La Compagnie de Bouteville
French balsamic vinegar aged in Cognac cask
The Baume de Bouteville is a handcrafted French balsamic vinegar, produced in the village of Bouteville in the Cognac area of western France. It is crafted from freshly harvested Ugni Blanc grapes, which descend from the same grape families as the world-renowned Trebbiano and white St-Émilion. After the “chauffe” process (heating at more than 60°C) in copper pot alembics, the Baume de Bouteville is carefully aged for several years in oak barrels that previously contained Cognac.
Through this process, the Baume de Bouteville receives a sublime and fruity note that sets it apart from Italian balsamic produced in Modena. In fact, the intention of the Baume de Bouteville's creators is not to copy or reproduce traditional balsamic, but to create something similar - with a distinct French touch. The founder and maître de chai has been responsible for its natural and handcrafted production, selection and storage for many years. The entire production in Bouteville is done on a small scale in order to guarantee the highest quality.
The Baume de Bouteville reaches 'high quality' at three years of aging, and 'supreme quality' at 10. Because grape quality varies from year to year (depending on microclimate, sun hours and vintage), the final product is divided up into different "séléctions". The young Baume de Bouteville, "l'Original," is a blend between two and five years of age. The older two, "vieille réserve" and "réserve exclusive," are single casks aged for six and 10 years.
Customers, including renowned French chefs, use it as an invigorating ingredient for crustaceans, oysters, salads and other gourmet dishes. Some even enjoy it in its purest form in a wine glass.
Check out their recipes.