THE HOLIDAY'S BEST GIFT...COGNAC imported by NICOLAS PALAZZI

Who would ever suspect New York's 'most celebrated new Cognac Importer and personal Cognac guide' has an Italian name, yet is a true Frenchman. Nicolas Palazzi http://www.npalazziwine.com/ is taking New York by storm. He hosts trips to the Cognac region, introduces cognac lovers to the French region that produces cognac and bottles private label cognacs made by a 9th generation distiller for his private customers and collectors..
Nicolas Palazzi began his career years ago, due to an introduction to a 79 year old cognac maker, who was best friends with Nicolas's Grandfather.
Nicolas has found a niche in the industry by purchasing casks of rare cognacs, bottling and then selling the cognac under his late fathers name, Paul-Marie Palazzi. This is his brand name.
His cognacs have won several awards in America and are now sought out by the world's top collectors.
Nicolas Palazzi has several cognacs that have won prstigious awards. He finds rare aged barrels,often one of a kind, bottles them ( somewhere between 100-450 750 ml bottles per cask barrel) and sells them to the true cognac lover. The ones that stand out are:

1) DEVANTE la PORTE means ' in front of the door'. This is a cask Nicolas found 'in front of the door', hence the name.
2) PAUL BEAU COGNACS ...one of the oldest cognacs that Nicolas imports. The cognacs date back to 1895.
3) GUILLION PAINUROID, SINCE 1610..THE TOP COGNAC NAME IN THE BUSINESS.
This is one of the many treasures that Nicolas imports.

As the Holiday season approaches and you are after a 'Special Gift', Nicolas Palazzi's cognacs will be the 'Toast of the Town'..
At a recent tasting, led by Nicolas, I sampled a 30 year old Guillon Painturand Hors d' Age ($110), which was outstanding. The cognac was woodsy, peppery with maple overtones.
I also tried a Paul Beau VSOP ( $60) which was like drinking brown sugar with a hint of caramel and toasted marshmallow.
Nicolas's cognacs have won many awards and are considered 'OUTSTANDING' by cognac collectors.
Nicolas Palazzi teaches classes about cognac. The classes are not to be missed. Check out his schedule for 2010 and try to attend one of his classes. At the class, you will sample many of the cognacs I have written about. All of the cognacs are rare and often hard to find.
Nicolas Palazzi is a name to remember.
PHILIP S. KAMPE
philip.kampe@thewinehub.com