Christophe Namer, Founder of luxury brand Cardinal du Four, 21 Rébellion, showcases the spirit.
Photo Credit: Tshombe Sampson
Christophe Namer, the founder and creator of Cardinal du Four, 21 Rébellion Armagnac, recently held an exclusive, intimate tasting event at Petrossian Restaurant & Boutique in West Hollywood, California. Caroline Lagerfelt (Sweet Magnolias, Law and Order: Organized Crime), E! founder Larry Namer, former Club Kid and Heatherette designer Richie Rich, branding expert Mister D, French Riviera Film Festival co-founder Nicole Muj, and others joined Namer and Christopher Klapp, general manager of Petrossian Restaurants.
Dedicated to putting Armagnac on the map, Namer, who recently launched the brand in California, is seeking to expand to additional U.S. markets, particularly to Las Vegas, Miami, and New York, as well as Russia and Asia, over the next few years.
“I decided to take my career to the next level and follow my dreams by starting and creating my own brand of Armagnac,” comments Namer. “My approach to business reflects the care I have put into developing the Armagnac itself – an approach that ensures the spirit lives on.”
According to Namer, “Armagnac is 700 years old as compared to Cognac that is 500 years old. Cardinal du Four is a harmonious blend of vintage Armagnacs from 21 to 43 years of age with 30 years old on average with no sugar or caramel added. This is superior in quality while using innovative blending techniques to ensure that each sip is luxuriously smooth, balanced, and elegant.”
The Cardinal du Four experience begins with its namesake. Named after and inspired by the late Cardinal Vital du Four, a French theologian and philosopher, a luminary known for his intellect and remarkable discoveries, including documenting the first evidence of distillation in France dating back to 1310 praising the virtues of Armagnac. His original texts have been preciously guarded and remain today at the Vatican Library archive in Rome since the 16th century. Cardinal Du Four is an enlivened spirit housed in a new custom-made glass decanter with a red galvanized and lacquered metallic closure shaped like that of a Cardinal’s “mitre” or hat. The beautiful and timeless decanter shape resembles the Cardinal standing as if to say, this illuminates the spirit of Cardinal du Four himself.
The meaning of the number 21 in the Bible is “rebellion” and “sin.” Cardinal Du Four is a “rebellion of Armagnac against Cognac.” It is based on three pillars of inspiration: The harmony of the Armagnac brandy blend, the illumination projected onto the Armagnac region of France, and the wonder associated with this new and timeless decanter.
Every part of the bottle’s design tells a story. For instance, the emblem was inspired by The Pantheon’s Dome. The word “Pantheon” is a Greek adjective meaning “honor all Gods,” and the Pantheon was first built nearly 2000 years ago as a temple for this very reason. It is said that the great artist Michelangelo saw this wonder and exclaimed that it looked more like the work of angels and not of humans.
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“I was clearly inspired by history and humanity’s great works and hope to make my own contribution in the world of spirits,” adds Namer.
Born and raised in Aix-en-Provence, France, Namer’s professional journey in the United States has taken him from restaurant co-ownerships to a five-year position as a brand attaché and spokesperson for Grey Goose vodka. He also served as the Western LOUIS XIII Brand Ambassador, sharing his knowledge and passion for the brand through curated VIP events and dinner experiences for high-net-worth clients and top luxury brands.
He is an advanced sommelier with a diploma from the International Sommelier Guild. He is also a specialist in spirits certified by both the Wine & Spirits Education Trust and the Society of Wine Educators. Namer and his wife Thach own the popular Vietnamese/French restaurant Elyse, located in San Jose, California.
Follow @cardinaldufour and @petrossiannyc
