To find purpose and live life well, one must take time to examine what defines them and explore their talents. Remy Martin’s “One Life/Live Them” encourages us to explore and celebrate all our talents. It is a call to live richer, larger lives, to expand the horizon and seize all the wonderful opportunities that life can offer, beyond the one-dimensional paths that former generations could have embraced.
It is important for each one of us to discover our talents – both those that you are already aware of and those that you would like to explore. You will be surprised at how far this life can take you when you do so. This is the campaign message that premium cognac brand Rémy Martin is getting across in their campaign. For sure when I look at where this life has taken me because of my talents/ gifts, it truly resonates with the message.
I was truly honored to have been part of an amazing group of talented individuals who were selected for an Exclusive tour to the historic town of Cognac, birthplace of King François I, and the world’s most famous, Rémy Martin. It was a trip that forever will be engraved in my heart (and mind/ memories). Rooted in exception since 1724, Rémy Martin has produced cognacs to the highest requirements of excellence. At this point allow me to mention, Rémy Martin has several labels under their brand name, with VSOP perhaps being the most recognized. They also have the XO label and the signature label is Louis XIII. Leaving Nairobi for Paris, I knew this was going to be a trip to cherish, as with anyone who has visited the city of lights (and love) can confess.
On a beautiful summer morning, we took a two-hour train trip from Paris, to the Cognac city where all the magic was about to unfold right before our eyes. The ride was truly picturesque seeing all the greenery and taking it all in. The town of Cognac is in the Poitou-Charente region of France. It’s a beautiful, medieval town with narrow, cobbled streets and elegant, historical buildings and most importantly, Cognac. This city is truly a destination that you must put in your bucket list for as long as you live. This city has got to be one of France’s most idyllic towns.
Upon arrival at the historic yet expansive grounds of Remy Martin HQ, we were received by a brilliant charming Gentleman, Maxime Pulci, who happens to be the International Brand Ambassador Remy Martin & Louis XIII. Let me add at this point, that he has an MBA in Luxury Brand Management, Food, Wine and Spirits. He was impeccably professional and gave us an insight into all thing’s cognac.
1724 marked the beginning of Remy Martin, the only major cognac house to have been founded by a wine grower. It has been a family business for over three centuries, run by two families who share the same values (the Remy Martin and The Heriard Dubreuil Families). Get this- this is the only Cognac house to be founded by a local French winegrower and is still family owned to this day. It was founded on craftsmanship, savoir-faire and dedication. It is a company that has truly understood the magical effects of time, aging like fine wine. It is also the only major cognac house specializing exclusively in Cognac Fine Champagne. In 1948, the brand started producing cognac only with grapes from the two most sought after vineyards.
“Rémy Martin has always been about sharing – the fruits of our labors, the talents of our cellar masters, a range of cognacs crafted to suit different tastes but always with a distinctive style. It’s a philosophy which strikes us as tailor-made for today’s social networked world,” said Augustin Depardon, Executive Director of Rémy Martin. “The most inspiring people are never just one thing; they are diverse and multitalented, and we can’t wait to discover their passions.
Rémy Martin remains committed to the core principles and values that its founders used to establish the company more than 290 years ago. It is this depth of history and skillful mastery that goes into every bottle of Rémy Martin Cognac.
One of the key insights during this stage of the tour was learning that grape is the heart and soul of cognac, giving it exceptional aromas. The secret lies in the soul which the vines grow. Here they only use grapes from the highest quality growing regions namely The Grande Champagne and Petit Champagne. When sipping on your Remy, be sure you are drinking from the finest. No sugars are added when the grapes are pressed and juice left to ferment for upto one week, so the result is white wine with an alcohol component of 7-9 percent.
For the longest time in life, I used to see these cellars in tv ads and honestly never in my life did I think I would ever get to tour and see for myself. We were taken inside a cellar where distillation happens. We were ushered into a room with over 6000 barrels. The casks are made from oak of the type found in the forests of Limousin, famous for the quality of its wood. This was one of those OMG moments. I learnt that each cellar has a slightly different temperature and humidity, thus fine-tuning the aging environment. The type of cask also affects the process, thus, depending on the cognac it will be used for, an eau-de-vie may be changed to progressively older casks as it ages.
“A single bottle of cognac may contain hundreds of different eaux-de-vie, harvested, distilled, and aged in barrels over different periods of time. It requires the unique expertise of the Cellar Master to blend this vast palette into Rémy Martin cognacs with their unparalleled signature style: harmonious, rich, and long on the palate” said Maxime Pulci.
Just before a meal, cognac is usually consumed neat, but adding two ice cubes will dilute the cognac and reduce the alcohol percentage, which reveals aromas while making the taste more refreshing. The goal is that the ice cubes melt slowly, revealing new aromas at each step.
Cognac can even be consumed frozen, which makes the liquid very viscous (it does not freeze due to the high alcohol level) and gives an experience that is almost velvety in the mouth. This pairs particularly well with sea food: oysters, lobster, or sushi.
It can also be consumed with tonic or ginger ale. This brings out notes of fresh fruit, even liquorice, in a Rémy Martin VSOP. This is how cognac is normally enjoyed by the locals in the Cognac area as an apéritif. But as our guide reminded us, “there are no rules for drinking cognac, you drink it how you like an enjoy it”.
If you ever visit France, please do include visiting Cognac city for a Remy Martin experience in your itinerary. This was indeed a wonderful experience as it gave us first experience and insight into making traditional cognac. The learning experience is quite something you need to see to appreciate even if you don’t drink or aren’t fond of cognac. Cognac is not just a drink; it’s a destination- from historic house visit to the vineyard to the distillery and not forgetting the gourmet experience and to crown it all, the Loius XIII Experience.
Rémy Martin is indeed the drink of choice for those who make a difference in our world, who take strides and are bold – a face that stands out in a crowd with their various talents. Why be one thing, when you can be many? Meet new people, go to new places and try new things. After all, you only get ONE LIFE. So, LIVE THEM.
Virginia Woolf once said — ‘One cannot think well, love well, sleep well, if one has not dined well.’ Whether served neat, over ice, or in cocktails, the versatility of Rémy Martin cognac lends itself to be enjoyed in a variety of ways and occasions. Remy and Great food are the essential of good living.
To the team at Rémy Cointreau and Shreya Karia of SHK Consulting, thank you for the absolute 100% hospitality and making this trip memorable in all ways. It was always one of my dreams to not only visit Paris, but to visit the Cognac city and get to see firsthand the process.