Pablo Ferrand’s credo
of craftsmanship and
transmission adds an almostartisanal
profile to the family
domain’s cognac.
For many cognac enthusiasts, Pablo Ferrand
embodies the continuity of a house deeply
rooted in the heart of Grande Champagne.
Heir to a long line of bouilleurs de cru, he took
up the family domain in Segonzac in 2010,
positioning himself as the guardian of a craft passed
down since the 18th century - a story of land and lineage
that can still be read in every barrel on the estate.
Born and educated far from the vineyards, Pablo
nevertheless chose to return to the very heart of the
family domain. After studying both business and
viticulture, and spending time in Paris within the Castel
Vin group, he came back to the family estate, where his
modern view blended naturally with respect for traditional
practices.
His path, from urban hustle to the humble,
patient labour of the vines, gave him the authority of a
man who knows how to both defend an inheritance and
reinterpret it for a contemporary audience.
Pablo stands by a twofold credo: craftsmanship and
transmission. The work remains focused on small,
carefully tended family vineyard parcels, where every
step, from pruning to harvest, from distillation to aging,
continues the gestures learned over generations.
He often
reminds guests that the barrels in which the eau-de-vie
mature have been handled by his father and grandfather;
this material and human continuity gives cognac a depth
measured not only in years, but in shared memories.
Journalists and tasters often describe his approach
as almost artisanal: no mass production but carefully
selected batches, an unwavering pursuit of aromatic
authenticity, and a commitment to showcasing the
Grande Champagne terroir, the most prized area for
cognac, known for its chalk-rich soils.
This devotion to
the cru goes hand in hand with meticulous work in the
cellar, where he oversees blending and aging to preserve
the house’s distinctive signature, under the watchful yet
benevolent eye of the master cellar.
Pablo Ferrand>
Family ties here transcend mere business management;
they shape the very strategy of the house.
Christian,
his father, handles administration, purchasing, and
pricing, while Pablo devotes himself to the vineyard,
the creation of cuvées, and distribution; a division of
roles that exemplifies active transmission and mutual
respect for each other’s expertise.
This family model has
safeguarded the estate’s identity, often threatened by
industrial consolidations and the sale of historic brands.
Yet, Pablo is no rigid traditionalist; he is also a bridgebuilder.
He regularly stresses how essential it is to speak
about cognac to new generations, to open the category
to mixology and a modern audience, while preserving the
slowness and patience that define the aging process.
His
approach is educational: to make people understand that
behind every bottle lies a landscape, a family, and time
itself.
In the end, the portrait that emerges is that of a man both
humble and exacting, who carries the memory of a name
and turns it into a promise for the future.
His philosophy
ensures that craftsmanship is lived as a daily ethic, and
transmission is not a marketing slogan but a tangible
practice: the patient repetition of a gesture, the telling of
a terroir’s story, the meeting of generations around the
same barrel.