Drink a toast to these 12 gifts for lovers of bubbly
This selection of wines and special accessories — a custom-made Champagne sabre, for one — will please the connoisseur and host alike.
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Whether the gift recipient prefers a beautiful bottle of bubbles, a unique wine that is sure to appreciate, or one that will be poured that night at dinner, this selection of wines and special accessories — a custom-made Champagne sabre, for one — will please the connoisseur and host alike.
## A perfect five
Price: US$50,000 ($A66,000)
What, you may wonder, should you do with a 3-litre bottle of Lokoya’s Mount Veeder or Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon?
Christopher Carpenter, the winemaker at Napa Valley’s Lokoya since 2000, suggests that you wait for a party with a really good group of 10 to 20 people and serve it then. And, he notes, because of the size of the bottle and the composition of the wine, you can wait a really long time for that party to take place.
This gift from Lokoya, a winery based in the Spring Mountain District that produces premium small-lot Cabernets from some of Napa Valley’s most celebrated mountain appellations, comprises two 3-litre bottles of five vintages (a total of 10 double magnums). Each vintage has received a 100-point rating from Robert Parker. Specifically, the wines are the 2005, 2012, and 2013 Mount Veeder and the 2003 and 2013 Howell Mountain. Of the 2013 Mount Veeder, Parker writes, “This 100 percent Cabernet Sauvignon wine is utterly profound, and while the scoring system ends at 100, if I had to pick a single wine that may have been my favorite of all the tastings I did in Napa, this could have been my pick. Full-bodied, rich, with incredible integration of its component parts of acidity, tannin, alcohol, and wood, the wine is lavishly built, has compelling purity, richness, and density.”
Carpenter explains that wine in a 3-litre bottle will develop more slowly than wine in a 750 mL bottle. “The smaller the bottle, the faster the wine will age,” he says. “With a 3-litre bottle, you’ll probably get 30 percent more aging time.” And while the wine inside matures, the bottle can serve as a centerpiece for your cellar. “If you have a display cellar,” he says, “the 3-litre bottle can have a pretty impactful visual effect.”
Carpenter also notes that Napa’s mountain wines, including the Mount Veeder and Howell Mountain, will age longer than the wines sourced from the floor of Napa Valley because of a greater concentration of tannins, which give the wine its structure and also serve as a preservative. “The Mount Veeder is probably a 20- to 30-year wine,” he says, “and the 3-litre bottle extends that even more. This is a wine that you can pass down for generations.”
The gift also includes a dinner for as many as 10 guests hosted by Carpenter at Lokoya’s mountaintop estate. But don’t worry; there’s no need to bring one of the bottles from the gift. Lokoya will supply the wines — and they will be exclusive vintages from the winery’s cellar.
## Three steps beyond
Price: US$2,300 ($A3000)
Some might consider Peter Gago, the chief winemaker at Penfolds, an intractable contrarian. About 5 years ago, Australia’s premier wine label decided to honor its country’s native artisans by enlisting four leading talents to produce an ampoule to house a rare wine. Gago, however, refused to put the brand’s flagship, Grange, into the receptacle: “ ‘You don’t mess with Grange,’ I told my colleagues.” Thus, when he proposed a limited edition consisting of three different vintages of that very wine, his associates were stunned. “It seemed to them contradictory,” says the winemaker. “ ‘You’re putting Grange in it?’ they asked. ‘Where’s the old Peter? He’s sold his soul!’ ”
There is method, however, to Gago’s apparent madness. The inspiration for this project, which yielded a modest 1,200 numbered bottles, came not from a focus group but from the history of Penfolds itself. Dr. Christopher Penfold and his wife, Mary, established the company in 1844 to produce fortified wines from multiple vintages, so Gago found the prospect of combining several of the cellar’s spectacular reserves irresistibly compelling. Some of the 2012 vintage had been held back from bottling and kept in neutral oak barrels; his wine, along with a cache of the extraordinary 2008, was married to a portion of the yet-to-be-released 2014 to yield g3, Penfolds’s most unusual creation yet.
“We knew what we had with these wines,” notes Gago, “but in blending, you find out what you don’t know. You can’t replicate this at home by putting the same percentages of ’08, ’12, and ’14 together, because once they mature as a blend, they’re a different wine.”
Indeed, the united trinity transcends the individual merits of its components. Priced at about $2,300 ($A3000) per bottle, g3 shows the youth of the 2014 in its notes of ripe black fruit and burgeoning spice, while the seductive character of the 2012 is present in its voluptuous mouthfeel. The formidable structure and depth of the 2008, however, serves to temper these hedonistic elements, making the experience of sipping this one-of-a-kind red a sensory-rich ascent into oenological paradise.
