Cognac and burgundy are both popular spirit and wine types known for their rich brown hues. However, there are distinct differences between the two in terms of their color profiles. In this article, we will explore what defines the signature colors of cognac and burgundy and how they compare.
What Gives Cognac Its Brown Color?
Cognac gets its distinctive brown color from the barrel aging process. Cognac is a variety of brandy made in the Cognac region of France. It is produced by distilling white grapes into a colorless spirit called eau-de-vie. This spirit is then aged for a minimum of 2 years (although more commonly for 4-15+ years) in oak barrels.
During the aging process, the spirit takes on color compounds from the oak barrels including vanillin, tannins, and lignin. These compounds impart a golden brown hue to the Cognac over time. The longer a Cognac is aged, the darker the brown color becomes.
Additionally, caramel coloring is sometimes added to older Cognacs to darken the color and give a consistent brown tone across different batches. However, this caramel addition is strictly regulated and can only make up 2% of the product’s volume.
What Contributes to Burgundy Wine’s Color?
Burgundy wines, which are Pinot Noir wines from the Burgundy region of France, are also revered for their rich, dark reddish-brown hue.
The color of Burgundy wines comes primarily from the grape skins used during fermentation and aging. Pinot Noir is a thin-skinned grape variety containing anthocyanin pigments in the skin. During winemaking, the juice stays in contact with the skins, allowing the anthocyanins to be extracted.
Key factors that contribute to Burgundy’s reddish-brown color include:
- Skin contact time – Longer maceration (skin contact) brings out more color
- Oak barrel aging – Develops brown oxidative hues
- Age of wine – Older Burgundies darken from red to brownish tones
- Vintage variation – Riper grapes produce darker wines
- Blending – Some producers blend in other red grape varieties like Gamay which deepens color
The resulting wines showcase a ruby-garnet to brick-brown color depending on vintage, age, and winemaking practices.
Direct Color Comparison
When viewed side-by-side, there are some noticeable differences between the characteristic colors of cognac and Burgundy:
| Color Quality | Cognac | Burgundy |
|---|---|---|
| Hue | Golden brown to amber | Ruby-garnet to brick-brown |
| Clarity | Clear | Translucent |
| Intensity | Medium to dark tone | Medium+ tone |
As shown, cognac demonstrates more golden and amber brown hues while Burgundy leans towards richer garnet and brick tones. Burgundy also often maintains a degree of red-purple color while cognac lacks these reddish notes.
Cognac Color Variations
Within cognac, there is some variation in brown color depending on these factors:
- Age – Young VS or VSOP cognacs are golden and pale. XO, Napoléon, and other aged cognacs become increasingly amber-brown.
- Casks – Limousin oak imparts more delicate golden color while Tronçais oak provides richer golden-brown.
- Terroir – Soil, climate, and grapes result in subtle color differences.
- Blends – Blending ages and districts creates personalized color profiles.
However, caramel addition and long aging tends to minimize variation, giving most cognacs a uniform but complex dark brown character.
Burgundy Color Range
Burgundy wines also span a spectrum of red-brown hues. Color variation in Burgundy is attributed to these key factors:
- Age – Younger Burgundy is ruby/purple becoming brick/brown with age.
- Vintage – Riper years produce richer, darker wines.
- Vineyard – Some vineyards produce darker wines.
- Blending – Addition of other red grapes can darken color.
In general, Pinot Noir-based Burgundy offers light garnet red to dark brick-brown tones across all its appellations, vineyards, and vintages.
How Light Impacts Perceived Color
The way cognac and Burgundy appear to the eye can also change based on the lighting conditions. Incandescent light accentuates the brownish undertones while natural light shows more red and purple hues in Burgundy. Backlighting and dim lighting also deepen the perceived colors. Fluent wine tasting involves assessing color across different lighting conditions.
Conclusion
While cognac and Burgundy may seem similar at first glance, when inspected closely they reveal distinct color profiles. Cognac demonstrates clear, rich golden to amber brown tones resulting from oak barrel aging. Burgundy offers more translucent, ruby-garnet to brick-brown colors derived from grape skin extraction. Both also exhibit nuances in shade based on age, vineyard, vintage, and other factors. But the fundamental hues of each – golden brown for cognac, red-brown for Burgundy – remain consistently recognizable signatures of these iconic French spirits.
