SIMON VIGNAU, FOUNDER OF ALABAT ARMAGNAC
Simon Vignau
"What matters is that the tasting experience sparks endless conversations and enhances the reveries of everyone involved."
28 March 2024
Simon Vignau's ambition? To offer exceptional Armagnacs, produced by passionate artisans and enhanced by artists.
How did the idea of ALABAT come about?
Alabat is above all a tribute to my great-grandfather, Abel Labat. Initially a shepherd and then a farmer in the Landes region in the early 1950s, he purchased a small Armagnac vineyard in the village of Saint-Gein, in the Landes. Shortly before his death, a fire engulfed his cellar, but a few bottles were saved at the last minute and have been resting in the family cellar ever since. It was the discovery of this family history that inspired me to create Alabat.
What makes ALABAT an Avant-Gardist?
The aspiration of Alabat is precisely to make Armagnac, the oldest brandy in the world, an avant-garde spirit. To achieve this, we rely on three pillars. Firstly, we aim to offer authentic and transparent Armagnacs.
"We select our Armagnacs from independent winemakers who embody the new generation. They come from a single estate but also a single grape variety, a single cask, and a single vintage, and are bottled straight from the barrel, without any additives."
Then, we harness art to enhance craftsmanship. Collaborating with artist Anna Petrissans, we create vibrant labels featuring portraits of our partnering winemakers. Finally, social and ecological interest is at the heart of our mission. All our suppliers are based in Nouvelle Aquitaine. Only our bottles come from Northern Italy: they have been selected for their lightweight, reducing carbon footprint. With the same goal in mind, we have chosen not to use any additional packaging. Moreover, Alabat is a mission-driven company, a member of the 1% For the Planet network. We donate 1% of our revenue to charities working for environmental preservation.
What were you doing before? What led you to delve into the spirits industry?
This dream of Armagnac has been with me since I was 18 years old. Therefore, I steered all my professional experiences towards this goal. I worked in finance in the wine industry, did business development in Napa Valley, worked on innovation within a large French spirits group, and finally worked on product development for one of the main players in Calvados. Today, I draw on all these experiences to develop Alabat.
Tell us about your first memory of tasting Armagnac.
My first memory of tasting Armagnac dates back to the end of a family meal in the Landes region. As tradition dictates, a bottle from my great-grandfather was brought out to mark the end of this moment of sharing. It was a vintage from 1954, one of the rare bottles saved from the flames. I was still young, the dose was minimal, but enough to ignite my passion.
What is your favourite cocktail, and ideal place to enjoy it?
Even though our single cask Armagnacs are ideally enjoyed neat, I take great pleasure in drinking them in an Old Fashioned. The ideal place? Anywhere, surrounded by loved ones. The important thing is that the tasting opens up endless discussions and accompanies everyone's reveries.
What is the most rewarding feedback you have received about ALABAT from a customer?
The story is as beautiful as the Armagnac is good!