## The beast of bubbly
Price: Starting at US$10,000 ($A13,200)
The tradition of sabering the tops of Champagne bottles is rumored to have begun on the battlefield with the Napoleonic hussar regiments, who sliced the bottles open while still sitting astride their steeds. This unique Champagne saber, with its handle sculpted in Napoléon’s likeness, “is a nod to the great little Frenchman from an Englishman,” says its creator, jeweler Stephen Webster. Webster, who prefers to limit his consumption of the effervescent elixir to “those special moments when no other beverages will suffice,” will make just five of these homages by commission only. Dubbed the French Beast, the saber will join a bronze handle to a blade forged from steel using the Damascus method — a process that makes every single blade individual, yielding a unique saber in the style of Webster’s Beast Knives collection released earlier this year.
The artist understands the balance required by such a tool after wielding one himself at the opening of the Chapel Down Bar, which he and his team designed for one of England’s new sparkling-wine vineyards. With such a custom saber in hand, the recipient of this gift will soon enjoy the drama and theatricality that go beyond the demure popping of a cork.
Available through Stephen Webster stores.
## Darling Demi
Price: US$62 ($A80)
If you want an elegant pairing with Stephen Webster’s Champagne sabre, Champagne Taittinger Brut La Française NV would be a smart choice. The wine comes in a 750ml bottle (US$62 ($A80)) as well as a just-right half-bottle format that neatly tucks into a stocking hung by the mantle (US$35 ($A45)). Like the maison’s other wines, this one has a fine, persistent bubble, and it is a beautiful pale-straw colour. For a non-vintage Champagne, it contains a high percentage of Chardonnay grapes (40 percent) combined with 35 percent Pinot Noir and 25 percent Pinot Meunier. The grapes are pressed in the field right after picking, capturing the freshest flavors, which come through in the delicate aromas of peach and white flowers. It undergoes a second fermentation in the bottle and spends a remarkable 4 years on the lees, imparting additional notes of vanilla and brioche on the nose and honey on the palate. It’s the ideal pour for toasting a celebration this holiday season.
## Un Belle Boîte
Price: US$1,200 ($A1580)
For the first time in history, and for just this 2015 vintage, the renowned maison has created a special new bottle that celebrates 34 years of fine work by its late winemaker, Paul Pontallier as well as the new, modern facilities inaugurated in 2015 and, of course, the exceptional wine within. Rather than the traditional label, this bottle of Château Margaux 2015 Grand Vin has a more modern, gold, silk-screened image of the iconic château surrounded by one of the distinctive architectural features of the new addition, designed by architect Lord Norman Foster. This wine was the last to be produced under the supervision of Pontallier before his untimely death in 2016, and 2015 is predicted to be a legendary year of winemaking akin to those of 2005, 2009, and 2010.
## Give them Carte Blanche
Price: US$65 ($A80)
The 2014 vintage for Carte Blanche Wine is the brand’s best yet across all releases. It was the first completely managed — from vineyard to bottle — by winemaker Helen Keplinger. While it was hard to choose a favourite, the Carte Blanche 2014 Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast, which is a new addition to the portfolio, stands out as a striking example of the varietal with scents of red fruit, juniper, and dusky sandalwood on the nose. It’s especially elegant and surprisingly delicate on the palate with notes of Luxardo cherry, cedar, and black tea. It’s both tightly structured and silky in the mouth.
The grapes were grown in the rocky and sunny Sun Chase Vineyard high atop Petaluma Gap, slated to become the region’s next distinct appellation. General manager D.J. Warner says, “This is an amazing vineyard, and Helen works with four clones of Pinot and four blocks from 426 metres to 518 metres, allowing us to layer the wine. The break in the mountain ridges there sucks in the fog, and it gets nice sun but has cool evenings.” Keplinger likes to pick a little early to capture the freshness of the grapes, and her artistry and precision are felt in every sip. For the Pinot Noir aficionados on your list, this wine is a must.
## Wines that sing
Price: US$1,200 ($A1580)
The JN Wines 2014 12 Days of Christmas is a 12-bottle case of wine ideal for the oenophile who appreciates a little artistry on as well as in the bottle. The labels on these Cabernet Sauvignons — blended with just a touch of Malbec and Cabernet Franc to add some soft roundness — depict 12 different illustrations from the popular Twelve Days of Christmas carol, such as three French hens or 10 lords a-leaping. Nat Komes, the general manager of Napa Valley’s Flora Springs, commissioned children’s book artist Raul Gonzalez III to complete the drawings.
