Armand de Brignac Demi-Sec is the sweeter member of the Ace of Spades family, first released at the end of 2015. The Cattier family makes it in the Montagne de Reims, and it comes in the brand's opaque metallic bottle with pewter labels.
About This Champagne
The blend draws on Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Pinot Meunier from the Montagne de Reims, Vallée de la Marne and Côte des Blancs, with many premier and grand cru sites. Only the first pressing fraction is used. Dosage sits at the lower end of the demi-sec scale, a little over 30 grams per litre, and the team uses older reserve wines to keep the sweetness in check. Each bottle rests for at least six months after disgorgement before release.
Tasting Profile
- Nose: Buttered brioche, candied lemon peel and baked apple, with a hint of vanilla.
- Palate: Creamy and full, the sweetness balanced by lively acidity; crystallised citrus, stone fruit and a touch of caramel.
- Finish: Clean and lasting, with gentle toast and fresh fruit rather than heaviness.
Serving & Food
Serve well chilled at 7 to 9°C in a tulip or white-wine glass, which lets the richer aromas come through better than a narrow flute. Try it with foie gras on toasted brioche, a spicy Thai salad or a mango and passion fruit pavlova. Blue cheese also works.
How to Enjoy
Celebrations where guests prefer a softer sparkling wine, and dessert courses that would flatten a brut.
Product Details
Producer: Armand de Brignac, made by Champagne Cattier
Cuvée: Ace of Spades Demi-Sec
Style: Demi-Sec, multi-vintage blend
Grapes: Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Pinot Meunier
Origin: Chigny-les-Roses, Montagne de Reims, Champagne, France
Dosage: Approx. 33 g/L
First Released: 2015
Volume: 750mL
About the Maison
Armand de Brignac is produced by Champagne Cattier, a family of growers who have held vines in the Montagne de Reims since 1763. The brand's first cuvée, the gold-bottled Brut, arrived in 2006. Jay-Z took over the brand in 2014 and in February 2021 sold a half share to Moët Hennessy, the wine and spirits arm of LVMH.
Chef de cave Jean-Jacques Cattier and his son Alexandre lead the winemaking. Every cuvée blends three vintages, riddling is done by hand on wooden racks, and the bottles age in cellars more than 30 metres underground. The liqueur de dosage is itself aged in oak before it goes into the wine, and each pewter label is fixed by hand.