Armagnac Laterrade - Bas-Armagnac - 1975 - Domaine de Mounégeat - Barrel Proof - 40%
The research conducted by Vincent Laterrade in the Gascon cellars is based on a demanding idea: to rediscover old eaux-de-vie without separating the vintage from the estate that gave them birth. A former sommelier, he selects lots that have sometimes remained for several decades in the properties, then bottles them while ensuring the preservation of their natural balance. The Domaine de Mounégeat is located in Houga, in the western part of Gers, in the heart of Bas-Armagnac. The vineyard here experiences oceanic influence and traditionally sandy-silty soils known as "sables fauves." These lands generally produce delicate, fruity eaux-de-vie capable of gaining depth without losing their suppleness during long aging. Laterrade does not seek to impose a uniform style on these old stocks: each barrel is chosen for its identity, strength, and the coherence of its evolution. This approach gives the collection a special value, halfway between viticultural memory and tasting work.
This selection comes exclusively from the 1975 harvest of Domaine de Mounégeat, without blending with another year. The vintage here refers to the year the grapes were harvested from which the eau-de-vie originates, not the bottling date. Its long rest in barrel has gradually transformed the original fruit, rounded the structure, and favored the appearance of spicy, pastry-like, and slightly oxidative nuances. Over the years, part of the alcohol and volume has naturally evaporated through the wood, concentrating the aromas while slowly lowering the strength. Bottled at 40%, this Armagnac is presented at the strength reached in its barrel, without reduction intended to artificially bring it down to the legal minimum of the appellation. This low natural strength after aging is one of the lot's particularities: it promises a calm expression where texture and length prevail over heat. The choice of bottling without coloring or artifice finally preserves the continuity between the cellar, the vintage, and the glass.
The color shows a deep amber with reflections of browned copper, with a clarity that hints at the slow patina of time. The nose gradually settles on candied plum, dried apricot, and orange peel before gaining nuances of dark honey, wax, and walnut. Aeration reveals a more autumnal register, mixing blond tobacco, cinnamon, cocoa, and finely blended old wood. The palate is distinguished less by power than by its supple, almost satiny touch, carried by a particularly measured natural strength. Stewed fruits join roasted almond, mild coffee, and brown spices, while a discreet freshness keeps the whole in motion. The finish extends the walnut, dried zest, and a delicate rancio, with calm warmth and a restrained persistence. This 1975 Armagnac deserves to be tasted alone after a few minutes of opening; it can also accompany an apple croustade, a walnut tart, a lightly sweetened dark chocolate, or an aged Comté cheese.
