🥃 Hine
Cognac house in Jarnac that dates its history to 1763 and has carried the Thomas Hine name since 1817; specialises in Grande and Petite Champagne; owned by EDV SAS since 2013.
Hine is a cognac house in Jarnac, on the river Charente. It dates its founding to 1763, but has carried the name of the Englishman Thomas Hine since 1817, when he took over the business. The house works mainly with Grande and Petite Champagne eaux-de-vie, owns its own vineyards, and since 2013 has belonged to the French company EDV SAS.
History. Thomas Hine came to France from Dorset as a teenager and worked for the Delamain firm in Jarnac. According to different sources, in 1796 or 1797 he married the owner’s daughter. Cognac-Ton links the year 1763 to the Delamain firm, so it marks the house’s roots rather than the appearance of the Hine name. Ownership changed several times: DCL from 1971, then Guinness and LVMH, and from 2003 CL Financial. In 2013, according to Difford’s Guide, the house was bought by EDV SAS; Cognac-Ton writes about the Nicolas family.
How it is made. The house believes good cognac starts with good white wine. Since 2004 Hine has owned vineyards in the village of Bonneuil, in Grande Champagne: about 115 hectares of Ugni Blanc. It buys the rest of its eaux-de-vie from growers in Grande and Petite Champagne and Fins Bois. Under the rules, cognac is distilled twice in copper pot stills and aged in oak casks.
Range. H by Hine is a blend of about 20 eaux-de-vie from Grande and Petite Champagne, aged at least four years. Antique XO was created by Georges Hine in 1920. There are Rare and vintage cognacs, some marked “Early Landed”: young cognac was once shipped to England and matured in the cellars of London or Bristol. Since 1962 Hine has held a British Royal Warrant as supplier to the royal household.
Why it matters to you. VSOP and XO on the label show the minimum age of the youngest eau-de-vie in the blend, and “Fine Champagne” means a blend of eaux-de-vie from Grande and Petite Champagne only. On a vintage cognac the year is the year of the grape harvest. The WHO reminds us: there is no safe amount of alcohol.
Facts
| Year founded | 1763 (house date, linked to the Delamain firm); the Thomas Hine & Co. name from 1817, Jarnac |
|---|---|
| Legal basis | Cognac PDO (AOC; EU register eAmbrosia EUGI00000014112) |
| EU category | 4 “Wine spirit” (Cognac PDO) |
| Raw material | white wine from Ugni Blanc grapes; own vineyards in Bonneuil (Grande Champagne) |
| Distillation method | twice, in copper pot stills (cognac rules) |
| Cask type | oak casks |
| Minimum maturation | by age mark; H by Hine — at least 4 years |
| Alcohol (% vol.) | from 40% vol. under the cognac rules |
What it includes
How it connects to Spirits
🥃 Hine → kind of → 🍇 Grape brandies → kind of → 🥃 Spirits
Links
- Packed in
- 🍷 Oak barrel, 🐝 French oak
- Made from
- 🌿 Grape
- What it contains
- 🧪 Water, 🍷 Ethanol
- What it affects
- 🍷 Alcohol and health, 🍷 Drunk driving
- Traditions
- 🥃 VS, VSOP, XO, 🧑🤝🧑 French
- Part of
- 🥃 Cognac, 🍇 Grape brandies
- Related to
- 🌍 Western Europe
- Similar and different
- 🥃 Hennessy, 🥃 Rémy Martin, 🥃 Martell
Frequently asked questions
Is it true that Hine was founded in 1763?
The house itself gives that date, but Cognac-Ton links 1763 to the Delamain firm where Thomas Hine worked. The Hine name has been used since 1817.
Who owns Hine?
According to Difford’s Guide, since September 2013 the French company EDV SAS; Cognac-Ton writes about the Nicolas family. Before that the house belonged to CL Financial, and earlier to LVMH.
Does Hine have its own vineyards?
Yes. Since 2004 the house has owned land in Bonneuil, in Grande Champagne, where Ugni Blanc grows; it buys the rest of its eaux-de-vie from growers.
What is Early Landed?
Cognac that was once shipped young to England and matured in British cellars. Hine is known for such vintage releases.
Does Hine hold a Royal Warrant?
Yes. According to Hotaling & Co., the house received it in 1962, and the warrant has been renewed every five years since.
What to read next
- 🍷 Alcohol and health — Alcohol in any drink is harmful in large amounts, and the risks grow with the quantity.
- 🍷 Ethanol — The alcohol formed during fermentation that makes you drunk.
- 🍷 Oak barrel — A wooden barrel of oak staves in which wine matures and breathes.
- 🧪 Water — ~87% of milk.
- 🌍 Western Europe — France, the Netherlands, Britain, Ireland, Belgium and Luxembourg: a mild, moist climate, pastures and hundreds of cheeses such as Roquefort, Camembert, Gouda and Cheddar.
Similar
🥃 Camus · 🥃 Courvoisier · 🥃 Rémy Martin · 🥃 Martell · 🥃 Hennessy · 🥃 St-Germain
⚠️ 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
- Difford's Guide: Thomas Hine & Co., history (established 1763; Jarnac; marriage into Delamain 1797; renamed 1817; LVMH → CL World Brands 2003 → EDV SAS 09.2013; Domaines Hine, Bonneuil, 2004; Royal Warrant; Antique XO 1920; H by Hine)
- Cognac-Ton: Hine, cognac firm in Jarnac (1763 date from Delamain; Thomas Hine b. 1775; 1796 marriage; 1817 own firm; DCL 1971, Guinness 1986, LVMH 1987, CL Financial 2003, Nicolas family 2013; Early Landed)
- Hotaling & Co.: Hine (Thomas Hine, Jarnac, 1817 Thomas Hine & Co., 115 ha Ugni Blanc at Bonneuil, Royal Warrant since 1962, range)
- eAmbrosia: Cognac / Eau-de-vie de Cognac / Eau-de-vie des Charentes, EUGI00000014112 (GI, registered)
- Difford's Guide: Cognac summarised (crus, double distillation, minimum ages VS/VSOP/XO, oak 270–450 l)
- WHO/Europe: No level of alcohol consumption is safe for our health (04.01.2023)