End of the 13th century: Arnaud de Villeneuve, a doctor and theologian, is the first person to distill French wines

It was at the end of the 13th century that the idea of distilling wine occurred to Frenchman, Arnaud de Villeneuve (1238-1311).

Through this process, he obtained “a product that can cure poisoning, clear the chest, prolong life and maintain youth”

Amazed by the quality of the product he had obtained, he attributed every virtue to it: “This product can cure poisoning, clear the chest, prolong life and maintain youth.” Thus what should have been “eau de feu” (“firewater”) became “eau-de-vie” (“water of life”). (Source Annuaire BERAULD, 1896-1897).