In the hushed world of cognac, some houses embody more than expertise: they are the custodians of a history, a terroir, and centuries-old standards. The house knock, established in Segonzac since 1270, is one of them.
Producer-harvester exclusively in Grande Champagne, it illustrates a rare vision: that of a cognac deeply rooted in its land, shaped by time, and expressing without compromise the premier cru of the appellation.
A 750-year heritage, one family
The history of the Cognac house is unbroken. For 21 generations, the family, today represented by Jean-Pierre Cointreau, a direct descendant of the Frapins, cultivates vines and distills its eaux-de-vie on the same estate. The name also evokes that of Francois Rabelais, a 16th-century humanist and tutelary figure of the house, whose free and erudite spirit continues to guide the philosophy of the estate.
In a region where the great houses buy their eaux-de-vie, the house proudly asserts its dual role as winemaker-distiller, guaranteeing traceability and stylistic consistency that are rare in the world of cognac.
A unique terroir: Grande Champagne, classified Premier Cru
The Frapin estate covers 240 hectares in a single plot, located exclusively in Grande Champagne. This terroir, recognized as the finest in the region, rests on chalk soil from the The campaign, similar to that of the Champagne viticultural. This limestone structure acts like a natural sponge, ensuring the vine has a constant water supply, even during periods of water stress.
The grape variety Ugni blanc, the majority, expresses fine, floral aromatic profiles with an exceptional aging capacity. This terroir produces eaux-de-vie with a slow and harmonious evolution, revealing complexity, richness and subtlety over time.
Distillation on lees: the Frapin aromatic signature
Frapin distills exclusively on fine lees, a deliberate technical choice that gives the cognacs richness, roundness, and aromatic richness. This process, combined with distillation in small Charentais pot stills, allows the wine to capture all the complexity of the estate's wine.
Aging continues in separate cellars, divided between dry and humid zones, allowing the aromatic development to be directed according to the desired profiles. The dry cellar favors oxidative notes and the famous Charentais rancio, while the humid cellar preserves more freshness and suppleness.
Frapin cognacs: the expression of time and place
Maison Frapin structures its range around age and terroir, with accessible vintages and others intended for aging or collection.
- Frapin 1270 : elegant, expressive entry-level wine, focused on fresh fruit, white flowers and a lovely liveliness.
- Château Fontpinot XO : from a single estate, aged exclusively in dry cellars. A cognac with a strong style, long on the palate, with notes of dried fruits, leather, and cigar box.
- VIP XO & Cuvée Plume : high-end, with old blends, rich in rancio, bitter cocoa, candied fruits and blond tobacco.
- Exceptional vintages and cuvées : rare products (e.g. 1989, 1990, 1991), offered in limited quantities, often single-vintage, offering a pure snapshot of time.
- VSOP : core range, with a controlled woody structure, notes of apricot, honey and sweet spices.
An exceptional box for Father's Day to celebrate the elegance of time
On the occasion of Father's Day, Frapin is unveiling a limited edition box set based on its iconic VSOP, a refined expression of Grande Champagne and a symbol of French elegance. This cognac, recently crowned " Cognac of the year 2025 » during theInternational Spirits Award, embodies the rigor and passion passed down through the generations in this family home.
THEInternational Spirits Award (ISA) is a benchmark competition organized by the DLG in Germany, which evaluates hundreds of spirits from around the world each year. The products are tasted blind by a jury of experts and rated according to strict criteria: aromatic quality, balance, length in the mouth. The title of "Cognac of the Year" rewards a vintage deemed exemplary in its category, a internationally recognized guarantee of excellence.
Sourced exclusively from the 240-hectare Frapin vineyard, located in the heart of the Premier Cru of Cognac, this VSOP demonstrates a strong territorial anchorage. Its aging time, which exceeds regulatory requirements, gives it remarkable aromatic complexity and rare depth.
Its bright, warm, golden-orange color heralds the richness that follows. The nose immediately seduces with its beautiful intensity, blending orange zest, dried flowers, and hints of vanilla. On the palate, the attack is soft, carried by a subtle balance between roundness and spice, before a long, persistent finish, marked by notes of cinnamon and pepper.
Presented in an eco-designed box, this gift combines beauty and responsibility. It contains the Frapin VSOP carafe, accompanied two tulip glasses, all housed in a recyclable case and reusable, made from 100% recycled cardboard produced in Europe. The rounded hot-stamped decoration evokes the generosity and sweetness of the cognac it contains.
More than just a gift, this box is an invitation to savor time, through a patiently crafted eau-de-vie, respecting a unique terroir and centuries-old know-how.
Committed to sustainable viticulture, the Frapin cognac house limits inputs, cultivates its soils, preserves its hedges and the estate's biodiversity. The house projects its values into the future: preserving the terroir, to guarantee the same qualities tomorrow as yesterday. Here, we don't seek to please all palates: we aim for authenticity. Each cuvée is the reflection of a vintage, a soil, a cellar, an ancestral gesture. In this increasingly standardized world, the Frapin establishment offers a breath of fresh air, a verticality, a density of style that speaks to those who know how to listen to a cognac.
To offer a Frapin cognac is to offer an emotion, a heritage and an exceptional moment.
Patrick Koune
Visuals: www.cognac-frapin.com
Alcohol abuse is dangerous for your health. Consume in moderation.
