Armand de Brignac, popularly known as "Ace of Spades", is a prestige brand made at the house of Cattier in Chigny-les-Roses on the Montagne de Reims. The Cattier family has grown wine there since 1763. They registered the name "de Brignac" as far back as the late 1940s or early 1950s. According to Jean-Jacques Cattier, his mother chose it after a character in a novel. The brand only reached the market in 2006, however, as Brut Gold, developed with the company Sovereign Brands. Today Jean-Jacques Cattier and his son Alexandre, the 12th and 13th generations, are responsible for the wines.
The presentation is striking: the bottles are metal-clad and carry a pewter label with the ace of spades, which explains the nickname. There are five cuvées in the glass, all non-vintage and blended from three vintages. Brut Gold is the flagship. The rosé arrived in 2008, as did the blanc de blancs from pure Chardonnay. The demi-sec followed at the end of 2015. The blanc de noirs from pure Pinot Noir is the rarest cuvée, with fewer than 3,000 bottles produced per blend. According to retailers, the grapes come from Rilly-la-Montagne, Chigny-les-Roses and Ludes, among other places.
The ownership is unusual too: in 2014 the rapper Jay-Z took over the brand. Since 2021 it has been owned half by him and half by Moët Hennessy. The wine is still pressed at Cattier.
