Arrogant Frog’s French Wine Line Launches in Hong Kong
Affordable French wine is coming to a Wellcome near you.
“Old world wine with new world attitude,” is Arrogant Frog‘s slogan, and it couldn’t be more true as this wine label seeks to bring French wine-making to the 21st century.
At the launch of the wine label in Hong Kong yesterday, owner Mr. Jean-Claude Mas explained the reason behind the irreverent name – mixing the imperious nature of French wine-makers who have lost market share in the past decade to New World wines, and the British-coined term for the French “frogs” – for a charming, casual style that suits the taste, price and accessibility for people wanting to get into French wines.
A Frenchman who takes his wine very seriously, but not himself, Jean-Claude Mas is a 4th generation grape grower and respected motorcycle race car driver in France, his father being the famous Paul Mas. Launched in 2004, the Arrogant Frog label has already become one of the best selling French wines in Australia, Canada and Holland, selling over 5 million bottles in over 20 countries.
Wellcome in Hong Kong has exclusively brought 5 of the Arrogant Frog wines to Hong Kong wine lovers and will not only showcase them in their stores around the city, but will include free pairing cookbooks. A great cross-selling exercise for the supermarket chain, but we, the consumers get the benefits.
Not only that, but wine tasting will come to the HK masses from today as Wellcome and Marketplace by Jason host a 4 consecutive week in-store tasting from 4pm-8pm, so head on down to select stores on Friday and Sundays to do a taste test before buying.
The 5 wines selling for HK$78 a bottle are:
- Arrogant Frog Chardonnay-Viognier Ribet White
- Arrogant Frog Sauvignon Blanc
- Arrogant Frog Cabernet Sauvignon-Merlot Ribet Red
- Arrogant Frog Croak Rotie Syrah-Viognier
- Arrogant Reserve GSM (Grenache-Syrah-Mourvèdre)
Jean-Claude Mas is assisted by a team of six winemakers and viticulturists (all of whom have New World experience), managing his 100-hectare property in Pézenas and Montagnac and 70-hectare property in Limoux. As well as the top cuvées made on the estates themselves, Jean-Claude makes at his Domaine Astruc winery wines from another 780 hectares of contracted vineyards located in the Limoux, Minervois, Cabardes and Côteaux du Languedoc “Terrasses du Larzac” wine appellation region from the South of France.
Les Domaines Paul Mas is now a leading exporter of French wine, with 850,000 cases exported in 2008 – making the producer one of the most impressive success stories on the French wine-making scene at a time when French wine has lost significant market share abroad.
Jean-Claude’s most recent achievements include:
- In 2008, wine journalist Tim Atkin named Les Domaines Paul Mas, “Winery of the Year” in the UK newspaper, The Observer
- In 2006, winner of the award, “Grand prix de l’entrepreneur”, a prestigious award given by Ernst & Young and the Press Group, l’Express-l’Expansion
- In April 2009, the selection of Les Domaines Paul Mas as one of the most well-performed French company under 150 million Euros in Export
To find one of the 250 Wellcome supermarkets near you, check out their main website here, and for more on Arrogant Frog visit the official website here.
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