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The “Dame de Pique” (Queen of Spades) is a wine of thorns. With its mahogany color, its powerful nose and its suave mouth where notes of stones, caramel and morello cherries mingle, for a very gentle finish at only 12% alcohol. It is a real UFO in the world of spirits. His story is no less…
Resurrected since 2015 on the ruins of a former family production in Saint-Brice near Cognac, this rare liqueur is the result of a tribute that Romuald wished to pay to his grandfather Christian during his burial.
As the keeper of the secret of the family elixir, he wanted to perpetuate the tradition. This did not prevent him from integrating his own artistic touch following his desire to make his ancestor’s treasure shine. To do this, Romuald choosed to rename this wine in a reference to a local legend that his grandfather told him when he was a child.
The legend behind
A black lady (or white lady) is said to haunt the “ Vieil-étang ” in the heart of the forest near the Chaume-plate home in Saint-Brice. The legend dates back to the beginning of the 20th century, when a young woman who had gone in search of mushrooms was surprised by a storm, and slipped to the bottom of the old clay quarry whose activity had then just been freshly arrested. The unfortunate woman quickly became exhausted and was unable to come back up, the ravine gradually filling with water. Thus was born the “ Vieil-étang “ as it is called today: the epicenter of the wood around which the thorny bushes grow, and where it is said that on the stormy nights, the Lady continues to lament…
Shaped by the love
At the origin of the Queen of Spades, there is a love story. Christian who composed for his young wife Geneviève an aperitif liqueur like no other concocted from a local plant. This plant is the black thorn, the other nickname of the blackthorn tree which produces black wood veined with red whose early white flowers mark the end of winter and the renewal of spring. While its astringent fruit, the black color turning to blue, poets of all times have praised its resemblance to the beautiful eyes of the ladies. It is also a sacred and mystical plant, it has crossed the ages and religions, from the crown of the Christ, through the witches’ broom but above all it is the consecrated » dark » tree of the famous Keltic goddess The Morrigan.
A wine refined like a perfume
The Queen of Spades owes its very particular flavor to a unique double maceration process, a repository of past research. Which allows the aromas of young thorn shoots harvested in spring to be combined over several months with those of the fruits of the tree (sloes) the following autumn. Thus releasing a maximum of fragrances for unrivaled quality. Vinified, mutated then aged in barrels for a minimum of 2 years. This is the time which will ultimately allow it to express the quintessence of its aromas thanks to a storage and aging potential of up to 20 years.
But the Queen of Spades is not only an exceptional liqueur, it is also a style of its own: an assumed “ aristo-punk “ side which skillfully mixes tradition of the family coats of arms with the cozy world of gambling circles. .
Please note that the antique black glass bottle, as well as its cap of the same material (which fits most necks), can be reused. The voluptuous curves of the ‘ Belle Dame “ will indeed lend themselves wonderfully to reuse as a baroque candle holder or vase for example, as some customers have already been able to do to their greatest satisfaction.
Conclusion :
In France, we don’t have oil… But we have genius.
This bottle would be an ideal gift with a pair of Louboutin’s and some macaroons, during an evening at Crazy Horse. Don’t you think ?
Here is a company that is a living heritage.
Well done.
Bravo !
Rosa Mystica
