Factbox - The culture of Cognac

Cognac is a brandy made from white grapes grown in the region surrounding the western French town of the same name. Here are some facts about cognac and the four main brands: Hennessy, Remy Martin, Martell and Courvoisier. - The Cognac region has had vineyards since Roman times, but it was 16th century Dutch traders who began to distil the wine into brandy so it would survive long sea journeys.