From Alexandre to Guy: a family line that begins in 1680
The story behind the name Alexandre Leopold leads to Lasdoux, a small place in the Petite Champagne, south of Cognac. There, Alexandre Lhéraud planted the first vines on this limestone soil in 1680 — the beginning of a family tradition that now spans ten generations. His descendant Léopold Lhéraud decisively advanced the art of distillation in the 19th century, and both first names — Alexandre and Léopold — gave the house brand its name. For centuries, the Lhéraulds supplied their eaux-de-vie in large containers to the major Cognac houses. That changed in 1970, when Guy Lhéraud decided to bottle and market the distillates under his own name from then on. Since then, the house has projected its own character to the outside world — and with growing international acclaim.
The Domaine de Lasdoux in Angeac-Charente remains the center of the operation to this day. Guy Lhéraud runs it together with his wife Andrée, son Laurent, and now his grandchildren Anne-Sophie and Jean-Charles, who is responsible for distillation. Andrée Lhéraud designed the hand-calligraphed labels that make the house visually unmistakable.
Distillation on the lees, no compromises on raw materials
The winery manages around 90 hectares of vineyards, predominantly in the Petite Champagne, and grows exclusively Ugni Blanc — the classic Cognac grape variety that develops a distinct acid structure on the calcareous soils of the Charente, which gives depth to the distillation. The grapes are harvested and pressed in mid-to-late September; the must ferments without additives in concrete tanks using natural yeast. Between December and March, double distillation follows in the copper still — sur lies, i.e., on the lees, which only a few houses in the region still practice. This step brings more texture and aromatic complexity to the raw spirit.
Storage takes place in oak barrels in the cellars under the family home — including a medieval vault that once served as accommodation for pilgrims on the Way of St. James. No colorings or sugar are added to the distillate. Vintage Cognacs are bottled without water dilution at natural cask strength, often between 45 and 49 percent vol.
Ugni Blanc from the Petite Champagne — from VS to aged vintage
The Cognac Lhéraud range extends from the accessible VS to the VSOP, the XO, and vintage bottlings, which the house has made its true specialty: single-vintage Cognacs from a single cru, unfiltered and unblended. The Alexandre Leopold house brand represents the more accessible line of the house — single-varietal Ugni Blanc from the Petite Champagne, which shows aromas of dark chocolate, hazelnut, and dry wood after several years of barrel aging, with a long, dry finish. Neat in a Cognac snifter or as a classic digestif after a meal — this is the natural terrain of this Cognac.
