Recently, France’s Cognac Frapin announced its newest partnership and first-ever North American brand ambassador with Utah Jazz great and two-time NBA All-Star Rudy “Frenchy” Gobert.
According to the folks at Frapin, “Originally from France, Gobert was introduced to Cognac Frapin by a cognac connoisseur friend who had offered him a bottle of Cognac Frapin Vintage 1992, Gobert’s birth year. Already a lover of old spirits when off the court and intrigued, Gobert tasted the liquid and fell in love with the complexity of Frapin.”
Located in the heart of the Grande Champagne region, the Frapin’s Single Family estate comprises over 240 hectares, approximately 600 acres, of vines surrounding the grand Château Fontpinot. The vines benefit from the vast hillsides and chalky soil that make up the landscape of the estate which result in incredibly rich, complex, delicate, and elegant aromas. The house Cellar Master, Patrice Piveteau, oversees the operations and blending of the cognacs, deciding when vintage products will be released. From vineyard management and handcrafted distillation over lees from grapes exclusively grown on Frapin’s vineyards, to aging in century-old cellars, every step ensures the continuity of the Frapin style.
Brad Jensen, founder of Bon Vivant Imports who brings Cognac Frapin into Utah said, “The story of these folks is pretty cool as they have been growing grapes since 1270 in the same Grand Champagne zone of Cognac and the still do all the steps of the process internally – grow the grapes, make the wine, distill it, and age it.” He added, “I thought both the VSOP and the XO drink like much higher priced products from their competitors.”
Gobert visited Château Fontpinot, the birthplace of Frapin, and met with Cellar Master Patrice Piveteau to learn more about the brand. “Quality, terroir and know-how…those are the values of Cognac Frapin that make sense for me,” says Rudy Gobert. Gobert will support upcoming Cognac Frapin releases throughout 2021 through social media and digital content and hosted a kick-off party for Cognac Frapin at Lake Effect in Salt Lake City last weekend. Two Frapin Cognacs are available in Utah: VSOP ($70/700ml) and Fontpinot XO ($160/750ml).
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THIS CONTENT IS FROM UTAH BITES NEWSLETTER.
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Originally trained as an anthropologist, Ted Scheffler is a seasoned food, wine & travel writer based in Utah. He loves cooking, skiing, and spends an inordinate amount of time tending to his ever-growing herd of guitars and amplifiers.
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