The word Brandy comes from the Dutch word brandewijn, ("burnt
wine"), which is how the straightforward Dutch traders who
introduced it to Northern Europe from Southern France and Spain
in the 16th century described wine that had been "burnt," or
boiled, in order to distill it. The origins of Brandy can be
traced back to the expanding Moslem Mediterranean states in the
7th and 8th centuries. Cognac is the best known type of Brandy
in the world, a benchmark by which most other Brandies are
judged. The Cognac region is located on the west-central
Atlantic coast of France, just north of Bordeaux, in the
departments of Charente and Charente-Maritime. The region is
further subdivided into six growing zones: Grande Champagne,
Petite Champagne, Bois Ordinaries, Borderies, Fins Bois, and
Bons Bois. Brandy has a rating system to describe its quality
and condition; these indicators can usually be found near the
brand name on the label: • A.C.: aged two years in wood. • V.S.:
"Very Special" or 3-Star, aged at least three