It’s almost impossible to overestimate the importance of family ownership in this age of beverage consolidation. We live in a time when the multinational conglomerates are gobbling up wineries and distilleries like the proverbial peanuts. One of the peanuts that got away was Hardy Cognac, founded in 1863 by Anthony Hardy---a Francophile Englishman who moved to France and changed his name to Antoine. The house is operated today by Benedicte Hardy, the fifth generation and Antoine’s great-grandson. They recently released a new expression called Legend 1863: rich, harmonious, elegant and affordable.

In other news, the world is not getting any saner, as evidenced by the items on our weekly roundup: pet-friendly beer and wine for the holidays; nude dining; the skinny on Frederic Chopin’s pickled heart, and Mario Batali sued for stealing tips from employees---again. Apparently, some people are slow learners.

Here are last week’s posts: Quick Sip: Hardy Legend 1863 Cognac

Glass Half Full: 12/8/2017