Amongst the oldest Cognac houses around, the story of Gautier starts back in the 17th century. The Gautier family weren’t in the wine business, or even brokers, shippers, or merchants. They were foresters and owned a good amount of land in the Tronçais region. It was clear they took the business seriously as their family motto was “Du galt mer sui,” which translates to “I am the Lord of the forest.” The family had a great reputation for making quality barrels from their wood.
In 1644, Charles Gautier married Jacquette Brochet, the daughter of a winemaker. At the time, Charles supposedly owned a few vineyards. After their marriage, they moved to Aigre in Northeastern Charente in the Fin Bois region, where the family still keeps its headquarters today. Charles began learning the art of winemaking and cellaring. Not long after, they likely started distilling wine, as the trend was spreading across the Charente. However, no official records confirm they made eau-de-vie at that time. Their grandson, Louis Gautier, took over in 1678 and began selling Cognac by 1700. In 1755, the family obtained a royal warrant to produce Cognac, and King Louis XV himself signed a founding charter, which remains on display at their family home.
The Gautier family remained active over several generations until the death of Joseph Gautier in 1913. His daughter, Simone, had married a gentleman named Michel Hériard, a cousin of Joseph’s, and he assumed control of the company until 1942 when his son Gonzague took control. But something to mention is that in 1920, a co-op called Gemco was formed in the Charente.
Over the next several years, some small brands, including Gautier, joined the co-op. By 1970, business began to change for the co-op. The Berger Group bought Gemco and expanded its sales reach, particularly within the French market. In 1995, the Bordeaux group Marie-Brizard—known for their famous liqueurs and a former Cognac producer—acquired Berger. Finally, in 2006, Belvédère purchased Marie-Brizard, turning Gautier into a subsidiary with a significant degree of independence from the other brands.
A few intriguing things to note about Gautier is that Aigre was an interesting location to be based out of. Granted, it was on the outskirts of the Cognac AOC and far from the city of Cognac where everything was happening, but it was also right by the royal highway that led to Paris. If you were to send your products through Aigre and travel by land, the taxes were significantly less than using the river or sea for transport. In 1804, there were four brandy merchants based out of Aigre as compared to six in Cognac itself. Gautier eventually bought out all of the Aigre merchants.
Also, Gautier’s cellars are uniquely located in an 18th century water mill on an island in the river Osme. The result is that the cellars have a natural humidity of 80%, which provides ideal maturing conditions. This unique element lets the Cognacs age in a harmonious way and gain exceptional mellowness, roundness and complexity, especially in their older offerings. This is definitely a unique trait of their house.
Gautier doesn’t own vineyards anymore, but they do own a few distilleries. They buy eau-de-vie from every cru except Bois Ordinaire. Everything is aged in their humid cellars on the river Osme. Every new make eau-de-vie is aged in brand new barrels for several months before being transferred to very old casks. The style of Gautier is not to have too many tannins in the final product.
