Produced exclusively in France’s Cognac region, Pineau des Charentes is a unique fortified wine made from a blend of fresh grape juice and Cognac. According to legend, this spirited wine was accidentally created in the sixteenth century when a vintner absentmindedly added grape must (the crushed grapes with their juice, skins, pulp, seeds and sometimes stems) into a barrel of Cognac eau-de-vie (the distilled wine aging in barrels before it’s made into Cognac).

There are three types of Pineau des Charentes: white (the driest), rosé and red (two slightly more fruity types). All of them are required to age for minimum periods of time: the white for a total of 18 months with 12 months in oak barrels, and the rosé and red 12 months total aging, of which 8 months are in the barrel. There are also two more mature versions, ‘Old,’ with at least 5 years of oak aging and and the rather rare ‘Very Old,’ which has a minimum of 10 years resting in the barrel.

During its time aging, Pineau develops intense aromas of vanilla, honey, and nuts, as well as fresh and dried fruits. While on the palate, it gains roundness and freshness. Despite its sweetness, Pineau is never cloying due to a well-balanced combination of acidity and alcohol; it never clocks in at much more than 17% ABV (which is only a slighter higher alcohol level than most wines).

The first Pineau des Charentes I tried was the white kind, and served on the rocks as an apéritif. It was love at first sip. Since then I’ve enjoyed this sweet wine at the end of a meal with dessert, after a meal as a digestif, and sometimes during a meal, often as a component of a cocktail, when spicy Szechuan cuisine was on the table. See below, after the mussel recipe, for a few tasty cocktail recipes that use Pineau des Charentes.

Pineau des Charentes’s versatility can extend well beyond a wine or highball glass too. Its slight sweetness and unique aromas and tastes can add many nuances to a dish, as in this tasty stew.

Mussel Stew

Adapted from Epicurious.com. Serves 4 as an appetizer.

INGREDIENTS

2 cups dry white wine

1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme, plus 5 sprigs

1/4 teaspoon saffron threads, crumbled

Pinch of cayenne pepper

2 pounds mussels, scrubbed and debearded

2 tablespoons butter

1/2 cup chopped shallots

1 large clove garlic, chopped

1 tablespoon all purpose flour

2 and 1/2 tablespoons whipping cream

1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley

2 tablespoons Pineau des Charentes

Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

PREPARATION

1) Combine first 4 ingredients in large Dutch oven over high heat. Boil 3 minutes. Add mussels. Cover and cook until mussels open, about 4 minutes. Remove from heat. Using slotted spoon, transfer mussels to large serving bowl, discarding any that do not open. Cover with foil and keep warm. Reserve cooking liquid.

2) Melt butter in heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add shallots and garlic and sauté 3 minutes. Add flour and stir 1 minute. Whisk in reserved cooking liquid. Boil to reduce, about 7 minutes. Whisk in cream and parsley. Reduce heat to medium and simmer, about 2 minutes. Mix in Pineau des Charentes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Pour sauce over mussels and serve with crusty French bread.

Pineau des Charentes in Cocktails

Following are three cocktails I created that use white Pineau des Charentes (two bottles were sent to me as samples): one young and one aged 5 years. The rosé and red versions can also be used to create a variety of delicious cocktails. Don’t be afraid to experiment with all types, whatever you can find, to see what your favorites are: young, aged, white, rosé, and red.