Champagne Armand de Brignac releases Blanc de Blancs magnum
Armand de Brignac, or the ‘Aces of Spades’ Champagne, owned by American rapper Jay-Z, has launched a magnum format of its new Blanc de Blancs.
‘Ace of Spades’ magnum released
Priced at £1,650 per gleaming metallic bottle, the 100% Chardonnay Champagne blends 2008, 2006 and 2005 vintages and was disgorged on 25th May 2016.
Fewer than 1,000 bottles were produced, said Armand de Brignac.
‘We were thrilled with the cuvée’s development and made the decision to finally release these magnums, disgorging them in May 2016,’ said winemaker Emilien Boutillat.
He suggested pairing the wine with ‘freshly shucked oysters’.
Rapper Jay-Z – real name Shawn Carter – bought his stake in the Champagne house in 2014.
Decanter’s tasting director Christelle Guibert said it has a ‘rich mouthfeel and sweet, honeyed fruit on the finish’ and that it would be a good Champagne for food.
See the full tasting note and score here
Strong global demand for ‘prestige cuvée’ Champagne helped global Champagne shipments to a record €4.9 billion in 2017.
See the tasting notes for the rest of the Armand de Brignac Champagne range here
Armand de Brignac, Ace of Spades Blanc de Blancs (Magnum), Champagne, France
This is the new addition to the Ace of Spades portfolio and only available in magnum, with less than 1,000 produced. Made by the Cattier family, this is a blend of three vintages - 2005, 2006 and 2008 - with the latter vintage being the dominant year. The winemaker put a small quantity of of this Chardonnay assemblage in a larger format to study its potential development. Disgorged in May 2016, it has spent seven years on its lees followed by one year in bottle. The Chardonnay is sourced equally from the Montagne de Reims and Côte des Blancs. It's an expressive style with a dominance of exotic fruits alongside warm brioche and a leesy, creamy sensation. Citrus intensity helps to keep the tastebuds alive. Forward and complex, it has a rich mouthfeel and sweet, honeyed fruit on the finish. This has the lowest dosage of the range, although the 6g/l feels sweeter due to the richness of the fruit. This is one to enjoy with food - and don't be afraid to keep it in the glass for a while, as it will open up and reward you even more.
Armand de Brignac