The fruit for the wine was sourced from JN Wine’s family estates in Napa Valley’s Rutherford region. The wine is bold and full of juicy fruit, with enough acid to age for years (if you can make it last that long). Blackberry, blueberry, chocolate, vanilla, and cedar present on the palate. The grapes were all hand-picked and then 10 percent of them were fermented in French oak barrels, while the rest fermented in steel tanks, before aging in French oak for 20 months. Only 100 cases of this special edition were created.
## The Italian stallion
Price: US$35 ($A45)
This unusual varietal — Ruché di Coastagnole Monferrato — is one of the oldest grapes in Italy (and possibly the world) and believed to have originally been a French varietal that crossed the principalities into Piedmont. It is no longer grown in France and can be found only in Italy now. For Zinfandel fans, this wine is a discovery — it has the spicy, peppery notes beloved by Zin connoisseurs but the light brightness of a Beaujoulais. It’s silky in texture and all too easy to drink, as it pairs with many foods. The Ruché Limpronta, a family reserve from Montalbera Vineyards, is the best example and a wine that delivers value, with quality priced so reasonably.
## A father and son duo
Price: US$200 ($A260)
Palmaz Winery was started by a cardiac surgeon who gained a reputation for innovation and engineering after inventing the vascular stent, which has saved countless lives. The founder’s son, Gaston, also has a passion for innovation and has used his technical savvy to track data meticulously throughout the winemaking process.
All this attention to data and detail pays off most handsomely in his namesake wine, the Palmaz 2014 Gaston Cabernet Sauvignon. This 100 percent Cabernet Sauvignon wine represents the most premium of the grapes picked each harvest, and in this vintage, the 2014, the grapes come from three upper-elevation parcels. The clusters were all hand-picked from the hillsides at night to prevent too much sun and heat from causing fermentation before the grapes enter the tanks. The deep, red liquid is velvety on the palate with some black perigord truffle on the nose and deep black fruit notes, graphite, and a hint of cedar.
As a gentle companion, the family also makes a wine in honor of the third generation, which is still in grade school: Gaston Grand Cru (US$12 ($A15)) is a petite 375-mL bottle of grape juice made from Malbec and Merlot, fresh-pressed and cold-filtered — complete with a cork — to make the little ones feel part of the tradition of toasting and celebrating delicious grapes at the holidays.
## A taste of Champagne Charlie’s legacy
Price: US$1,200 ($A1580)
Entrepreneur Charles-Camille Heidsieck nearly took his pursuit of perfection to the point of ruin. The scion of a winemaking family in the Reims region of Champagne, Heidsieck struck out on his own in 1851 at the age of 29, establishing his own label of fine sparkling wines. Not content to entrust others with the promotion of his bubbly, the headstrong Heidsieck traveled Europe, pouring his liquid wares for the most discerning palates before crossing the Atlantic to tempt less-tutored taste buds in the United States. He proved as refreshing to New York society as his wines, earning the sobriquet “Champagne Charlie,” and soon his agents in the New World were placing hefty orders on account.
Heidsieck, however, came to regret his promiscuous credit practices when the Civil War broke out. His efforts to recover sums owed him in New Orleans resulted in his being arrested as a spy and nearly shot. Back in Reims, he recovered sufficiently from his financial losses to purchase several old chalk quarries, or crayères, which he believed furnished perfect conditions for long-term aging. A handful of contemporary collectors will have the opportunity to judge this point for themselves thanks to Charles Heidsieck La Collection Crayères, a new program that celebrates these historic cellars with a series of library releases chosen by chef de cave Cyril Brun.
Available October 1, the first examples represent a handful of single bottles and magnums from the 1981, 1982, 1983, and 1985 vintages. Among the highlights is the 1982 Champagne Charlie, only 18 magnums of which will be offered at US$1,200 ($A1580) each in the States. “It’s as though all the Incas’ gold were reflecting through the glass,” says Brun, who calls this vintage “the El Dorado of Champagne” — a description that would certainly have excited the adventurous imagination of the founder.
