Grey Goose Vodka is a 40% ABV French vodka defined by a notably focused recipe: single-origin soft winter wheat from Picardie and spring water from Gensac-la-Pallue in the Cognac region. Created in 1997 by Sidney Frank in collaboration with cognac cellar master François Thibault, the flagship bottling brings a cellar master’s attention to ingredients and process to the vodka category.

Production begins in Picardie with whole soft winter wheat sourced through three local cooperatives located within 50 kilometers of the distillery. Classified to France’s highest bread-making wheat standard, the grain is milled on site before natural enzymes convert its starches into fermentable sugars. Fermentation creates what the producer calls a “bread wine” at approximately 10% ABV. This is distilled once through steel and copper columns—a deliberate approach intended to preserve the underlying character of the wheat rather than strip it away through repeated distillation.

The spirit then travels to Gensac-la-Pallue, where it is brought to proof with spring water drawn from a limestone-filtered aquifer 500 feet beneath the blending facility. Following a single filtration through cellulose and activated carbon, each batch undergoes extensive quality checks and a final tasting before being bottled in France.

Crystal clear in the glass, Grey Goose offers official aromas of subtle lemon zest and baked bread. Almond richness shapes the palate alongside apple and citrus, with hints of pepper and anise adding detail. The result is a thoughtful expression of French wheat vodka, distinguished not by an elaborate list of ingredients but by close attention to the origin and handling of just two.