XOXO Pineau des Charentes
Pineau: An Apéritif Perfect for Any Occasion
This five year old Pineau is a perfect example of how Pineau des Charentes should taste! Enjoy it as an aperitif chilled, on the rocks, mixed with a bit of tonic water or have some fun experimenting with it behind the bar. It also goes well with foie gras, blue cheese or with almost any dessert.
Pineau des Charentes Blanc
Fruity White Apéritif Wine
This traditional French aperitif wine is a blend of freshly pressed grapes and some young Normandin-Mercier cognac. Ageing five years in oak barrels helps to marry and mature the fresh fruit flavors making a soft blend that is ready to be enjoyed chilled as an aperitif, or as a dessert wine. The white Pineau goes well with blue cheese or sweet peach cobbler. Fresh and fruity with a dash of “rancio”.
Pineau des Charentes Rouge
Fruity Red Apéritif Wine
This traditional French aperitif wine is a blend of freshly pressed grapes and some young Normandin-Mercier cognac. Ageing five years in oak barrels helps to marry and mature the fresh fruit flavors making a soft blend that is ready to be enjoyed chilled as an aperitif, or as a dessert wine. The Rouge Pineau goes well with red berry fruit tart or chocolate cake. Fruitier than the white with a greedy note of pits of cherry.
Cognac Normandin-Mercier
Since 1872, five generations have contributed to the development of the prestigious Normandin-Mercier Cognacs.
Press
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![A man and woman stroll with their dog in front of the iron and stone gates of their family chateau.]()
Charente-Maritime: the return of the vine to the gates of La Rochelle with the Domaine Normandin-Mercier
Édouard and Audrey Normandin are replanting vines in Aunis to produce Pineau. Their agroforestry project combines vineyards, forestry, and beekeeping to restore meaning and aesthetics to the land surrounding the Château de La Péraudière.
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![La Rochelle Hotel de Ville. Laura Motta/Lonely Planet]()
A first-time guide to Cognac, France
J. Normandin-Mercier, located just outside La Rochelle, has been in the same cognac-making family for five generations. With a chicly rustic tasting room and the family dogs lounging in the courtyard, a visit here feels like a peek into a private family estate. They also produce pineau de Charentes, a jewel-toned fortified wine that’s served across the region as an aperitif.
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![Preview page of French Brandy article with a bottle lineup below the title]()
Essential French Brandies: A Primer
A lot of questions abound about French brandies, especially Armagnac and Calvados. But myths and misconceptions arise even around France’s most famous Brandy export, Cognac.
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8 VSOP Cognacs to Drink Right Now
Normandin Mercier 7 VSOP
This delicious and delicate Cognac opens with a distinctly nutty aroma. The palate unfolds pecan and almond, plus vanilla sweetness that lingers into the complex finish. Subtle white flower and pear mingle with ginger and clove on the graceful exhale.
97 Points — Kara Newman
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![Collection of cork-toped samples of cognac with large barrel in the background, honeyed lighting]()
Ready to Take Your Cognac Game to the Next Level?
Another noticeable trend has been the uptick in single-vintage bottlings—a rarity in Cognac. But Normandin-Mercier (1976), Maison Surrenne (1975), Jean Grosperrin (1991) all dipped into the Paradis—the cave where rare brandies usually are stored—and released some of the best Cognacs you’ll see in your glass this year.
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Ask A Somm: Which Aperitif Wines Are Best Before a Holiday Meal?
Kick off dinner with one of these aperitif wines.
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Discovering Pineau
French aperitif Pineau des Charentes is gaining ground as a cocktail component
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![Man in a brandy cellar smelling a glass of cognac as seen through a window]()
Spirit of the Age
A connoisseur’s guide to the complex world of cognacs
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![Two bottles of Normandin-Mercier Pineau des Charentes, one white and one red, from France with white logos featuring an intricate crest.]()
The French Apéro and How Best to Enjoy Apéritif Hour
Traditional Pineau des Charentes
Legend has it that Pineau des Charentes is the result of a happy accident. In the late 16th century, a winegrower carelessly threw grape must (sweet grape juice) into a barrel containing Cognac. Years later, the barrel was discovered, and Pineau des Charentes, a deliciously fortified grape-based aperitif drink was born.
