Wine Of The Week: Armand de Brignac Gold Brut Champagne

Jay-Z’s club-ready Champagne is fresh and bright, with subtle creaminess and a crisp finesse.

When special occasions occur—say, the superbowl or the opening of a new Beyonce tour—a certain bottle comes out. It’s gilded and gold, filled with fine Champagne and embossed in metal with the Ace of Spades. 

When Jay-Z—legendary producer, among many other hyphenates—first entered the wine world with Armand de Brignac, he was one of the first celebrities to put his weight behind a Champagne brand, and one of the first people of color to lead a wine brand to excellence. 

Now, Armand de Brignac is less of a Champagne and more of a cultural phenomenon. While every celebrity seems to have a wine brand or tequila project, none have ascended to ubiquity quite like Ace of Spades. The gold-hued bottle is instantly recognizable in clubs and bars. It’s often seen in the hands of celebrities when they celebrate big moments—Taylor Swift at the 2025 Grammys. Beyonce at the Cowboy Carter tour. Alicia Keys and Swizz Beatz on Broadway.

This doesn’t mean the juice isn’t serious. Grapes are sourced from hyper-specific plots around the region, both the brand’s own vineyards and growers they trust to produce the best of grapes. They’re releasing vintage wines, and special assemblages every few years—the fifth installment of which, an excellent, elegant blend nearly aged eight years on the lees, is on the horizon.

But you can’t go wrong with the original Ace of Spades. It’s fresh and bright, with subtle creaminess and a crisp finesse. Save it for a special occasion or pop it with weeknight sushi. $350

Kate Dingwall is a sommelier and wine writer. Her work frequently appears in Wine Enthusiast, Eater, Forbes.com, Vogue, and Food & Wine, and she pours wine at one of Canada’s top restaurants.