Jay-Z to release new A2 Champagne at $850 a pop

Armand de Brignac’s Blanc de Noirs Assemblage Two, aka A2, from the centuries-old house owned by the rapper Jay-Z will hit the market on April 18 and accoring to Bloomberg it’s even pricier than its predecessor.

The release of A1  generated serious buzz in 2015. People noted its $760 price tag, one of the priciest for a non-vintage Champagne, and wondered how much Jay-Z and his friends and family might hype it. The expensive sparkle was a hit and the rich, fruit-forward A1 was named the No. 1 Blanc de Noirs in the world in a blind tasting by Fine Champagne magazine in the summer of 2016.

The soon to be released A2 features pinot noir grapes picked from the 2008, 2009, and 2010 vintages, almost exactly the same as the fruit used in A1. It’s said to taste quite similar to its predecessor, except for a subtle flavor of peppermint, a refreshing undertone on the finish. The bottle looks almost exactly the same as A1’s—a status symbol for a certain kind of celebrant.

Therein lies a key to the success of Armand de Brignac. Fine wine drinkers love it, and so do people who are in it for the flash, as Champagne is one wine whose packaging counts for a lot. Every inch of an Armand de Brignac bottle is coated in metallic gold and silver or shiny pink, as with the rosé. It looks like no other wine you can find.


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