Armand de Brignac releases £675 ‘A2’ Champagne

Armand de Brignac, the Champagne brand owned by rapper Jay Z, has released a second blend of its Blanc de Noirs expression priced at £675 a bottle.

Armand de Brignac A2

Named ‘A2’ (meaning ‘Assemblage Two’), perhaps in a hat tip to Dom Pérignon’s P2 (a library wine in its second ‘plenitude’), the sparkler is going great guns at Berry Bros & Rudd, which shifted 21 bottles of the fizz in its first week of release.

“I am delighted that we’re offering this extraordinary wine for the first time.

“The combination of ultra-modern innovation encapsulating pure and classic tradition seemed to emulate what we try and achieve at Berry Bros and Rudd. A perfect match,” said BBR sales director, Simon Staples.

Made from “exceptional” Pinot Noir sourced from Bouzy, Verzenay, Chigny-les-Roses, Ludes and Rilly-la-Montagne, A2 is a blend of three vintages: 2008, 2009 and 2010, following the house style of multi-vintage blends rather than single vintage releases.

Aged for over five years on its lees, just 2,333 bottles of the 5g/l sparkler were disgorged on 20 June this year.

“The A2 was an even smaller creation than the inaugural blend to ensure no compromise and only the most exceptional wine was created,” said a spokesperson for the brand.

Bottles carry their individual number and disgorgement date “showcasing the rarity, exclusivity and collectability of this ultra-prestige cuvée”.

According to Armand de Brignac, the Champagne boasts aromas of “honeysuckle, peppermint, peach and apricot” on the nose.

On the palate you’ll find “intense minerality” alongside “mint and a hint of cinnamon”, making it a perfect pairing for lightly grilled lamb.

The house puts a lifespan of a further 15 years on it.

Vicky Major, who looks after the brand’s PR, confirmed to db that there will not be a Blanc de Noirs release next year as “the wine isn’t ready yet”, but that the next release would be called ‘A3’ to reflect the fact that it’s the third release in the series. “There’s no pressure to have to make the wine every year,” Major said.

The inaugural Blanc de Noirs release, launched last year, is currently on pour at high-end restaurants like Zuma and Nobu.