Fine (brandy) explained
In the field of oenology, the French term fine identifies and refers to a brandy that is distilled from wine, as opposed to marc, which is a brandy that is distilled from pomace, the solid remains of grapes after pressing for juice.[1]
In France, fine production often falls under Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée (AOC) designation, with production methods and naming required to meet certain legal requirements. For example:
In popular culture
In the works of Ernest Hemingway, the characters speak of their gastronomic adventures in drinking and eating:
In the novel The Sun Also Rises (1926):
- "We had dined at l'Avenue's, and afterward went to the Café de Versailles for coffee. We had several fines after the coffee. . . ."
and:
- "After the coffee and a fine we got the bill, chalked up, the same as ever, on a slate. . . ."
In the spy movie Goldfinger (1964), in an after-dinner scene with the head of the Bank of England and M:
- James Bond is offered a second pouring of what his host, Col. Smithers, describes as a "rather disappointing brandy." Unclear on his host's meaning, M asks Col. Smithers "What's wrong with it?", and Bond replies, "I'd say it's a thirty-year-old fine, indifferently blended . . . with an overdose of bon bois."
Bond's oenological reference, bon bois, is to a potent brandy from a specific Cognac-producing region in the south-west France.
Notes and References
- Book: Courtine . Robert . Larousse Gastronomique: the world's greatest cookery encyclopedia . 1988 . . London . 0-600-32390-0 . 440 . 26 September 2024 . English . Hardback.
- Web site: Our appellations - Planète Bordeaux . www.planete-bordeaux.fr . 26 September 2024.
- Web site: Fine de Bourgogne . eauxdeviedebourgogne.com . 26 September 2024.
- Web site: Bugey Vineyard Appellations . vinsdubugey.net . 26 September 2024.
- Web site: Fine Faugères . www.faugeres.com . 26 September 2024.