At Frapin, dry and humid cellar conditions are considered very seriously. We’d say this was the one thing that struck us the most during our visit at the domaine: this constant desire to experiment and play with the dry and humid cellars. In fact, their entire range revolves around this precisely.
The domaine houses 20 chais—divided evenly into 10 dry and 10 humid cellars. The impact of these cellar environments is profound: humid cellars, typically found on the lower levels, experience about a 2% annual loss due to evaporation, mostly of alcohol and not water, while the dry cellars on the upper floors see roughly a 4% loss due to evaporation—primarily water and not alcohol. We felt the contrast immediately as we ascended from the humid lower levels to the drier upper ones.
The domaine indicates that the Cognacs gain an extra measure of length and finesse from dry cellars, and an enhanced richness and texture from the humid cellars.
Frapin’s commitment to quality extends into the meticulous management of its vintage cellars, chai dedicated to vintage Cognacs only. Every barrel and dame jeanne in these cellars is sealed by the BNIC and opened annually for a thorough evaluation. This rigorous tasting and inspection process is where the fate of each Cognac is decided—whether it continues as a vintage expression or is incorporated into a blend.
It’s a methodical, time-sensitive, and seriously costly procedure that underscores the maison’s dedication to maintaining the highest standards in Cognac production. Mr. Piveteau himself explained to us that all of his tastings are done blind and over a period of time - never on just one occasion. When a Cognac consistently ranks at the top among these blind tastings, it certainly gets noted and set aside for the vintage cellar - or some other precise special use.
The oak policy at Frapin is also of interest. The majority of their barrels, sourced mainly from Tonnellerie Doreau, are crafted from Limousin oak, known for its wide grain and medium to medium+ toast (or chauffe). While most barrels are 350 liters, the chai also houses some 450L and 280L variants, contributing to the complexity of the aging process.
With an astounding 8,000 barrels aging across its chais—including three “chai paradis” that shelter the oldest expressions, featuring dame jeannes of pre-phylloxeric Cognac from 1870-1880—Frapin follows a strict oak policy: Cognac spends a maximum of one year in new oak before moving to roux barrels until it reaches twenty years of age, and then transitions to old barrels for further maturation before bottling or blending.
Notably, once a cognac nears 80 years of aging in barrel, it is transferred to a dame jeanne to halt the significant microoxygenation that can occur over time. Barrels are classified as “new” for 0–5 years of use, “roux” for 5–15 years, and “old” after 15 years, each stage contributing its own unique character to the final spirit.
