Before dinner: a bold drink with rounded fruit flavors, not too sweet—isn’t that what we’re all looking for?
To fill that position, I offer you a French aperitif you may not have heard of: Pineau des Charentes. It comes from the Cognac region but don’t panic, it’s not expensive.
Named for the Western French region where the Charentes River winds romantically through forests, vineyards and small towns, Pineau des Charentes has been produced in France since 1589. This drink is lower in alcohol than spirits; at 17% alcohol it is closer to table wines (typically 13-15% ABV)
HOW TO DRINK IT
In warm weather, the simplest way to drink Pineau des Charentes is: chill, pour, sip.
Some of us like it over ice—though this may not be the first choice of Pineau des Charentes ambassador ms. franky marshall (her name is always lower case, she tells me). In case you didn’t know, ms. franky is also an award-winning mixologist and a legendary cocktail consultant. She discovered Pineau des Charentes a number of years ago during a cocktail creation competition; she won, and has always kept Pineau des Charentes in her toolkit.
Transitioning to fall, ms. franky cautions us to continue to keep Pineau des Charentes well-chilled. You’ll have a refreshing yet cozy drink; I picture it in a thick glass tumbler by a firepit.
Cocktail tip from ms. franky: When making a cocktail, don’t over-shake because that would dilute it too much.
Try her low-ABV “P&T”— 2 ounces of young, white Pineau des Charentes and 1.5 ounces tonic, over ice. Garnish with a grapefruit twist and a sprig of thyme.
THE ANCIENT ART OF PINEAU DES CHARENTES
French farmers have been drinking Pineau des Charentes at home for centuries. The grapes are pressed, then eau-de-vie distilled from the same grapes is added, making up one quarter of the volume, and arresting the fermentation. Then the product is aged in wood for at least a year—and up to a dozen or more years—in order to meld and enhance the blend’s aromas and flavors.
As of 1945, Pineau des Charentes earned its status as a controlled appellation of the French Government [AOC, or Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée]. All the grapes in each bottle of Pineau des Charentes must come from the same farmed estate or vineyard. In other words, this is a pure product of one particular parcel of land, within the borders of the Charente-adjacent regions where cognac is made. Currently there are about 300 Pineau des Charentes producers, and 75% of their product is consumed in France.
FOOD PAIRINGS
Ms. franky recommends a chilled Pineau des Charentes with a variety of foods, starting with young, creamy white cheeses for the Jeune (young) or Vieux (older) styles of Pineau des Charentes.
Surprisingly, melons are also great pairing, especially with the Vieux. We didn’t have a cantaloupe on hand (or a French Cavaillon melon) so we substituted a very ripe, chilled honeydew, quite happily.
A mimolette cheese is ms. franky’s pairing for the Vieux style; Gouda would go nicely as well. To pair with the Tres Vieux she likes stronger flavors such as blue cheese or duck breast.
PRO TIP FOR ORDERING: Say Pineau des Charentes, as best you can. Because if you just say “Pineau” in the US, you’re likely to get a glass of pinot noir red wine. [HINT: PEA-no day Shah-RAUNT]
STYLES OF PINEAU des CHARENTES
White Pineau des Charentes (though it may appear golden-tan to brown when aged) is made with the same white grapes as cognac, mainly colombard, folle blanche, montils, semillon and ugni blanc.
Red (rouge) and rosé are made mainly with the same grapes used to make the famed red wines of the nearby Bordeaux region: cabernet franc, cabernet sauvignon, malbec and merlot.
Young [jeune] white: aged a minimum of 18 months, including at least 12 months in oak barrels
Young red [rouge] and rosé: minimum 12 months of ageing, including 8 months in oak barrels
Vieux [old] white, red and rosé: aged a minimum of 5 years in oak barrels
Tres Vieux [very old] white, red and rosé: aged a minimum of 10 years in oak barrels