Armand de Brignac (Winemaking, Best Wines 2024)
Planning to buy the delightful Armand de Brignac Champagne for your wine collection?
This renowned French sparkler (also known as “Ace of Spades”) has won the hearts of wine critics, connoisseurs, and celebrities alike. It’s no surprise that Armand de Brignac stands shoulder to shoulder with other sparkles like Cristal, Krug, and Dom Perignon.
But do you know the story behind its name? How is it made?
And, why did American rapper Jay-Z buy this brand?
This article will introduce you to the world of Armand de Brignac, including its history, styles, and unique winemaking practices. You’ll also discover the top 10 Armand de Brignacs to invest in 2024 and a simple way to start your wine investment journey.
Further reading
- Wine investment on your mind? Start with this insightful guide on buying and selling wines.
- Find out the best Merlot brands to add to your collection in 2024.
- No matter which red wine you pick up, remember to serve it in the right wine glass!
About House Of Armand de Brignac
Armand de Brignac is made by the renowned Champagne house Cattier. The Cattier house has been making Champagne on the same land since 1763. Their property occupies the most prestigious crus in Rilly-la-Montagne, Chigny-les-Roses. and Ludes villages of Montagne de Reims.
But they registered the name ‘de Brignac’ only in the late 1950s. According to Jean-Jacques Cattier, his mother suggested the name when she found inspiration in a character called ‘de Brignac’ in a novel.
However, the French Champagne regulator, Comité Interprofessionnel du Vin de Champagne (CIVC), asked them to add ‘Armand’ to the name to avoid confusion with the northwestern village named Brignac.
The 21st century birthed a renaissance for the 250-year-old brand. Its 12th- and 13th-generation vintners from the Cattier family, Jean-Jacques Cattier and his son Alexandre started making a batch of ultra prestige Champagnes that would take the world by storm.
Their signature touch?
The dazzlingly opaque metallic bottles with the brand’s logo, Ace of Spades. Over the years, the symbol and the opulent bottling has become synonymous with Armand de Brignac’s name.
After Cristal Champagne’s owner, Louis Roederer, made some controversial remarks about the hip-hop community’s patronage of their wines, many artists switched their loyalties to Armand de Brignac.
Most prominent among these vocal supporters was rapper Jay-Z, who featured a bottle of Brut Gold in his 2006 music video ‘Show Me What You Got.’
He ended up buying Armand de Brignac in 2014!
And just like that, a centuries-old Champagne brand became an icon of luxury in 2021!
Read more: Find out the best Champagne brands to add to your collection in 2024 and no matter which sparkler you pick up, remember to serve it in the right Champagne glass!
Armand de Brignac Winemaking And Wine Styles
This award-winning Champagne is the product of a carefully curated vinification process.
It all begins with picking the best of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Meunier wine grapes from across the property, regardless of the cru. With recognized sustainable methods, the Cattier father-son duo manages to reap remarkable harvests, year after year.
The grapes are pressed in the family’s heirloom wineries on the property. Following the fermentation and Champagne blending, the best wine is aged at least one year in French oak barrels.
These matured wines are transferred to Armand de Brignac’s iconic, handcrafted metallic bottles. These artifacts are given a French pewter label and crests and packed in wooden lacquered boxes.
The brand claims that no more than 20 people handle this specialty sparkling wine, from pressing to packaging and that this is the secret to the wine’s unique character.
Further reading:
Concoct delicious cocktails out of popular fine wines:
Mix up delicate Mimosas, punchy Kir Royales, and other Champagne cocktails.
- Stir up lively Sangrias using deep red Malbec and refreshing Rose wines.
Armand de Brignac Cuvees
Armand de Brignac makes five Cuvees, each a distinctive expression of the same three-varietal blend of grapes.
1. Brut Gold
Armand de Brignac’s first release is also the one they’re most known for. Brut gold combines 40% Pinot Noir, 40% Chardonnay, and 20% Pinot Meunier from three exemplary vintages. It contains bitter peach pit, apricot, and red berry aromas followed by a palate full of exotic fruits and ripe white cherry.
Enjoy it as an aperitif or with seared scallops, roasted quail, and freshwater fish.
2. Rose
The playful pink Rose Champagne is the result of mixing 15% still red wine (made with Pinot Noir) to the final blend. It adds an unexpected intensity and texture to the lively wine. Armand de Brignac Rose comprises 50% Pinot Noir, 40% Pinot Meunier, and 10% Chardonnay.
