【拜訪Bache-Gabrielsen酒窖總管Jean-Philippe BERGIER先生】
酒窖總管（Maître de chai, Cellar master）就是俗稱的調配師（blender），因為他的主要工作就是從庫存當中，選出適合調配使用的基酒，加以調配，推出最終成品。然而，為什麼不直接稱之調配師呢？因為烈酒調配師的工作不僅止於調配，他還必須親自管理庫存，包括每一桶酒的追蹤以及熟成管理。反觀只需要專注於調配本務的香水調配師，工作內容相對簡單，只需用到鼻子，不太需要在倉庫裡爬上爬下、敲敲打打。通常只需要動用鼻子的香水調配師，無怪乎也被直接稱為「鼻子」。
兩週前，干邑白蘭地公會替我安排了一場私人拜訪，對象是位於干邑鎮上的Bache-Gabrielsen品牌的酒窖總管Jean-Philippe BERGIER先生，我從鎮外的住處徒步前往，當天飄著細雨，有種冒著風雨長途跋涉前往朝聖的心境。
不論是白蘭地、威士忌，還是葡萄酒與啤酒，在我訪問那麼多酒廠的經驗裡，我特別喜歡能與技術專家單獨對談。當天接待我的專業人士，是公關經理與酒窖總管兼研發主任。與酒窖總管一同品酒的經驗是很美妙的，一位經驗豐富的專業人士，總是能夠讓人如沐春風。遇到一位博學而好客的酒窖總管，那種知無不言、言無不盡、搬出珍藏分享的態度，總是讓我收穫豐富。若是提問的內容不涉及商業機密，他們通常都會坦誠以告，直接點出關鍵，言簡意賅，疑問迎刃而解。讓人有「與君一席話，勝讀十年書」之感。
當我抵達的時候，酒窖總管Jean-Philippe手邊剛收到新的樣品，正在試酒，於是便邀我一起品嘗。那是三款來自Fins Bois的樣品，由三個不同的蒸餾者，以同一個產區收成的葡萄製成的白蘭地。三杯樣本的風味都沿著產區固有新鮮葡萄般的風味鋪陳開來，但是不同的蒸餾方式、桶型與培養地點，讓相同的基調產生變奏的旋律。直接品嘗基酒，宛如分解了干邑白蘭地，頓時之間也體悟了為什麼特定的基酒可以用多一點，而有些卻只能作為妝點之用。
後來，當公關經理帶我到酒窖裡晃了一圈回來之後，酒窖總管又帶我品嘗了不同年份的單一產區干邑白蘭地，這次是都已經裝瓶的樣品。包括來自Fins Bois、Borderies與Petite Champagne三個產區，將近四十年的老酒，以及其他數種不同的裝瓶調配。個性之鮮明，讓我不由得出手買了幾瓶作為教材，酒廠另外塞了一瓶XO在我的袋子裡——完全印證了我對干邑鎮人們慷慨與好客的印象。
【Visiting Bache-Gabrielsen】
Two weeks ago I was in Cognac. I just passed a wonderful week with some colleagues from all over the world in the spirit industry. The BNIC held a Cognac Educator program for us, and we luckily all passed the final exam to be accredited as such.
The very helpful Laurine CAUTE at BNIC arranged an extra appointment for me with the Cognac house of Bache-Gabrielsen on Friday the 3rd April, when it was raining more or less throughout the day, but which didn’t refrain me at all from paying them a visit on foot. Furthermore, the very friendly Marielle CHOPIN-PASCAUD and the much-more-than-experienced and knowledgeable cellar master Jean-Philippe BERGIER both made my visit worthwhile. They created me another memorable moment in Cognac.
Bache-Gabrielsen is a Cognac house with almost everything in a building. Upstairs they have offices and tasting rooms; downstairs is where the cellars are located. Marielle guided me exploring into the jungle of numerous barrels, tanks and vats in the cellars, then I had the chance to stay for a moment with the dames-jeannes in the Paradis. We had to speaking softly and quietly taking pictures, so as not to bother the sleeping beauties in those confortable bonbonnes. Some of the eaux-de-vie dated back to the beginning of the last century!
Upon my arrival and when I met Jean-Philippe, he showed me what he was working on. Those were three Fins Bois cognacs samples he had just received few days ago. Jean-Philippe explained to me the nuances of these eaux-de-vie from the same cru, and how the distillers realized the distillation with lees at different levels, etc. I appreciate a lot the precious in-sight information and really learned a lot.
When we with Marielle had come back from the “excursion” downstairs, Jean-Philippe guided me through another flight of tasting of single-cru vintage Cognacs. This time, the cognacs tasted are the final products. And some of them are so delicious that they are running out of stock! I tried the very characterful Borderies, Fins Bois and Petite Champagne. And they tasted so great that I actually purchased some for myself. Besides, I got an extra offer from the house –very typical of generosity and hospitality of the town of Cognac.
I hereby would like to express my gratitude again for your kind reception!
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