Located north of Bordeaux, Charentes receives a significant amount of sunlight. Like Bordeaux, this major vacation destination bordering the Atlantic Ocean is warmed by the Gulf Stream ascending from the Gulf of Mexico. Its influence is especially felt during the summer and aids in the cultivation of the vineyards and the ripening process. Charantes’ winters are mild, protected from heavy frosts, and the main variety grown here, Ugni Blanc, has excellent conditions in which to grow and ripen.

With its international detective film festival, the city of Cognac loves a mystery, but the biggest enigma of all is the procedure used to make its famous brandies: a mysterious distillation process followed by years of barrel aging. Though peaceful and quiet, the city itself is linked with the outside world, and buyers come from all over the globe to purchase its wares. Charentes also is an artistic haven, with a number of unique Roman churches that were built during the Middle Ages when these lands were reclaimed from the Moors. Many of the Chemins de Compostelle, or paths used by religious pilgrims, still exist and contain relics from this pious age. Today, however, Cognac and the surrounding region are focused primarily on wine, brandy and commerce.

In this area, the Mesozoic era had the greatest influence on the soil composition. At that time, most of the coastal areas were still under the ocean, and the sediments that were deposited for thousands of years formed limestone soils that are for the most part quite pure and homogeneous. Located at the heart of the region, Grande Champagne and Petite Champagne have the purest soils where the best Cognacs are painstakingly crafted. The sandy clay soils of Borderies produce milder brandies that age more quickly. In the surrounding areas, the vineyards produce both Cognac and Vin de Pays des Charentes, on limestone or clay-limestone soils.