In the nineteenth century phylloxera, an aphid-like insect, ravaged the vineyards of Charente along with nearly half of all French vines. A major part of the grape stocks of this region was replaced by cereal plantings, which still predominate in the landscape. The vineyards were gradually restored around the city of Cognac, where the production of the liquor of the same name has steadily increased. Growing on chalky soil, the ugni blanc grape (known locally as saint-émilion) yields a wine that is distilled and aged in oak casks, giving rise to cognac. The stock currently being aged exceeds the equivalent of 1 billion bottles. The trade name Cognac is reserved to this area alone, limited by legal decree since 1909, and is divided into six vintages. The Cognac region is home to more than 15,000 vineyards in an area of 350 square miles (900 km2), producing more than 190 million bottles of this prestigious beverage per year; more than 90 percent is exported, chiefly to the United S

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