Armand de Brignac Ace of Spades Brut Rosé Champagne 750ml

There’s the gold bottle, and then there’s the pink one. The Armand de Brignac Rosé arrives in a mirror-pink metallic finish with a pewter Ace of Spades, a bottle that photographs like nothing else on the table. It’s the one for golden-hour brunches, day parties, birthdays, bridal showers, rooftop sunsets, and any night where the color of the celebration is part of the plan. Put it in an ice bucket and everyone reaches for their phone.

It’s handmade like the rest of the range. Each bottle is coated in metal, finished and polished by hand, and fitted with its French pewter labels, and the Rosé is offered in one of the widest ranges of formats in prestige Champagne, from the standard bottle up to a 15-liter and the house’s 30-liter “Midas,” which the brand says no other Champagne house has made. Start with a single bottle, or scale the moment up.

And the wine has the substance to match the style. The Rosé is a blend of 50% Pinot Noir, 40% Pinot Meunier, and 10% Chardonnay from three vintages, with about 15% still red Pinot Noir from old vines added at the blending stage, the traditional method that gives it its vivid salmon color and unusually vinous depth. The brand describes “strawberry, currants and cherry” on the nose with “floral hints and a touch of sweet almond,” and “a structured palate filled with black fruits, cherries, and hints of baked pastry,” with Chardonnay adding lightness and elegance. It’s dosed at 8.5 g/L and, as one critic noted, “feels much drier” than that number suggests.

Critics have been enthusiastic. James Suckling scored it 93, Decanter 93, the Tasting Panel 93 (“deep salmon pink; minerally, juicy and showing raspberry and spice”), and Wine Spectator 92: “A mouthwatering rosé Champagne, with a lively bead, this offers savory notes of slivered almond and fleur de sel along with layers of ripe raspberry and black cherry fruit, star anise and orange peel flavors.” TastingBook named it the Best Rosé Champagne in the World for 2017, and it was Best in Show, Best Sparkling Wine at the 2015 New York International Wine Competition. Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate found it “full-bodied, round, vinous and elegant,” with “a grippy mineral freshness and lingering structure,” “powerful yet pure,” adding: “the cooler the better.”

It’s a rosé with enough weight to carry a whole evening: an aperitif that holds up through dinner and the after-party.

Origins & Craftsmanship

Armand de Brignac Brut Rosé is produced by the Cattier family in Champagne, France, led by Jean-Jacques and Alexandre Cattier. It is a multi-vintage blend of 50% Pinot Noir, 40% Pinot Meunier, and 10% Chardonnay from the Montagne de Reims, Côte des Blancs, and Vallée de la Marne, with about 15% still red Pinot Noir from old vines added in the blend, and a dosage of 8.5 g/L made from base wine aged one year in French oak. Each mirror-pink metal-clad bottle is finished and polished by hand and fitted with French pewter labels. 12.5% ABV, available in formats from 750ml up to 30L.

Critics Reviews

Pink bottle, serious wine; the reviews say so.

James Suckling — 93 Points:
“Ambitious rosé.”

Decanter — 93 Points (Christelle Guibert, November 2016)

The Tasting Panel — 93 Points:
“Deep salmon pink; minerally, juicy and showing raspberry and spice.”

Wine Spectator — 92 Points (Alison Napjus, May 2016):
“A mouthwatering rosé Champagne, with a lively bead, this offers savory notes of slivered almond and fleur de sel along with layers of ripe raspberry and black cherry fruit, star anise and orange peel flavors.”

Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate — 90 Points (Stephan Reinhardt):
“The bouquet is intensely fruity yet clear, fine and well-defined. Full-bodied, round, vinous and elegant on the palate, this cuvée reveals a grippy mineral freshness and lingering structure. Persistent finish. Powerful yet pure. The cooler the better.”

Jancis Robinson — 17/20

Awards: Best Rosé Champagne in the World 2017 (TastingBook.com) · Best in Show, Best Sparkling Wine, 2015 New York International Wine Competition

Armand de Brignac (official tasting notes):
“Strawberry, currants and cherry abound on the nose, with floral hints and a touch of sweet almond. The red grape dominance brings a structured palate filled with black fruits, cherries and hints of baked pastry. The Chardonnay brings the lightness and elegance.”

Tasting Profile

Nose
Intense salmon-pink. Strawberry, red currant, and cherry, with raspberry, tangerine, crushed flowers, and sweet almond.

Palate
Full-bodied, round, and vinous, with ripe raspberry and black cherry, star anise, orange peel, and baked pastry, and a lively bead.

Finish
Persistent and structured, with fleur de sel, almond, and grippy mineral freshness.

Quick Overview

Make the Moment

• The reveal: Chill it to 8-10°C (the Wine Advocate’s advice: “the cooler the better”) and present it in its box, with the pink bottle against white linen, greenery, or a sunset.
• The pour: Serve in tulip-shaped glasses to show off the salmon color and open the red fruit.
• The table: Pair it with wild salmon, duck confit, truffled veal, sushi, or a brunch spread, or enjoy it as the aperitif that carries through the evening.
• The gift: A bottle that makes the recipient’s feed: for birthdays, engagements, bridal showers, and big milestones, and large formats for the bigger stage.

Food Pairings

• Wild salmon and sushi
• Duck confit and truffled veal
• Charcuterie and soft cheeses
• Strawberry and berry desserts

Serving Note

Serve well chilled, at 8-10°C, in tulip-shaped Champagne glasses.