Read more: Up your varietal IQ with these detailed guides on Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Blanc, Barbera, Riesling, and Zinfandelgrape varieties.
3. Demi-Sec
With 40% Pinot Noir, 40% Chardonnay, and 20% Pinot Meunier, the Demi-Sec is a sparkling wine with a residual sugar content of 33 g/l. It contains notes of candy, grapefruit, brioche, and a palate abundant in fruit and honey flavors.
4. Blanc de Blancs
This 100% Chardonnay-based sparkling wine is the pride and joy of serious wine collectors. It combines a nervy minerality with ripe pear and baking aromas complemented by exotic fruity flavors and spice notes.
5. Blanc de Noir
Packed into a splendid, grey-black bottle, the Blanc de Noir is Armand de Brignac’s prestige Cuvee. Currently, the house sells three assemblages of these Pinot Noirs.
- Assemblage One: Made with ‘06,’08, and ‘09 vintages
- Assemblage Two: Made with ’08, ‘09, and ‘10 vintages
- Assemblage Three: Made with ‘09,’10, and ‘12 vintages
Read more:
Which are some of the best European wines to buy in 2024? Start with our detailed guides on these legendary wine regions:
10 Best Armand de Brignac Wines
We’re sure the mouth-watering descriptions of Champagne Armand de Brignac wines have left you wanting more. Without further ado, here’s a handpicked list of the brand’s best wines in 2024 that would be perfect for your collection.
1. Armand De Brignac Ace of Spades La Collection
The premier gift box contains one 750 ml bottle of each of Armand de Brignac’s five Cuvees. So prepare your taste buds for a blast of ripe white cherry, lemon pith, pretty apple blossom, and much more!
Just 300 cases of this rare combination exist in the world.
Price of Armand De Brignac Ace of Spades La Collection: $3,933
2. Armand de Brignac Ace of Spades Swarovski Edition Brut
A sparkling wine deserves a sparkling casing. And here to prove that point is the Brut Gold by Armand de Brignac. This exquisite Champagne bottle is coated with Swaroski strass crystals and comes with a special edition velvet bag.
Price of Armand de Brignac Ace of Spades Swarovski Edition Brut: $3,234
3. Armand de Brignac Ace of Spades Blanc de Noirs
This exquisite white sparkling wine is one of Armand de Brignac’s prestige Cuvee that’s increasingly rare due to its limited production. It’s a powerful yet balanced wine with finely meshed flavors of cherry, plum, and blackberry.
Price of Armand de Brignac Ace of Spades Blanc de Noirs: $1,722
4. Armand de Brignac Ace of Spades Trilogie
Armand Brignac’s gift collection contains a bottle each of Gold, Rose, and Blanc de Blancs. The perfectly balanced blend in this set lets you enjoy the best of three worlds!
Price of Armand de Brignac Ace of Spades Trilogie: $1,251
5. Armand de Brignac Ace of Spades Silver Blanc de Blancs
This Chardonnay bubbly opens with lovely matured brioche and ripe fruit flavors. It’s a bottle of creamy Champagne with pretty apple blossom, spun honey, and a citrusy acidity characteristic of the varietal. Enjoy its beautifully matured flavors with seafood.
Price of Armand de Brignac Ace of Spades Silver Blanc de Blancs: $673
6. Armand de Brignac Ace of Spades Brut Rose
Brut Rose is a salmon-colored blend of the classic Champagne trio - Pinot Noir (50%), Pinot Meunier (40%), and Chardonnay (10%.) It contains light floral notes with layers of ripe raspberry and black cherry. Its vibrant finish will make for a memorable end to a feast.
Price of Armand de Brignac Ace of Spades Brut Rose: $474
7. Armand de Brignac Ace of Spades Demi-Sec
The Demi-Sec offers intensely strong fruit flavor, complex profile, and balanced sweetness. It’s the perfect gift for both expert and amateur wine lovers.
Price of Armand de Brignac Ace of Spades Demi-Sec: $401
8. 2016 Armand de Brignac Ace of Spades 'Limited Green Edition' Masters Bottle
The elegant green bottle is part of Armand de Brignac’s celebration of the Masters’ Golf Tournament each year. It’s a magnetic wine full of floral notes, pungent spice, and an elegant creaminess.
