Moisture level of the cellars
AGEING
The relative evaporation of alcohol and water depends on the humidity of the cellars.
Dry cellars: Drier, more alcoholic eaux-de-vie
In a dry cellar (relative humidity between 40 and 60%), evaporation mainly affects the volume, with loss of water.
The alcohol content by volume hardly varies.
The resulting eaux-de-vie are drier and have more character.
Humid cellars: Rounder, mellower eaux-de-vie
In a humid cellar (relative moisture level between 90 and 100%), evaporation mainly affects the alcohol.
Alcohol content can drop noticeably.
Eaux-de-vie aged in humid cellars are described as mellow and round.
In the region, you can find cellars both along the banks of a river and on the upper floor of a winegrowing estate.