The Darroze Philosophy

The Darroze family

For three generations, the Darroze family has been dividing its time and passions between cooking and Armagnac.

The adventure started in the 1950s and 1960s when Jean Darroze scaled the heights with the family restaurant in Villeneuve de Marsan, right in the heart of Bas-Armagnac. He shared his passions and his work with his children all of whom played a part in the national and internationally renowned family restaurant.

It was here that Francis, the youngest member of the family, was in charge of the wine list and of course the Armagnacs. During his regular visits to the different vineyards, Francis acquired an extraordinary collection of eaux de vies coming from all different areas in the Bas Armagnac region.

At the beginning of the 1970s, Francis decided to age the eaux de vies himself, in his own cellar and under his sole control. He hunted throughout the Gascony countryside far and wide searching for the best barrels from different estates. In more than 30 years, the Darroze family collection grew and today amounts to an impressive 250 different armagnacs coming from 30 properties and including more than 50 vintages.

Today, Hélène, the eldest daughter of Francis, continues the family culinary tradition. Her restaurants in Paris are well known for the quality of the products and the sincerity of their cuisine.

Her brother Marc, trained as an oenologist, takes care of the Armagnacs' ageing. He works with the same rigor and passion that characterizes his father.

Respect the 'terroirs'

It was in 1974 that Francis Darroze started his business as a trader and producer of vintage Bas-Armagnacs.

For this he relied on years of experience, tasting, visits to ageing cellars of Bas-Armagnac, the part of Armagnac where the most rich, complex and interesting spirits are produced.

The initial idea was simple : to create awareness of a region, extraordinarily varied wine-producing soils, rich and marked by history while respecting the originality and typical nature of each estate.

Since then he has intensified his search for the best vineyards, the best soils of Bas-Armagnac. He rapidly acquired a national and international reputation, and an image which is far from displeasing to him:

"He doesn't add any softened water or "petites eaux" to bring it to the necessary degree for sale ; the Armagnacs of Francis Darroze are reduced naturally through simple evaporation of the alcohol over years of ageing."

Pierre Casamayor, Revue des Vins de France, October 1987

But Francis shares with those close to him - and Marc, his son, rapidly developed the same passion - for their chosen commitment. They travel through the vineyards and cellars of the Gers and the Landes together, the one providing experience, the other youth and enthusiasm.

Ageing or the trace left by time

Our cellars for ageing the Armagnacs were constructed in 1985.

"The magnificent framework in light coloured wood, on two levels, one fresh and damp on beaten earth, the other dry under the rooftop, they contain 420 barrels of ageing Armagnacs".

Claude Jeanloz. Gastronomie et Tourisme. November 1992

It is in these cellars that our Eaux-de-vie, that have just left the alambic will take shape and be transformed. The pairing of Armagnac and the oak barrel constitutes one entity that cannot be dissociated and their evolution is intimately linked.

Here, patience is the watchword. Each Armagnac is housed in a barrel more or less new depending on the tannins it needs. From the first years of ageing, the extraction of the tannins from the wood is rapid. Bitter and astringent at the beginning, they will soften with ageing. The appearance of colour is equally rapid and intensifies between 5 and 10 years of age.

These first years are determinant and it is imperative to taste them regularly to note their evolution. The ideal is to obtain a balance between the aromas, the tannins and the alcohol.

The long years of experience have allowed us to obtain this balance at the end of 12 to 15 years. It is at this moment that we decide in general to transfer our alcohols into older barrels that will soften and bring the viscosity known as 'legs' that we notice on the glass when tasting.

This period of ageing, which can last for 40 or 50 years if it is well controlled, demands great patience. Only time allows the evolution.

Our creed

• We refuse to blend our Armagnacs together even two casks from the same Domaine, which could diminish, even eliminate all the characteristics of the soil, the climate and the varietals. each Bas-Armagnac we offer is different, and we respect the work of the vinegrower by putting the name of the estate on the bottle.
• We refuse to blend together different vintages. Each year gives Armagnac different characteristics. This is why we reproduce the originalvintage so as to keep the diversity of products of the region at a maximum.
• We refuse to add water to our spirits to reduce the degree of alcohol. By diluting Armagnac with water (a perfectly legitimate practice) one also dilutes the potential flavour and erases the differences between one soil and another. One remove all the impact of the earth on the product. One removes the interest from the Armagnac.