Price of 2016 Armand de Brignac Ace of Spades 'Limited Green Edition' Masters Bottle: $552
9. 2015 Armand de Brignac Ace of Spades 'Limited Green Edition' Masters Bottle
The 2015 Limited Green Edition is sweet, creamy, and sumptuous. The Champagne’s texture, panorama of flavors, and a full-bodied scent evoke the best of the land.
Price of 2015 Armand de Brignac Ace of Spades 'Limited Green Edition' Masters Bottle: $528
10. Armand de Brignac Ace of Spades Gold Brut
The polished golden bottle of the Ace of Spades NV Brut Gold is probably the brand’s most successful marketing campaign! The wine’s subtle brioche accents, its musky orchard, and pit fruit aromas carry hints of lemon zest. Enjoy the toast and ripe fruit flavors of this Champagne as an aperitif or with a side of crispy seafood.
Price of Armand de Brignac Ace of Spades Gold Brut: $538
Should You Invest In Armand de Brignac?
Short answer - yes.
Apart from the artsy bottle designs and it’s brush with celebrities, the Champagne house has positioned itself so well that it continues to be one of the most expensive sparklers in the world.
Over the years, Ace of Spades has gone from being the choice of aristocrats to an aspirational collectible for the new-age wine enthusiast. This is, in part, due to the extensive media coverage that the brand received when Jay-Z acquired it.
Armand de Brignac is also famous for its novelty ‘extra-large’ bottle sizes sold at jaw-dropping rates. Take the example of professional gambler and businessman, Don Johnson, who bought a 30L ‘Midas’ gold bottle of Armand de Brignac Brut Gold for a cool $190,000!
And you can hope for its secondary market price to keep up its upward momentum in the future.
But the road to investing in fine wine is fraught with counterfeits and sky-high overhead charges. Besides, it is not easy to get hold of Armand de Brignac bottles. Some of them get pre-ordered by the brand’s top clients and would be available in the market only for a few months.
There’s only one way to overcome these challenges. And that’s to invest in fine wine bottles through Vinovest.
Invest In Armand de Brignac and Other Champagnes Via Vinovest
Vinovest is a trusted wine-investment platform that lets you buy, sell, and store fine wines from around the world.
How does it work?
Get started with these five easy steps:
- Create an account
- Answer a questionnaire to help us figure your investment appetite.
- Fund your account with a minimum of $1,000.
- Let Vinovest prepare your diverse portfolio of wines.
- Sit back and watch your investment grow.
Benefits of Wine Investing via Vinovest
Here are all more reasons why you should place your bets on the fine wine market through this online platform:
1. Easy buying and selling
France may be far away. But the wine of your dreams isn’t. Because Vinovest’s AI-driven technology makes it easy to buy wines from all over the world. You can also sell them at attractive prices to buyers anywhere in the world.
2. Best prices
Buy investment-grade wines at the best prices without agents, brokers, and retailer markups.
3. Curated portfolio
Let Vinovest’s in-house experts create a balanced portfolio full of your favorite wines, from Jay-Z’s Armand de Brignac to Veuve Clicquot!
4. Authenticity and provenance checks
Rest assured each bottle you invest in is authentic. Vinovest conducts detailed provenance checks on them.
5. Low overall costs
Get superior storage facilities at 80% lower prices than third-party storage. Moreover, a minimal fixed annual 2.5% fee (1.9% for a portfolio above $50,000) covers buying wines, authentication, storage, a full insurance policy, portfolio management, and selling the wine bottles.
6. Tax advantages
Vinovest’s bonded warehouse facilities charge no excise duty and VAT, allowing you to enjoy a significant advantage on the overall cost.
7. Easy delivery
The beautiful metallic bottles of your favorite Ace of Spades wine will be delivered safely to your doorstep if you wish to drink it, or to your buyer if you sell it. You can be assured that your bottles will reach its destination in one piece!
8. Deep network
Become one with the world of wines with the help of our global wine network. Visit wineries, attend exclusive events, and stay updated on all things wine!
The Ace Of Spades In Your Wine Collection
Each bottle of its Ace of Spades sparkling wine is a fascinating mix of history and artistry! No wonder then so many collectors pine for a bottle of this legendary Champagne.
Here’s your chance to get ahead of the queue of wine enthusiasts - start investing through Vinovest - the safest and quickest way to invest in fine wine.
So, create your wine portfolio now and get ready to pop open a Champagne to celebrate attractive returns a few years down the line!
