our roots

Elie I was the start of 10 successive generations of Elie Ferrands who, for over three centuries, contributed to the shaping of the landscape of Grande Champagne and the taste of cognac, be it in the vineyards, in wine-making, in cognac distillation, or as in Elie VIII’s case, all three.

While each Elie Ferrand played an important role in the history of Cognac, Elie VIII, born on October 2, 1839, was unarguably the most illustrious and charismatic member of the family.

His creativity and passion for cognac meant that he was constantly exploring new methods and techniques in production. And his commitment to greatness helped him not only gain recognition the world over, but also ensured that the phylloxera epidemic was conquered, preserving the history of cognac for the future.

Today, the manor house still brims with the life of past generations, all having been preciously safe-guarded by Mademoiselle Henriette Ranson-Ferrand. Mademoiselle, the great-granddaughter of Elie VIII, and the last of the line of 10 generations of Elie Ferrands, described the manor’s ability to transcend time: “You can see it has not changed much. It has aged, that’s all.”

During this time, Elie VIII recognized the threat of phylloxera to not just his own vineyards, but for the cognac industry as a whole and was convinced that they must act as a united force with strength and determination. He explored and actively studied the different solutions that began to emerge.

Dated 1882, Elie’s letter responded to a request from the secretary of the Sultan of Constantinople for 40 cases of cognac, stating that he was very flattered that “my cognacs will be served at the table of the Sultan, as they had once been at the table of the Emperor Napoléon III.”

His dedication to cognac was further recognized with a prestigious gold medal for his cognac at the Universal Paris Exhibition of 1900. Later that year, he also was made a Knight of the Order of Agricultural Merit on the proposal of the Ministry of Agriculture.

While still enlisted, he suffered from severe dysentery and then contracted typhoid fever during his evacuation back to France. He died in September, 1915. Thus, as a result of the effects of the bloodiest war in history, the 10th generation and last of this succession of Elie Ferrands, was extinguished forever.

And like Elie VIII, Mademoiselle had a life-long passion for horses, often hosting local equestrian shows on the manor grounds.

Mademoiselle never married. She was to be the last of this long family line, but she kept her family’s passionate spirit alive, remembering the names and important dates of all her ancestors.

Creative, curious, and helpful, Elie VIII lived a full life dedicated to exploring new ideas and enjoying the simple pleasures, be it spending time with his family or trying to see if he could tie the zebras from his zoo onto his carriage.

Today, the manor house still brims with the life of past generations, all having been preciously safe-guarded by Mademoiselle Henriette Ranson-Ferrand. Mademoiselle, the great-granddaughter of Elie VIII, and the last of the line of 10 generations of Elie Ferrands, described the manor’s ability to transcend time: “You can see it has not changed much. It has aged, that’s all.”

Also in 1989, Alexandre met Mademoiselle Henriette Ranson-Ferrand because he had a blending cellar near the family manor. So began a life-long friendship between the two, sharing stories and anecdotes of histories past, building a relationship that would ultimately lead to Mademoiselle entrusting Alexandre to carry on the Ferrand family heritage.

It was three days after learning of the book’s completion, a project so dear to her heart, that Mademoiselle passed away. Before her passing, Mademoiselle gave Alexandre Gabriel and Maison Ferrand the mission to carry on her family’s legacy, an honor we are proud to continue : “I will soon be 95 years old and it comforts me to know that Alexandre Gabriel, a man as passionate as Grand-père, has a lifelong project to produce great cognacs, just like Elie Ferrand 130 years ago. It is up to him and the entire team at Maison Ferrand to continue this mission and to transmit this heritage in the years to come. My best wishes go with them.”

With hundreds of international awards and recognitions to date, we are following in the footsteps of Elie Ferrand VIII, creating cognacs that are a pleasure to the senses. We continue to experiment and learn, pushing ourselves to bring to life unique cognacs that inspire not just us, but you as well.

Alexandre Gabriel shared a close bond with Mademoiselle for decades, having worked in a blending cellar near her family house. In her last years the two worked closely with Jacques Blanc, Ferrand Cognac historian, to write a book on her great-grandfather, Elie Ferrand VIII. Mademoiselle passed away at the age of 94, just days after learning from Alexandre and Jacques that the book had been completed. Following Mademoiselle’s wish, the manor is now under the careful watch of Alexandre Gabriel and Ferrand Cognac.

It is also working on the restoration of Mademoiselle Manor, which houses more than two centuries of archives. The goal is to bring back the grandeur and sparkle of the house to honor the commitment and knowledge of those that came before us in a way that can be experienced by others for years to come.

Discover the story of Elie Ferrand VIII and his mission to perpetuate traditions and perfect skills and ancestral techniques in order to create the best cognac, and spread knowledge and appreciation of them in France and abroad. Alexandre Gabriel took this mission upon himself many years ago and with his team continues to keep it alive today in upholding the wonder of cognac.

As both a cognac producer and grape grower in the Grande Champagne region of Cognac, we find the subject of this area incredibly interesting. No other place in the world has the natural chalk and limestone terroir of Grande Champagne with the potential to produce cognacs of the utmost finesse. Through extensive research, we bring you this book, and the rich history of this prestigious region.