Château de Laubade Bas-Armagnac VS Signature 750ml

Château de Laubade holds a genuinely significant position in the world of Armagnac: at 105 hectares (roughly 260 acres) of contiguous, single-estate vineyard, it's the largest such producer in the entire Bas Armagnac region — a genuine point of distinction in an appellation typically defined by small, scattered family plots. Founded in 1870 in Sorbets, in the heart of Gascony, the estate has been owned by the Lesgourgues family since 1974, now guided by its third generation, who continue to pursue what the château itself calls "an undisputed reference among the Armagnac category."

VS Signature is built from a careful handcrafted blend of the estate's own Ugni-Blanc and Folle Blanche eaux-de-vie, aged up to six years in oak casks made specifically from Gascony forest wood — timber selected locally and left to dry in open air for a full three years before ever being assembled into a barrel. That patient wood preparation is part of what gives Laubade's Armagnac its signature character, distinct from oak sourced and seasoned elsewhere. The estate's vineyards are farmed organically, and Château de Laubade maintains cellars holding more than 80 distinct vintages, some dating back to 1855 — a genuinely deep well of aging stock behind even this entry-level VS bottling.

The official tasting notes describe "golden color with brown glints and great brightness," opening with an "intense and rich nose of fresh fruits: peach, apricot, plum," developing "spicy notes of vanilla and licorice with hints of ivy and linden," with a palate showing "a supple attack followed by a powerful evolution in the mouth with a wooden and toasty finish." Galumbi's independent tasting confirms the same essential character in more detail: "honey and a very full-bodied vanilla make up the prelude... on the palate, I also find lots of fruit: apricots, peaches, pears, plus another fine, very delicate vanilla, which is clearly different from the classic vanilla note in Bourbon whiskeys — creamier, milder. Added to this are apple wood, cinnamon and somewhat spicy oak." A separate retailer note describes "intense aromas of orange blossom, hyacinth and pear," with "some aromas of plum and honey with slightly flavoured vanilla notes," the mouth "round and smooth," closing "long and elegant, revealing oak, vanilla and ripe fruit aromas." This is genuinely well-made, accessible Bas Armagnac — equally suited to sipping neat as an aperitif or digestif, or, as the château itself notes, as "a very trendy pick as a cocktail base."

Origins & Craftsmanship

Château de Laubade was founded in 1870 in Sorbets, in the Gers department of Gascony, and has been owned by the Lesgourgues family since 1974, now in its third generation of stewardship. Spanning 105 hectares of contiguous, single-estate vineyard, it is recognized as the largest single-estate producer in the Bas Armagnac region, farming its grapes — Ugni Blanc, Baco, Colombard, and Folle Blanche — using organic methods, all vinified and distilled entirely at the château.

VS Signature is a blend of the estate's own Ugni-Blanc and Folle Blanche eaux-de-vie, aged up to six years in oak casks crafted from Gascony forest wood, selected locally and dried in open air for three years before assembly into barrels. Château de Laubade maintains cellars holding more than 80 distinct vintages, with aging stock dating back to 1855. Cellar Master François Lasportes oversees production.

Critics Reviews

No formal numerical critic score is confirmed for this product at this time.

Galumbi, "The Armagnac Addington" (extended independent review):
"Aroma: Honey and a very full-bodied vanilla make up the prelude — and continue to form the basic program of this armagnac. Taste: On the palate, I also find lots of fruit: apricots, peaches, pears, plus another fine, very delicate vanilla, which is clearly different from the classic vanilla note in Bourbon whiskeys (creamier, milder). Added to this are apple wood, cinnamon and somewhat spicy oak."

Château de Laubade (official tasting note):
"Golden color with brown glints and great brightness. Intense and rich nose of fresh fruits: peach, apricot, plum. Spicy notes of vanilla and licorice with hints of ivy and linden. Supple attack followed by a powerful evolution in the mouth with a wooden and toasty finish."

Tasting Profile

Nose
Golden with brown glints and great brightness. Intense fresh fruit — peach, apricot, plum — leads, joined by honey, full-bodied vanilla, orange blossom, hyacinth, and pear, alongside spicy licorice and hints of ivy and linden.

Palate
A supple attack gives way to a powerful evolution, delivering apricot, peach, and pear alongside a delicate, creamy vanilla distinct from bourbon's oak-driven sweetness. Apple wood, cinnamon, and spicy oak add further complexity.

Finish
Long and elegant, closing on wooden, toasty character with lingering vanilla and ripe fruit aromas — round, smooth, and genuinely well-balanced.

Quick Overview

Food Pairings

• Fruit tarts and stone fruit desserts
• Aged cheeses
• Dark chocolate
• Crème brûlée

Serving Note

Enjoy neat as an aperitif or digestif, or as a genuinely trendy base for craft cocktails.