IWSC names Château de Lacquy winner of its 2022 Brandy Producer Trophy

The winner of this year’s IWSC Brandy Producer Trophy, sponsored by Talis, is the oldest family estate in Armagnac, Château de Lacquy.

Armagnac’s history in France is a long and earthy one. Produced in the southwest region of Gascony, it’s a spirit with a reputation for being made and enjoyed locally on an artisan scale. The finest examples of Armagnac, such as those from Château de Lacquy, are beautifully crafted products.

“Château de Lacquy has been producing high-end Armagnacs for more than 310 years in the same family,” the team tell us. “There is no better example for history, heritage, tradition and consistency.” In fact, Château de Lacquy is the oldest family estate in Armagnac. All the fruit is estate-grown, and Véronique and Gilles de Boisséson, the 11th generation, oversee every step of production, from viticulture to bottling.

The 400-hectare estate is mixed agriculture, with some land given over to forest, while vegetables and wheat are also cultivated. Château de Lacquy is well placed to focus on promoting biodiversity and sustainable environmental practices, from mechanical weeding to experimenting with cover crops.

Véronique and Gilles have 25 hectares of vines; the soils here are light and sandy with iron oxide and marine sediments. They vinify each grape variety and parcel separately in locally sourced 400-litre oak casks. The still, which dates from 1939, adds a unique character to the distillate. The spirit is aged by vintage and grape variety too.

This level of detailed production gives Véronique and Gilles incredible control over every aspect of their Armagnac. They are poised to release a new series of limited-edition bottlings to showcase some of their most exceptional spirits.

But Véronique and Gilles are also focused on the day to day: “We really hope 2022 will see a good harvest in our vineyards,” they explain. “We have had several years with frost, hail and other weather incidents. All in all, that’s our everyday life: we are farmers.”

Congratulations to Château de Lacquy and thank you to our trophy sponsor, Talis.