Jean-Claude Mas of Les Domaines Paul Mas has built a global empire of winemaking with his Arrogant Frog brand – and the Frog underwent a bit of a transformation in the midst of COVID-19

One of the pioneers of the New Languedoc, Jean-Claude Mas established Les Domaines Paul Mas in 2000. The innovator behind the concept of “luxe rural”, Mas now owns and operates 800 hectares of vines in his homeland of Languedoc-Roussillon in the South of France, in addition to 1,500 hectares with some 80 partner winegrowers. In 2005, he created the humorously named brand Arrogant Frog, which has grown into a global success story, with more than 5 million bottles sold every year in more than 40 countries.

The stereotype of French arrogance has long persisted in English-speaking countries – and in the early 2000s, French products, especially wines, were losing market share. Amid this unfavourable economic environment, an idea popped into Mas’s head – leading to 2005, when he launched Arrogant Frog, a wine brand that mocks French self-confidence. 

Prominently featured on the label is a dandy frog, wearing a beret and holding a glass of wine. “It’s a character who is obviously a frog, but a caricature that one can imagine being a somewhat snobby French wine producer,” explains Mas. “Arrogant Frog also uses a bold graphic style where humour holds a major place. The Frog plays multiple roles in situations, whether it’s poetry or playing sports, without ever losing that French elegance.”

As a modern amphibian, The Frog is constantly adapting to the circumstances. A few months ago, when France was locked down due to COVID-19 and people were cooped up at home, Mas created a limited-edition run of Confined Frog labels in a mere 72 hours. The Confined Frog is a gourmet connoisseur who loves all the good things in life: the best vintages, vegetables from the garden, fish from the nearby river, and eggs, cold meats and poultry from the neighbouring farm. Like a good farmer, the January alerts linked to the virus led Confined Frog to store goods well and go green before the confinement orders. 

“The Frog is a bit of a self-portrait,” says Mas. “So I imagined the perfect country life, far from the world, but with everything we are lucky to be able to share in our Languedoc countryside. Ultimately, lockdown was a good time!”

Images provided to China Daily

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