Courvoisier VS

About this wine

Courvoisier VS shows fresh orchard fruit on the nose, notably apple and pear, with a hint of grapefruit and spring blossom. The palate is lively and fruit forward, with citrus peel and gentle vanilla from short oak aging, finishing with a clean, slightly dry oak note. The blend is built from the traditional cognac grapes Ugni Blanc, Folle Blanche and Colombard, and includes eaux de vie from Fins Bois, Bon Bois and Petite Champagne that are treated differently to bring forward fruit or length. Courvoisier uses double distillation in small 25 hectoliter pot stills as required in the region and it selectively distills some crus with and without lees to shape aroma and texture. This expression is presented as the house entry level VS, crafted to be an approachable, floral style that highlights Courvoisier house character and the Cognac region traditions.

About the grape

Courvoisier historically builds its eaux de vie from the classic Cognac varieties, with Ugni Blanc as the backbone, a grape that originated in Tuscany and dominates the Charente plantings because it gives very high acidity, low sugars and reliable yields which make for clean, stable base wines for double distillation. Folle Blanche was once more common in the region and is prized for its floral and delicate aromatics, but it is now rare because the variety is thin skinned and very susceptible to disease, so producers use it sparingly and often source parcels trained and tended carefully to preserve its aging potential. Colombard is an older local variety, a natural offspring of Gouais and Chenin, noted for lively acidity and aromatic lift, and it is used in blends to add structure and aromatic definition to the spirit. In Courvoisier VS and similar bottlings these grapes are usually grown on the chalky and clay soils of the Cognac crus, pruned and trained to control yields, and distilled young into eaux de vie that the house then assembles and ages into the final blend.

Quick facts

• 🏺 Courvoisier VS is bottled in the house Bell bottle that prominently features Napoleon’s silhouette, a branding detail that dates back to permission granted to the Simon family in the early 20th century
• 🕰️ Although VS marks the youngest grade, Courvoisier’s VS often blends eaux de vie aged three to seven years, giving it a more mature profile than many other entry level cognacs
• 🍇 The blend relies mainly on Ugni Blanc with small amounts of the rarer Folle Blanche and Colombard, grapes that give Courvoisier its floral freshness and old world character
• 🎶 Courvoisier benefited from a pop culture boom when the early 2000s hip hop hit Pass the Courvoisier helped make the brand, and its VS bottles, instantly recognizable to a new generation
• 🪵 Limousin oak casks are used in maturation, a local French wood that helps Courvoisier VS develop warm spice and vanilla notes while keeping lively fruit characters

Palate profile

Producer

Maison Courvoisier traces its roots to the early 19th century and was established in Jarnac in 1828 by Félix Courvoisier. The house built its reputation through careful selection and blending of eaux de vie rather than by owning vineyards or large distilleries. Its château on the banks of the Charente serves as the historic headquarters and a visitor center with a museum celebrating the brand heritage. Courvoisier long associated itself with Napoleon in its marketing and preserved many objects and stories linked to that era. The brand passed into the ownership of Campari Group in May 2024, while continuing to produce its floral and fruity style of cognac in the Cognac region of France.