has obviously managed to overcome: Carte Blanche Merpins Cellar Edition played a significant role in the 13.2-percent growth Rémy Martin reported in 2017/2018.
Each Rémy Martin creation bears the hallmark of Fine Champagne Cognacs — opulence, harmoniousness, floral quality and lengthy finishes. In bringing together these top attributes, the creative tension arising from its dual focuses — modernity and tradition, audacity and legacy — gives cognac connoisseurs more reason to look forward to future Carte Blanche releases. Hopefully, that will happen long before you are down to the last drops of the Merpins Cellar Edition.
Each Rémy Martin creation bears the hallmark of Fine Champagne Cognacs — opulence, harmoniousness, floral quality and lengthy finishes