## Wickedly good
Price: US$55 ($A70)
The legend of Dr. Faust generally involves the protagonist trading his soul to the devil for unlimited knowledge. Yet Johann Wolfgang von Goethe altered the pact slightly: His antihero instead condemns himself for the sake of pleasure and passion. These elements play a part in the liquid interpretation of the legend offered by Napa Valley vintner Agustin Huneeus and his son, Agustin Francisco Huneeus, who sought to produce a bold wine that offers a tasting tour of the region in a single glass. They did not resort to diabolical aid to achieve their goal, but if they had, the Faust 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon would have been worth the sacrifice. Rich as sin, this luscious red — with notes of black plum, chocolate, and licorice — would tempt even the most pious palate.
## A gem of a stopper
Price: From US$6,300 ($A8300)
Crown your most elegant wines and decanters with an Art Deco–inspired stopper. The Regal Lion designs, by Cameron–Zemtsov Design Associates, are created in signed and numbered limited editions sculpted in elite silver, 18-karat gold, and 950 platinum. The lion heads are accented with diamonds or golden sapphires.
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Watch of the Week: TAG Heuer Formula 1 | Kith
The legendary sports watch returns, but with an unexpected twist.
Over the last few years, watch pundits have predicted the return of the eccentric TAG Heuer Formula 1, in some shape or form. It was all but confirmed when TAG Heuer’s heritage director, Nicholas Biebuyck, teased a slew of vintage models on his Instagram account in the aftermath of last year’s Watches & Wonders 2023 in Geneva. And when speaking with Frédéric Arnault at last year’s trade fair, the former CEO asked me directly if the brand were to relaunch its legacy Formula 1 collection, loved by collectors globally, how should they go about it?
My answer to the baited entreaty definitely didn’t mention a collaboration with Ronnie Fieg of Kith, one of the world’s biggest streetwear fashion labels. Still, here we are: the TAG Heuer Formula 1 is officially back and as colourful as ever.
As the watch industry enters its hype era—in recent years, we’ve seen MoonSwatches, Scuba Fifty Fathoms, and John Mayer G-Shocks—the new Formula 1 x Kith collaboration might be the coolest yet.
Here’s the lowdown: overnight, TAG Heuer, together with Kith, took to socials to unveil a special, limited-edition collection of Formula 1 timepieces, inspired by the original collection from the 1980s. There are 10 new watches, all limited, with some designed on a stainless steel bracelet and some on an upgraded rubber strap; both options nod to the originals.
Seven are exclusive to Kith and its global stores (New York, Los Angeles, Miami, Hawaii, Tokyo, Toronto, and Paris, to be specific), and are made in an abundance of colours. Two are exclusive to TAG Heuer; and one is “shared” between TAG Heuer and Kith—this is a highlight of the collection, in our opinion. A faithful play on the original composite quartz watch from 1986, this model, limited to just 1,350 pieces globally, features the classic black bezel with red accents, a stainless steel bracelet, and that creamy eggshell dial, in all of its vintage-inspired glory. There’s no doubt that this particular model will present as pure nostalgia for those old enough to remember when the original TAG Heuer Formula 1 made its debut.
Of course, throughout the collection, Fieg’s design cues are punctuated: the “TAG” is replaced with “Kith,” forming a contentious new brand name for this specific release, as well as Kith’s slogan, “Just Us.”
Collectors and purists alike will appreciate the dedication to the original Formula 1 collection: features like the 35mm Arnite cases—sourced from the original 80s-era supplier—the form hour hand, a triangle with a dot inside at 12 o’clock, indices that alternate every quarter between shields and dots, and a contrasting minuterie, are all welcomed design specs that make this collaboration so great.
Every TAG Heuer Formula 1 | Kith timepiece will be presented in an eye-catching box that complements the fun and colour theme of Formula 1 but drives home the premium status of this collaboration. On that note, at $2,200 a piece, this isn’t exactly an approachable quartz watch but reflects the exclusive nature of Fieg’s Kith brand and the pieces he designs (largely limited-edition).
So, what do we think? It’s important not to understate the significance of the arrival of the TAG Heuer Formula 1 in 1986, in what would prove integral in setting up the brand for success throughout the 90’s—it was the very first watch collection to have “TAG Heuer” branding, after all—but also in helping to establish a new generation of watch consumer. Like Fieg, many millennial enthusiasts will recall their sentimental ties with the Formula 1, often their first timepiece in their horological journey.
This is as faithful of a reissue as we’ll get from TAG Heuer right now, and budding watch fans should be pleased with the result. To TAG Heuer’s credit, a great deal of research has gone into perfecting and replicating this iconic collection’s proportions, materials, and aesthetic for the modern-day consumer. Sure, it would have been nice to see a full lume dial, a distinguishing feature on some of the original pieces—why this wasn’t done is lost on me—and perhaps a more approachable price point, but there’s no doubt these will become an instant hit in the days to come.
