Armagnac 2002

Six houses for a 2002 armagnac

The same harvest, six ways of telling its story. Each house has its own terroir, grape varieties, distillation tradition and choice of strength. Here, bottle by bottle, is what the estates publish about their 2002 vintage; when a house gives no tasting note, we do not write one in its place. A fine opportunity to discover six different characters born of the same year.

Château de Millet, three sizes

In Eauze, in Bas-Armagnac, the Dèche family has vinified and then distilled its own wines for five generations. Its Château de Millet 2002, made from baco and ugni blanc from a single harvest, is brought down to 42% ABV and aged in oak casks on the estate. It comes in a 70 cl bottle, a 150 cl magnum and a 250 cl Gascon pot, the large earthenware flask that is passed around the table. The vineyard is certified Haute Valeur Environnementale level 3. The estate does not publish a tasting note for 2002.

Delord, softness at 40 degrees

A family house in Lannepax since 1893, Armagnac Delord ages its 2002 in Gascon oak casks and brings it down to 40% ABV. The house describes a nose of caramelised pear, soft wood and dried fruit, a supple, round palate of sweet vanilla with a peppery touch, then a harmonious, warming finish.

Dartigalongue, the Bas-Armagnac of Nogaro

Based in Nogaro since 1838, Dartigalongue offers a 2002 at 42% ABV. The house first notes smoked wood, prune and a hint of vanilla; on the palate, a generous, broad armagnac of sandalwood, wax and candied fruit, which it considers remarkably balanced for its age.

Château de Bordeneuve, brut de fût

In Castelnau d'Auzan, the Guasch family distils in a column armagnac still and ages each year separately. The Château de Bordeneuve 2002, from ugni blanc and baco, is a brut de fût at 49% ABV. The house describes a bright colour with golden highlights, a fine nose of fresh fig, jasmine, apricot and vanilla, and a delicate palate of exotic fruit, mango and passion fruit, with a touch of rose petal.

Clés des Ducs, an unblended year

A house whose history begins in 1774 in Panjas, in the Gers, Clés des Ducs presents a 2002 at 40% ABV, from a single harvest and never mixed with other years, with ageing in which the wood remains measured.

Jean Cavé, natural strength

In Lannepax, the Jean Cavé family has been distilling and ageing since 1883. Its 2002 Bas-Armagnac is bottled brut de fût, without reduction, at 52.7% ABV: the most powerful in our selection.

Reduced or brut de fût: two characters

Six of these eight bottles have been brought down to 40 or 42%: water was added little by little before bottling. They are supple and easy to share. The other two, Bordeneuve and Jean Cavé, are brut de fût armagnacs, bottled at the strength they had in the cask, between 49 and 52.7%. More intense, they are best tasted in small sips; a drop of water sometimes helps their aromas open up.

2002, the year of a single wine

The vintage is the year of harvest. A 2002 vintage armagnac contains only wine from 2002, distilled the following winter, then aged in cask until the house decides to bottle it. That is the whole difference with a VSOP, an XO or a hors d'âge, which blend brandies of different ages to keep a consistent style.

That year, France went through an unexpected political spring: on 21 April 2002, Jean-Marie Le Pen qualified for the second round of the presidential election, which Jacques Chirac won on 5 May (source: Wikipedia, article "Élection présidentielle française de 2002"). A few weeks later, Brazil won the football World Cup in Japan and South Korea (source: Wikipedia, article "Coupe du monde de football 2002"). As for the Gascon harvest itself, we have not found any assessment published by the producers, so we do not describe it.

Production: from vine to cellar

Everything begins with a white wine made from the appellation's grape varieties: ugni blanc, baco blanc, folle blanche and colombard. Baco, which Millet and Bordeneuve use for their 2002, is known for bringing roundness and softness on the sands of Bas-Armagnac. Distillation takes place in winter, in the armagnac still, continuously and in a single pass: this is the tradition of the appellation. The brandy, clear and colourless when it leaves the still, then goes into the cellar. During ageing, the oak gives it its colour, tannins and aromas, and the alcohol slowly falls through evaporation. Once in the bottle, armagnac no longer evolves: the age that counts is the time spent in cask.

No blending of years here: each bottle on this page is the unique expression of a single harvest and a single estate. That is what makes a collection of vintages so fascinating.

Tasting a 24 year old armagnac

At this age, an armagnac is no longer a young armagnac: it has gained roundness without losing its fruit. First look at the colour, golden or amber depending on the cask. In our 2002s, the estates mention candied fruit and prune, pear, smoked wood or sandalwood, sometimes exotic notes as at Bordeneuve, or a peppery spice as at Delord. Serve it at room temperature, in a tulip glass, let it breathe for a few minutes, then taste slowly. As a digestif, it stands on its own; dark chocolate or a prune tart go well with it. The 40 or 42% versions also lend themselves to a cocktail with character.

To keep it, store the bottle upright, away from light and heat. Unopened, it lasts for years; once opened, it remains pleasant for several months.

A gift for a 24th birthday

Those born in 2002 celebrate their 24th birthday in 2026, and couples married that year their 24th wedding anniversary. Giving a bottle from their year means giving an armagnac that has matured as long as they have. The 70 cl remains the simplest size; the Millet magnum or Gascon pot find their place at a large family celebration.

Frequently asked questions about 2002 armagnac

What is the best 2002 armagnac?

The best armagnac is the one that suits you. For softness, a 2002 at 40 or 42%: Delord, Millet, Dartigalongue or Clés des Ducs. For power, a brut de fût: Bordeneuve at 49% or Jean Cavé at 52.7%.

What grape varieties are used in 2002 armagnac?

Baco and ugni blanc at Château de Millet as at Château de Bordeneuve. The other houses do not specify the grape varieties of their 2002.

How much does a 2002 armagnac cost?

It depends on the house, the strength and the size, from 70 cl to the 250 cl Gascon pot. Each product page shows the price and the bottle size.

Where can I buy a 2002 armagnac?

At Plaisirs de Gascogne, an online shop specialising in vintage armagnacs: we have selected these bottles directly from the houses of the South West, and payment is secure.

One year earlier or later? See our 2001 armagnac and our 2003 armagnac, or all our vintage armagnacs, year by year.

Please enjoy responsibly. Excessive alcohol consumption is harmful to health.