1909 to the Present
From German Cognac to Weinbrand: How Names Became Protected
Until 1919, German brandy was often sold as "Cognac." The Treaty of Versailles obliged Germany to respect French geographical names; in 1923, "Weinbrand" became an established term in German wine law. The word was coined by Hugo Asbach.
Why Was Brandy Once Called Cognac?
In the 19th century, "Cognac" was used in many countries as a generic word for brandy, regardless of where it was distilled. The brandy from the Charente had become so successful that its name turned into a generic term, much as some brand names today stand in for entire product categories. German producers, too, sold "German Cognac," and no one considered this deceptive at the time.
Something similar happened in Greece. Spyros Metaxa founded his house in Piraeus in 1888, and his spirit was labeled Cognac until 1937. In the South Caucasus, distilleries likewise called their brandy Cognac. Anyone ordering a Cognac back then wasn't necessarily getting a distillate from the Charente.
France Draws Boundaries: 1909, 1936, 1938
France responded by defining territorial boundaries. A decree of May 1, 1909, delimited the Cognac region, and one of May 25, 1909, did the same for Armagnac. In 1936, Cognac received its Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée, or AOC, with rules governing grape varieties and production methods. In 1938, the crus were added, ranging from Grande Champagne to Bois ordinaires. The name Champagne here has nothing to do with the sparkling wine region.
The names of the crus are historical designations. Grande Champagne and Petite Champagne share only their chalky limestone soils with the region around Reims, not its origin. A Cognac labeled "Fine Champagne" is a blend of both Champagnes, with at least 50% coming from Grande Champagne. This, too, is a rule from this era, when France began precisely mapping out origin.
This protected the name within France itself. Against other countries, though, it initially achieved little, since a French decree carries no legal weight in Germany or Greece. The real breakthrough came only through international treaties, and the most important one for Germany was a peace treaty.
Versailles 1919 and the New Word Weinbrand
After the First World War, Germany was obliged under the 1919 Treaty of Versailles to respect French geographical indications for wine and spirits. Champagne and Cognac were chiefly affected. For German distilleries, this meant one thing: they needed a new word for their product, and fast.
The word already existed. Hugo Asbach, born in Cologne in 1868, founded his distillery in Rüdesheim am Rhein in 1892 and registered "Weinbrand" as a trademark in 1907. In 1923, Weinbrand became the official category name in German wine law. A brand name turned into a generic term that all producers were allowed to use. How Asbach and other houses shaped German brandy is told in the themed journey through Weinbrand and Cognac.
Weinbrand and protected designation of origin in the EU today
Today, EU Spirit Drinks Regulation 2019/787 applies. Its Category 5 is called "Brandy or Weinbrand": a wine distillate with a minimum of 36% ABV, aged for at least one year in oak vessels of 1,000 liters or more, or at least six months in smaller oak casks. The 38% ABV common to many German brands is market practice, not an EU requirement. "Deutscher Weinbrand" has been protected as a geographical indication since 1989, and "Pfälzer Weinbrand" is also registered; "Rüdesheimer Weinbrand," however, is not.
Germany is not alone in this. Since 1989, "Brandy de Jerez" and "Brandy del Penedés" from Spain, as well as "Brandy italiano," have also been protected as geographical indications, and "Wachauer Weinbrand" from Austria was added later. Notably, Cognac and Armagnac don't appear under Weinbrand in the EU register at all, but under Branntwein — that is, among wine distillates. Their stricter rules are set by the appellations themselves; nonetheless, they still meet the minimum requirements for Weinbrand.
Not every producer found a new generic name. Metaxa was first called Cognac, then Brandy until 1987. Since then, it may no longer be called Brandy, because it contains muscat wine and plant extracts and therefore doesn't fall under the rules for Weinbrand. Today the label reads "Original Greek Spirit"; since 2000, the brand has belonged to Rémy Cointreau. The story reveals a pattern: a successful name of origin becomes a generic term, and then the law reclaims it. How this played out in the Caucasus is shown in the next stop.