sb. Often attrib. or quasi-adj. Forms 7–9 frontiniac(k, (7 frantiniak, -ick, frontineacke), 8 frontigniac, 8– frontignac. [erroneous form of next; the substitution of -ac for -an is perh. due to a reminiscence of the many southern Fr. names in -ignac.]
1. A muscat wine made at Frontignan, in the department of Herault, France.
1629. Weldon, in Chambers, Life Jas. I. (1830), II. v. 148. His drinks … were frontiniac, canary, high country wine.
1636. Davenant, Witts, V. i. Nothing could please your haughty Pallat but The Muskatelli, and Frantiniak Grape!
1670. W. Hughes, Compl. Vineyard (1683), 73. Frantinick is a very pretty pleasant Wine.
1765. Brownrigg, in Phil. Trans., LV. 221. Those long vials, in which Frontiniac wine is usually kept.
1826. Polwhele, Trad. & Recoll., II. 377. The Coniac-brandy, Claret and Frontiniac were excellent.
2. The grape from which this is made.
a. 1641. Suckling, Lett. (1646), 55. Mistresse and Woman differ no otherwise then Frontiniack and ordinary Grapes: which though a man loves never so well, yet if he surfet of the last, he will care but little for the first.
1725. Bradley, Fam. Dict., s.v. Exposition, Muscats (the grapes) they call Frontiniacks.
1769. Mrs. Raffald, Eng. Housekpr. (1778), 365. N. B. The Frontiniac grape is the best.
