🥃 Bas Armagnac
Bas Armagnac is the western part of the armagnac zone in Gascony: grapes only from 90 communes in the Gers and Landes, at least 1 year in oak, 40% ABV (80 proof) or more. Age is stated separately.
If you know cognac, Bas Armagnac is the Gascon brandy with a sandy-soil accent. Bas Armagnac (“Lower Armagnac”) is an additional geographical name attached to the controlled designation “Armagnac” for brandy from the western part of Gascony. The grapes for it are harvested in 90 communes of the Gers and Landes départements, while winemaking, distillation, ageing and finishing take place within the armagnac zone.
The 2025 AOC “Armagnac” specification explains that the three names, Bas-Armagnac, Armagnac-Ténarèze and Haut-Armagnac, run from west to east and correspond to different natural conditions. In the west the rains are abundant and even, with no true dry summer. Marine “Sables fauves” (tawny sands) predominate, partly covered by loess loams, with acid sandy-loam soils that locals call “boulbènes”. Baco blanc, a variety bred in 1898, is well adapted to the sands and boulbènes.
The rules are common to all three names. The wine is made from ten white and pink grape varieties, among them ugni blanc, baco blanc, folle blanche and colombard. Sulphiting the grapes, must and wine is prohibited, and the wine must be distilled by 31 March of the following year. Distillation is mostly in a continuous copper “Armagnac” still over a direct flame, less often twice in an alembic à repasse. The spirit is then aged for at least a year in barrels of pedunculate or sessile oak.
Armagnac is sold at 40% ABV (80 proof) or more, and the name “Bas Armagnac” is written in the same field of vision as “Armagnac”. The boundaries of the three parts were set by the decree of 25 May 1909. Among the communes of Bas-Armagnac are Eauze, Nogaro and Labastide-d'Armagnac; as early as 1310 the prior of Eauze, Vital Dufour, described the “40 virtues” of wine spirit.
Why it matters to you. The name guarantees grapes from the western part of the zone, but not age: age is stated separately, for example by the vintage year. Colour is no proof of ageing either, since caramel for colouring is permitted. The WHO reminds us: there is no safe level of alcohol consumption.
Facts
| Legal basis | AOC “Armagnac” specification, approved 27.03.2025 (JORF 30.03.2025), para. 3.2 a) |
|---|---|
| Raw material | wine from 10 varieties, including ugni blanc, baco blanc, folle blanche, colombard |
| Distillation method | continuous Armagnac still (52–72.4% ABV) or à repasse (65–72.4% ABV) |
| Minimum maturation | from 1 year in oak |
| Alcohol (% vol.) | from 40% ABV |
| EU category | 4 “Wine spirit” (GI Armagnac) |
How it connects to Spirits
🥃 Bas Armagnac → kind of → 🍇 Grape brandies → kind of → 🥃 Spirits
Links
- Next step
- 🍷 Alcoholic fermentation
- Packed in
- 🍷 Oak barrel
- Made from
- 🍇 Baco Blanc, 🍇 Trebbiano Toscano, 🍇 Folle Blanche
- What it affects
- 🍷 Alcohol and health, 🍷 Drunk driving
- Traditions
- 🧑🤝🧑 French
- Part of
- 🍇 Grape brandies, 🥃 Armagnac
- Related to
- 📍 Gascony
- Similar and different
- 🍷 Floc de Gascogne, 🥃 Armagnac Ténarèze, 🥃 Haut Armagnac, 🥃 Armagnac Ténarèze, 🥃 Haut Armagnac, 🥃 Bois Ordinaires, 🥃 Bons Bois, 🥃 Borderies
Frequently asked questions
How do I spot Bas Armagnac on a UK or US label, and what is 40% in proof?
Look for Bas Armagnac in the same field of vision as Armagnac, with the AOC wording. The minimum strength of 40% ABV is 80 proof on a US label.
Is Bas Armagnac cognac for whisky drinkers?
No. It is a different appellation. The wine is distilled once in a continuous copper still more often than twice, and the spirit is aged at least a year in oak.
Does a vintage year on the label tell me the age?
It tells you the harvest year, which is extra information. The Bas Armagnac name guarantees where the grapes grew, not how old the spirit is.
Is a dark colour proof of long ageing?
No. Caramel for colouring is permitted, so colour alone does not prove ageing.
Which towns lie in the Bas Armagnac area?
Among its communes are Eauze, Nogaro and Labastide-d'Armagnac, in the Gers and Landes departments.
What to read next
- 🍇 Trebbiano Toscano — A white Italian grape called Ugni Blanc in France; used for wine and Cognac.
- 🍷 Alcohol and health — Alcohol in any drink is harmful in large amounts, and the risks grow with the quantity.
- 🍷 Oak barrel — A wooden vessel made of oak staves in which wine matures, picks up new aromas and slowly takes in air.
- 🍷 Alcoholic fermentation — Yeast eats the sugar in the must and releases alcohol and carbon dioxide.
- 🧑🤝🧑 French — The French are the main population of France, known for the festive meal and baguette on UNESCO's list, for wine and for cheese.
Similar
🥃 Haut Armagnac · 🥃 Armagnac Ténarèze · 🥃 Fine Champagne · 🥃 Hors d'âge cognac · 🥃 Raisin spirit · 🥃 Armenian brandy
⚠️ Spirit drinks contain alcohol and are for adults only. Alcohol harms health. Do not drink during pregnancy or before driving; check the label for ingredients and possible allergens.
Sources
- Cahier des charges AOC «Armagnac», arrêté du 27.03.2025 (JORF 30.03.2025), BO Agri 03.04.2025
- Regulation (EC) No 110/2008, Annex III: geographical indications of spirit drinks (version of 31.01.2020)
- eAmbrosia: Armagnac, EUGI00000014075 (GI, registered)
- WHO/Europe: No level of alcohol consumption is safe for our health (04.01.2023)