Vineyards
The 42 hectares of vineyards are divided into 5 areas with 11 plots situated around the village of Lannepax in the Bas Armagnac. The vineyard is made up of four traditional Armagnac grapes: Ugni-Blanc, Colombard, Baco and Folle Blanche. Sustainable viticulture is practiced and any interventions are decided upon after estimation of the real risks regarding the size of the plot.
Winemaking cellars
The four varieties are harvested, pressed and vinified separately in the winemaking cellar just a few metres from the distillery. The distillation wine must be aromatic, slightly acidic and low in alcohol.
Distillery
The distillery is in the family birthplace of Lannepax. An essential and fascinating step, the distillation generally takes place in the middle of winter. Historically, the Marie Duffau Armagnacs were distilled using the continuous distillation method typical for Armagnac. In these alambics the eaux-de-vie come off the still at 58% abv which is ideal for ageing. Since 1972, the double distillation method is also used for the young Armagnacs.
Ageing
Our cellars hold more than 1000 barrels and a dozen French and Gascon oak tuns that mature and protect our Armagnac eaux-de-vie dating from the 20th century to this day. The oldest vintages are kept in glass ‘Bonbonnes’ (demi-johns), away from the light in a special room known as Paradise. Jacques and Sylvain, the house ‘noses’, taste, select and marry the eaux-de-vie together. Following in the footsteps of Prosper, Gaston and Georges, they are the guarantors of the particular character for the Marie Duffau Armagnacs.