Drink of the Week: Giboin Pineau des Charentes Vieille Réserve

I’ll admit I’m not well-versed in Pineau des Charentes, the aperitif wine that mixes fresh or lightly fermented grape juice with unaged Cognac. So when this bottle of Vieille Réserve from Giboin Vignoble, a seven-generation Cognac and Pineau des Charentes producer in France, landed on my doorstep, I got my chance to get more familiar with this lovely aperitif.

Giboin Vignoble has been producing Cognac and Pineau des Charentes since 1830 in Cherves-Richemont, France. Its vineyards’ compact clay soil is credited for their salvation from the Great French Wine Blight in 1870. While most of France’s vineyards were devastated by phylloxera, here the aphids were unable to reach the vines’ roots. Today, brothers Théophile and Pierre-Louis carry on the family’s tradition of producing the Cognac, 20 percent of which is used in the Pineaus. Giboin produces five different Pineaus, such as a blanc and, their newest, a full-bodied rosé primeur made with Merlot.

The Pineau Vieille Réserve—with a base of Ugni Blanc, Merlot, and Sémillon grapes—was aged in oak barrels for 7 to 9 years. Unlike an unaged example, it exhibits complexity and depth, tasting of warm spices, dried fruits, and nuts. That richness makes it a perfect match for a holiday cheese plate, and it’s a spirit you will savor with each sip. $43.97, winechateau.com