Pineau des Charentes is a blend of grape must with grape distillate – typically Cognac eau-de-vie. The cognac part prevents further fermentation and must be between 60% and 72%. This blend is then aged in casks for a number of years.
After 5 years in barrel it can be called Vieux Pineau and after 10 years it becomes Très Vieux Pineau. However in this session we’ll try a few that far exceed these categories.
A big part of this session will consist of Malternative Belgium releases. Apart from their cognac releases they’ve already bottled an impressive series of Pineau. Somehow we never found the time to publish the reviews.
Jean-Luc Pasquet Pineau des Charentes Assemblage 40 yo 75-80 (16%, C. Dully Selection 2025)
Nose: thick as a PX. It’s bursting with prunes and pear syrup, but it also shows chevril and parsley, along with walnuts. Great rancio. Also sultanas or cherry jam, to the fifth power. Perhaps even a minty edge.
Mouth: very thick, very sweet, but also having a lot of acidity. This is liquid Liège syrup (Wiertz, remember that name). Then piercing apple juice acidity, sour cherries, a lot of treacle. Still some evolved notes: leafy hints, mint and caramelized walnuts.
Finish: medium long, still on prune juice and pear syrup, with refreshing acidity.
Around 500 grams of sugar per litre, so that’s PX territory indeed. The acidity is higher though and there are nice rancio aromas that make things more complex. A truly decadent after dinner drink.
Rémi Landier Pineau des Charentes ‘Acacia d’Or’ 1995 – Fins Bois (17,5%, Malternative Belgium)
Nose: we’re gaining a lot of elegance here, including some polished oak and minty freshness. The old cognac is easy to note. Also apricot jam, walnuts and hazelnuts, as well as juicy pears.
Mouth: again closer to the cognac, in a nice way, with much more softness than the other. Syrupy sweetness (of course), lots of pears, but also almost floral notes and some herbal honey. Perhaps a hint of elderflower. Closer to the complexity of a long-aged Sauternes for instance.
Finish: medium length, less rancio this time but simply a very vibrant and fresh mix of fruit sweetness and sourness.
Less than € 50 this, mind you. That’s a lot of pleasure for a modest amount of money. Warmly recommended if you’re not sure Pineau is for you. Score: 88/100
Grosperrin Pineau des Charentes Lot 99 ‘L’éclat de rouge’ – Fins Bois (17,7%, Malternative Belgium 2025, 480 btl.)
Nose: rich grapes, prunes and figs, with hints of stewed berries underneath. A dark sweetness that is countered with lovely hints of jasmine (bottled-aged Moscatel anyone?). Also a whiff of star anise and a luscious layer of ice cream with artisan vanilla.
Mouth: a lot of acidity, which I always find attractive. Pear syrup from Liège again, with raspberry coulis, more plum juice and a series of pralines with dark chocolate and red fruit ganache. Sour cherry as well. Wonderfully balanced.
Finish: not too long, but still very vibrant, pretty much on the same flavours.
What a joy. I find the balance of sweetness and acidity perfect here, and the same goes for the balance between old oxidative effects and young fruitiness. A winner! To think this was also under € 50 (but already sold out…) Score: 90/100
Pineau des Charentes 40 yo ‘Alliance de Rubis’ – Grande Champagne (17,8%, Malternative Belgium 2025, 270 btl.)
Nose: less thick and slightly more on the oxidative (rancio) side. The nuttiness is bigger (hazelnut and walnut), along with a hint of cocoa. Then of course also the classic raisins, prunes and figs, and a hint of orange peels. In the background light touches of tobacco and mushrooms.
Mouth: big acidity again – great. Also lots of herbal honey, hints of chocolate, caramelized nuts and also speculoos cream, which is lovely. Quinces, subtle hints of baking spice and almond too.
Finish: long, with a great sweet and sour balance. Honey, juicy acidity and subtle bakery notes.
A slightly less impressive Pineau, at least for me. Score: 86/100
Pineau des Charentes 46 yo ‘La Sépia’ – Grande Champagne (17,8%, Malternative Belgium 2025, 149 btl.)
Nose: we’re in the same ballpark here, but it’s more refined than the 40yo. More on apricots and floral notes, much like a well-aged Sauternes. Some plums but far less weighty. Then also almonds and walnuts, along with orange peels and a delicate layer of pipe tobacco.
Mouth: same feeling of freshness and elegance. Lots of candied fruits, dried apricots and dried papaya cubes. Also caramelized almonds, hints of polished oak and a moderate acidity. There’s rancio here as well, including subtle menthol and tobacco, but far less bloated than the 40yo.
Finish: medium to long, with subtle cocoa, orange peels and red fruit acidity.
This one stands out for its impeccable balance and elegance. There’s no spiky element here, no excessive oxidative notes either. Simply a vibrant and attractive Pineau, much in line with expectations for Grande Champagne, I’d say. Still available from Malternative Belgium. Score: 89/100
Raffaud Pineau des Charentes Lot 66 ‘La Patisserie Rouge’ – Borderies (18%, Malternative Belgium 2024, 200 btl.)
Nose: one that’s very close to the cognac, albeit with a dash of sweetness. Some winey grape notes, raisins, with hints of nutmeg and mint, along with apricots and orange peels. Certainly not as jammy and stewed as most of the others. Then hints of wildflowers and honey.
Mouth: superb acidity to counter the abundant honeyed notes. Again a fresh fruitiness of grapes, apricots and oranges. Some pear syrup but none of the darker notes here. A subtle spiciness adds weight. So easy to like.
Finish: long, still really honeyed, with elegant dried fruits.
In this session we’ve had Pineau that leaned more towards Sauternes and others that leaned more towards Pedro Ximénez. Or at least those are the associations I’m making. These GCs seem to steer towards Sauternes with a very elegant, balanced profile. My kinda profile. Score: 89/100