The Grande Champagne growing area — the name refers to the chalky soil, not the sparkling wine — stretches south of Cognac through rolling hills of vines and Romanesque churches. The chalky terroir here produces the most aromatic and age-worthy eaux-de-vie in the appellation. Driving or cycling through it takes you through villages that appear almost unchanged from a hundred years ago, past small family distilleries and Romanesque church towers.
The town of Segonzac is the informal capital of the area and worth a stop. Several small producers offer informal visits that feel very different from the polished experiences of the grandes maisons: a farm, an ancient still, and the owner explaining what their grandfather planted. Pick up Pineau des Charentes, the local apéritif of grape juice fortified with cognac, to take home.