Tesseron Lot 76 XO Tradition, Grande Champagne Premier Cru Cognac
Made entirely from Grande Champagne, a Premier Cru region of Cognac, Lot No. 76 XO Tradition embodies a unique sense of family and history: the oldest eaux-de-vie in the blend were distilled in 1976, the year that gives this cuvée its number and corresponds to one of the four generations of the Tesseron family at the helm of this House, founded in 1905. Aged in Châteauneuf-sur-Charente, these Grande Champagne reserves reside in the House’s “paradise,” where Abel Tesseron’s private collection is kept.
Awards
This cognac has been recognized in a major international spirits competition.
- Silver Medal — International Wine & Spirit Competition, 2009
Tasting the Tesseron Lot 76 XO Tradition: Aromatic Profile, Pairings, and Serving
Tasting
This eau-de-vie displays light gold hues with brilliant highlights, characteristic of a Grande Champagne blend aged to perfection. On the initial nose, aromas of fruit compote and caramelized peaches come through boldly, accompanied by subtle floral notes of violet and vine blossom. After a few minutes of aeration, the bouquet deepens to reveal honey, mild spices—cinnamon and ginger—and hints of nuts. The palate is generous and lively: the attack is round, the mid-palate full-bodied, carried by notes of raisins and almonds. The finish, long and warm, prolongs the spices and candied fruits with a persistence typical of the great Grande Champagne eaux-de-vie. A subtle rancio, a hallmark of extended barrel aging, rounds out the profile on the retro-olfaction.
- Age classification: XO — Extra Old, a blend of eaux-de-vie aged well beyond the legal minimum of 10 years
- Cru: Grande Champagne (Premier Cru de Cognac), single-cru blend
- Oldest eaux-de-vie: distilled in 1976
- Grape variety: Ugni Blanc
- Distillation: double distillation in Charentais copper stills
- Distillation on lees: yes
- Aging: more than one generation in French Limousin oak barrels
- Aging location: Châteauneuf-sur-Charente
- Alcohol content: 40% vol
- Producer status: Family-owned business, founded in 1905
Food and wine pairings
Lot No. 76 XO Tradition is best enjoyed neat as a digestif, served in a tulip glass, after a gourmet meal. Its rich profile and notes of candied fruit and almond make it a particularly good match for a raisin brioche or a plate of aged ham and Parmesan shavings, whose saltiness brings out the roundness of the blend. A square of 70% dark chocolate also complements the spicy finish perfectly.
Aging Potential
This cognac is best served in a tulip-shaped glass, which concentrates the aromas toward the nose while avoiding the ethanol saturation typical of balloon glasses. Pour 3 to 4 cl, aiming for the widest part of the glass, and gently warm the base in the palm of your hand for a few minutes to gradually release the tertiary aromas and the rancio. Bring the glass to your nose in several successive stages to first capture the volatile notes, then the deeper nuances. Unlike wine, cognac does not continue to evolve once bottled: an unopened bottle can be stored indefinitely away from light, in a cool, dry place, in an upright position. Once opened, the bottle retains its qualities for several months if carefully recorked.
From Grande Champagne to paradise: the making of Tesseron Lot 76
The Vintage in the Vineyard
Grande Champagne, Cognac’s premier cru, rests on Cretaceous limestone soils of remarkable uniformity, which give the eaux-de-vie produced there a structural finesse and a capacity for slow aging unmatched in the region. The Ugni Blanc grape variety, grown in the temperate oceanic climate of the Charente, produces grapes that are naturally acidic and low in sugar, with moderate alcohol content—qualities ideal for distillation. It is this raw material, sourced entirely from Grande Champagne, that Maison Tesseron uses for Lot No. 76, ensuring the purest and most enduring expression of the premier cru.
The Process in the Cellar
The base wine, dry and acidic, is distilled on its fine lees in a Charente-style copper pot still with a second pass, following the traditional Charente method: an initial heating produces the “brouillis,” while the main heating extracts the “cœur” at approximately 70% ABV. This distillation on lees gives the eaux-de-vie greater body and enhanced aromatic persistence. Aging then takes place in Châteauneuf-sur-Charente, in French Limousin oak barrels, whose coarse grain promotes the gradual extraction of aromatic compounds from the wood. The most prized eaux-de-vie are taken to the Maison’s “paradise”—that timeless cellar where Abel Tesseron’s private collection is preserved. The “angels’ share”—natural annual evaporation—slowly concentrates the spirit over the decades. The final blend, crafted by Maison Tesseron, is then gradually diluted to 40% ABV.
