Armand de Brignac

Armand de Brignac is the name of a Champagne brand produced by Champagne Cattier, and sold in opaque metallic bottles. The brand's first bottling, Armand de Brignac Brut Gold, is identifiable by its distinctive gold bottle with pewter Ace of Spades labels. The brand is owned by New York City-based Sovereign Brands in partnership with Cattier, and was introduced in late 2006. [ [http://mobile.prnewstoday.com/release.htm?cat=beer-wine-spirits&dat=20061018&rl=NYW07618102006-1 Armand de Brignac Champagne :: Armand de Brignac Champagne: Showcased in New Jay-Z Video 'Show Me What You Got' ] ] [ [http://online.wsj.com/article_email/SB116296729881816952-lMyQjAxMDE2NjAyODkwNjg3Wj.html French Bubbly Garners Hip-Hop Cred - WSJ.com ] ]

The Armand de Brignac Brut Gold composition is based on each of Champagne's grape varietals (Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Meunier). The Champagne's production and wine selection is overseen by Champagne Cattier. [ [http://www.armanddebrignac.com Welcome to Armand de Brignac ] ]

Armand de Brignac bottlings are marketed as flagship cuvées in selected markets. To date, they are produced in a multi-vintage style (a la Krug's Grande Cuvee [ [http://www.krug.com KRUG ] ] ) as opposed to the vintage flagship bottlings of many larger Champagne estates (Louis Roederer's Cristal, LVMH's Dom Perignon [ [www.champagne-roederer.com/] ] [ [http://www.domperignon.com Dom Perignon (Dom Pérignon Vintage 1998, Dom Pérignon Rosé Vintage 1996) ] ] ). A Rosé and a Blanc de Blancs (100% Chardonnay) have also been released. [ [http://www.armanddebrignac.com Welcome to Armand de Brignac ] ]

The original "de Brignac" name was registered by the Cattier family (who produces the Champagne) in "the late 1940s or early 50s", according to Jean-Jacques Cattier. It was chosen at that time by his mother, who had been reading a novel featuring a character named "de Brignac". [ [http://online.wsj.com/article_email/SB116296729881816952-lMyQjAxMDE2NjAyODkwNjg3Wj.html French Bubbly Garners Hip-Hop Cred - WSJ.com ] ] In naming the new Champagne, Cattier states those involved "came up with Armand, it sounded kind of noble." [ [http://online.wsj.com/article_email/SB116296729881816952-lMyQjAxMDE2NjAyODkwNjg3Wj.html French Bubbly Garners Hip-Hop Cred - WSJ.com ] ]

Promotion

A music video appearance (in Jay-Z's "Show Me What You Got" Video) prior to the launch of the Armand de Brignac brand sparked a flurry of discussion on sites covering hip-hop and popular culture. [ [http://www.hiphopgame.com/index2.php3?page=armanddebrignac Exclusive Hip Hop News, Audio, Lyrics, Videos, Honeys, Wear, Sneakers, Download Mixtapes ] ] [ [http://www.prohiphop.com/2006/11/prohiphop_cover.html ProHipHop: Hip Hop Business: ProHipHop Coverage of Armand de Brignac Champagne ] ] [ [http://www.luxist.com/2006/10/17/armand-de-brignac-is-the-new-crystal Armand De Brignac is the New Cristal - Luxist ] ]

It is not widely understood why the product appeared in the video. [ [http://www.hiphopgame.com/index2.php3?page=armanddebrignac Exclusive Hip Hop News, Audio, Lyrics, Videos, Honeys, Wear, Sneakers, Download Mixtapes ] ] Brett Berish, president of American importer Sovereign Brands, denied the product had been placed, stating that while Jay-Z had no official involvement, he “... is exactly who we would have liked as a partner on this. Everyone already identifies him with luxury brands, and given his boycotting Cristal earlier, it works extremely well ... but it’s not like we just cooked this brand up to capitalize on that.” [ [http://www.prohiphop.com/2006/11/prohiphop_cover.html ProHipHop: Hip Hop Business: ProHipHop Coverage of Armand de Brignac Champagne ] ] [ [http://www.luxist.com/2006/10/17/armand-de-brignac-is-the-new-crystal Armand De Brignac is the New Cristal - Luxist ] ] The Wall Street Journal, however, quotes Jean-Jacques Cattier as saying his U.S. partners told him that they "had connections in the rap world" that would help launch the product in the U.S. . [ [http://online.wsj.com/article_email/SB116296729881816952-lMyQjAxMDE2NjAyODkwNjg3Wj.html French Bubbly Garners Hip-Hop Cred - WSJ.com ] ]

One item discussed, an October 2006 Sovereign Brands press release, stated that "The brand is making its North American debut this year, after enjoying success as a premium, high-end brand in France," and Cattier has confirmed that the "Armand" name is a recent creation. [ [http://mobile.prnewstoday.com/release.htm?cat=beer-wine-spirits&dat=20061018&rl=NYW07618102006-1 Armand de Brignac Champagne :: Armand de Brignac Champagne: Showcased in New Jay-Z Video 'Show Me What You Got' ] ] [ [http://online.wsj.com/article_email/SB116296729881816952-lMyQjAxMDE2NjAyODkwNjg3Wj.html French Bubbly Garners Hip-Hop Cred - WSJ.com ] ] [ [http://www.businessweek.com/the_thread/brandnewday/archives/2006/10/is_the_champagn.html Brand New Day Is the champagne in the Jay-z video for real? It's complicated. - BusinessWeek ] ] Marketing from Sovereign Brands has been ambiguous, claiming "Cattier’s gold bottle also made an appearance at Queen Elizabeth II of England's Golden Jubilee celebration" without explicitly identifying the bottling in question as Armand de Brignac. [ [http://www.bankersball.com/2006/11/09/the-new-cristal » The New Cristal | BankersBall. Where Investment Bankers Come to Party. Investment Banking Compensation & Salary ] ] .

In December 2007, the Los Angeles Times reported that bottles of Armand de Brignac had "turned up in Academy Award nominee gift bags." [ [http://www.latimes.com/features/printedition/image/la-ig-champagne30dec30,0,3692189.story Night of 10,000 bubbles - Los Angeles Times ] ]

Appearances in Hip Hop

A bottle of Armand de Brignac also makes cameo appearances in the videos for Fabolous's songs Make Me Better and Baby Don't Go, although the brand is not mentioned in either of the songs' lyrics. Another '07 video, Beanie Sigel's "All the Above (feat. R. Kelly)" also includes "Ace of Spades" in the video and lyrics. Nigerian artist Olu Maintain's video "Karmakazee" (feat. Kentro Family) also showcases the brand.

References

External links

* [http://www.armanddebrignac.com Official website]
* [http://www.prohiphop.com/2006/11/prohiphop_cover.html ProHipHop Discussion of Armand De Brignac]
* [http://www.businessweek.com/the_thread/brandnewday/archives/2006/10/is_the_champagn.html BusinessWeek report about the origin of this brand]