🥃 Bois Ordinaires

Bois Ordinaires is an additional geographical name for the controlled appellation “Cognac” and the furthest from the centre of the six cognac crus. The specification also allows a second name, Bois à terroirs. The cru covers the Atlantic coast of the Charente-Maritime department, including the islands of Ré and Oléron, as well as a few communes in Dordogne and Deux-Sèvres.

Boundaries. The cru was defined by a decree of 13 January 1938, based on the soil classification drawn up around 1860 by the geologist Henri Coquand. The current AOC Cognac specification, approved on 10 June 2026, includes here, among others, La Rochelle, Rochefort, Royan and Fouras, all the communes on the islands of Ré and Oléron, part of La Roche-Chalais in Dordogne, and Mauzé-sur-le-Mignon in Deux-Sèvres.

Soil and flavour. The soils here are almost entirely sandy: sand carried down from the Massif Central by erosion. The specification describes the spirits of the “Bois” zones as fruity and quick to mature; industry sources note a slightly salty, “maritime” touch in spirits from the coast and the islands. There are few vineyards for cognac here: sources give between 1,000 and 1,500 hectares.

Who makes it. Most of the grapes go into blends or into Pineau des Charentes, so bottles carrying the cru name are rare. The family-owned house of Camus produces an Île de Ré range from grapes grown on that island. The other rules are the same as for any cognac: mainly Ugni Blanc grapes, double distillation in a copper Charentais pot still to no more than 73.7% ABV, and ageing only in oak for at least two years.

Why this matters to you. “Ordinaires” here is the historical name of the area, not a mark of an “ordinary” cognac; that is why producers may also write “Bois à terroirs”. The name does not indicate age: that is shown by the VS, VSOP or XO designations. This is a strong drink of 40% ABV or more. The WHO reminds us that there is no safe level of alcohol consumption.