by Hervé Lalau
Alain Philippe, the President of Bureau national interprofessionnel du cognac (Bnic) states clearly that Cognac shippers should not be lured by Russian cash into accepting a compromise that might weaken the defence of the Cognac appellation. Philippe alludes to
the recent purchase by Russian investors of several small Cognac companies. He fears that the buyers' principal objective could be to justify the selling of fake Cognac in Russia, where the denomination is still not protected by law, or to launder mafia roubles.
Last year, the Russian MVZ purchased the old Jenssen cognac house. Two months ago, Crozet-Eymard was sold to another investor, the Russian Wine Trust. A third, much bigger investment from a large vodka producer has been announced.
The Russians have long been Cognac consumers. French Cognac under the Czars, then "Russian Cognacs" under the Communist regime, for lack of cash, and now both. Cognac exports to Russia have multiplied by 7 in only 7 years, reaching 4.8 million bottles in 2006, so that Russia is now the 6th largest export market for Cognac.
