Cognac is a town along the quiet little river Charente in the southwest of France, just about a 90-minute drive north of Bordeaux. The town smells of cognac, from the moisture of the ground and the humidity of the river. The walls and tiles of the warehouses are clearly blackened from a fungus, often referred to by its Latin name, torula compniacensis richon. Torula is the name of the fungus. Compniacensis is the old Latin name for cognac, and richon is the name of the scientist who discovered the fungus. A sweet, soft, alcoholic aroma, most prevalent in the summertime, fills the streets of Cognac.

Among cognac producers, family-owned Cognac Frapin is a rarity.

Frapin’s massive 741-acre domain, including five hundred acres of prime Grande Champagne vineyard on an inner semi-circle of slopes, is the largest, by far, in this top-rated appellation, where average holdings seldom exceed 80 acres. Of the more widely distributed producers, Frapin is unique because it does not depend on outside growers for grapes. Every Cognac Frapin release is estate-bottled. The Frapin family’s ties to the Cognac area of the Charentes region spans more than 40 generations, extending back to 1270 A.D. Today the firm is still family-owned. In 1992 the Frapin family added to their luxury portfolio with the purchase of the historic Champagne House of Gosset.

Within the Frapin vineyards sits the elegant, turreted Chateau Fontpinot, the original Frapin family seat. Now used for entertaining and hospitality, Fontpinot gives its name to the region’s only Grande Champagne chateau-bottled cognac, Chateau de Fontpinot XO Grande Champagne.
The harvest takes place during the first few weeks in October when acidity levels (very important to cognac) are high. Pressing at Frapin takes place within two hours of harvest. A double distillation in late November-early December, takes place in small 25-hectoliter copper alambic stills (ancient word for pot still). A single distillation takes about 8 to 10 hours and, depending on the alcoholic strength of the wine, 8 to 10 liters produces one liter of cognac.

The distilled product, called eau-de-vie de Grande Champagne, is clear transferred to oak casks. The eau-de-vie acquires color from the casks, earning the name “cognac” only when it has attained this color. At Frapin, barriques are made of Limousin oak, bound with chestnut bands, to facilitate the rolling of these casks.
Grande Champagne cognacs are blended from cask to cask. Blending starts with the transfer from “new” casks to medium-old “roux” casks (5 to 20 years old). The time the cognac spends in roux casks varies, depending on the quality. Before bottling, it is pumped into very old casks. Unlike the cellar aging of wines, where a cool, stable environment is essential, a fluctuation of temperature is desirable for cognac.

Two types of aging cellars exist in the Cognac area, one humid and the other dry, with humid being the more predominant. In humid cellars, where the air is already saturated with water, the evaporation is primarily alcohol, lending a necessary smoothness. Both types exist at Frapin, but no other cognac producer places greater emphasis on its dry cellars, where evaporation is principally water, which accentuates aroma.

I spoke to Philippe Manfredini, Directeur International of Frapin.

PS: What is the difference between a cognac and an armagnac?

PM: Armagnac comes only from the Armagnac region, located 2 to 3 hours southeast of the Cognac region. Armagnac uses a grape called Colombard whereas Uni-Blanc is used in cognac. Armagnacs undergo a single continuous distillation whereas in Cognac we do two distillations. The second permits the distillation of the best and finest eaux-de-vie from the first distillation. Cognacs are generally finer and more elegant than armagnacs.

PS: What makes Chateau de Fontpinot a Grande Champagne?

PM: The Château de Fontpinot Estate is located in the very heart of the Grande Champagne area (known as Premier Grand Cru or first growth of Cognac). All the grapes used to produce our Chateau de Fontpinot Cognac come exclusively from the domain of the Chateau. They are distilled on the domain and aged for many many years in the dry cellars of the Chateau, very particular cellars which give this cognac an especially subtle and complex bouquet.

PS: What grapes produce Chateau de Fontpinot?

PM: Our Chateau de Fontpinot XO cognac is different from many other XOs on the market. It’s a unique Estate Bottled Cognac, the only one within the entire Grande Champagne area. We use the Uni-Blanc grapes, which grow on the domain of the Chateau within the First Growth Grande Champagne appellation, where the grapes are the most concentrated in sugar and acidity. The wine made from these grapes is distilled on its fine lees (sediments) to enhance the finesse of its aromas. It is aged for an average of 20 years in the dry cellars where there will be an evaporation of mostly water. This cognac will develop aromas of vanilla, wild flowers, candied fruits, like orange and dry apricot, and its elegance and finesse.

PS: Do you find more Americans are now drinking cognac?

PM: Over the years, I have found more and more Americans interested in discovering other cognacs than the ones they've known for years. There are more consumers willing to learn about our eaux-de vies and our region and also more people looking for boutique and high-end cognacs. It seems people nowadays are looking for something different, and a lot of them are just looking for better quality cognacs.

PS: Cognac was once considered an "elderly man's" drink. Do you think this image is changing?

PM:  This image is changing significantly. There are still a lot of people consuming cognac like our dads and granddads used to drink it, by the fireplace. But also there is a growing new trend of people who have discovered that cognac can make a perfect aperitif, to be drunk either on its own or with plain or fizz water, on the rocks. I like it even better with crushed ice or used as a cocktail base. Bear in mind that the best and more fruity cognac you use for the cocktail, the better your cocktail will be. Also, just like the French, don’t hesitate to put a few drops in your coffee. No need to wait to catch a cold to do it, even though it can be a great medication with hot milk instead of coffee. You can enjoy it as a refreshing aperitif. I had some recently in Dallas with a serious piece of beef in an up-scale steakhouse. That was magnificent.  

PS: Who is responsible for the final decision on how Chateau Fontpinot will taste?

PM: First, our vineyard director, Patrice Piveteau, who makes sure of healthy and top quality grapes year after year and then Olivier Paultes, our cellar-master, who makes sure, by permanently blending Fontpinot eaux-de-vies from barrel to barrel, that this cognac will, year after year, come out with the same balance, style and elegance since it's a blend of old cognacs. Olivier wants to ensure that customers of Chateau de Fontpinot will consistently recognize the cognacs they always enjoyed. But after all those explanations, the ideal way to understand what makes Chateau de Fontpinot XO Frapin Cognac so different from any others? The first sip will explain a lot.

Phillip Silverstone is a radio and TV “Wine-tertainer”
in the US and the UK. His anecdotes, short stories,
outspoken opinions, and practical “unstuffy” tips are aimed at anyone who enjoys a lighthearted approach
to an often-dull topic. Visit and contact him at
www.thesilverstonecollection.com.