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The TAG Heuer Formula 1 | Kith collection will be available on Friday, May 3rd, exclusively in-store at select TAG Heuer and Kith locations in Miami, and available starting Monday, May 6th, at select TAG Heuer boutiques, all Kith shops, and online at Kith.com. To see the full collection, visit tagheuer.com
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8 Fascinating Facts You Didn’t Know About Aston Martin
The British sports car company is most famous as the vehicle of choice for James Bond, but Aston Martin has an interesting history beyond 007.
Aston Martin will forever be associated with James Bond, ever since everyone’s favourite spy took delivery of his signature silver DB5 in the 1964 film Goldfinger. But there’s a lot more to the history of this famed British sports car brand beyond its association with the fictional British Secret Service agent.
Let’s dive into the long and colourful history of Aston Martin.
The origin of the Aston Martin name
The company that would become Aston Martin started out as a car dealership. In 1912, Englishmen Robert Bamford and Lionel Martin partnered to sell cars, but soon after they decided to build their own models. Their first prototype debuted in 1915, named in honour of Martin, a racing driver, and his favourite racing venue, Aston Hills. Thus, the name Aston Martin was born.
A speed-demon co-founder banned from driving
Aston Martin co-founder Lionel Martin wasn’t just a keen racing driver—he was an all-out speed demon. As a student, Martin won numerous gruelling bicycle racing records, including riding nearly the full width of England in one 22-hour stretch. He competed in motorcycle and sidecar races and automotive hillclimb competitions. It seems he also brought that need for speed to the public roadways: In 1909, having neglected to pay a previous speeding fine, Martin was caught driving 41.5 km/ph in London and was banned from driving for two years—during which he set yet another cross-country bicycle record.
A tractor company takes over
The years after World War I were tumultuous for Aston Martin, with financial difficulties and numerous takeovers. In 1947, Aston Martin went up for sale and was purchased by David Brown Limited, a company that specialised in farm tractors and industrial gears. Sir David Brown, grandson of the company’s founder, was a lifelong car enthusiast and racer, having built his own competition cars while working as an engineer at the family company. The first car built by Aston Martin after this takeover was called the DB1, named after the tractor company (and the man) that had saved the carmaker.
An indirect connection to Bentley
Around the same time that Sir David Brown took over Aston Martin, he purchased another struggling British carmaker, Lagonda. The company was developing a revolutionary twin-cam six-cylinder engine called the LB6, and Sir David wanted the engine for his new line of Aston Martin sports cars. The Lagonda engine had been designed by none other than W.O. Bentley—the man who co-founded Bentley Motors, who had long since been pushed out of the company bearing his name.
The history of the DB Series
Aston Martin built seven vehicles named in honour of owner Sir David Brown: The DB1, DB2, DB3, DB4, DB5, DB6, and the combo-breaker DBS all bore Sir David’s initials. In 1972, Sir David sold the car company, and the new owners ended the DB series of vehicles, but the name was revived in 1993 with the DB7 in honour of Sir David—who himself was given an honorary position at the company that same year.
Bond, James Bond
Of course, the most famous Aston Martin of them all is the DB5. Just over 1,000 examples were built between 1963 and 1965, but millions worldwide know this as the James Bond car. In the books, author Ian Fleming had specified an earlier Aston Martin DB Mark III as Bond’s car. Still, the DB5 was introduced in the 1964 Bond film Goldfinger, equipped with gadgets including machine guns, smoke screens, oil slicks, an ejector seat, and rotating license plates. Bond has driven several Aston Martin models over the years, including a V8 Vantage, a V12 Vanquish, and two DBS models, but the original DB5 will always be considered the quintessential Bond car.
The angular years
Today, the Aston Martin badge is most closely associated with swooping, evocatively curvy car designs, but in the 1970s the company was obsessed with angular, wedge-shaped designs. The trend began in 1976 with the Aston Martin Lagonda, a shockingly unconventional four-door luxury sedan with “folded-paper” body styling and the world’s first all-digital instrument panel. The Lagonda’s styling was further evolved in 1979 with the Bulldog, a radical concept car with gullwing doors and a sharply pointed nose. The Bulldog was meant to become the fastest road car on earth, but the project was abandoned before production could begin.
For Bond’s eyes only
While most of James Bond’s Aston Martins have been commercially available to anyone who could afford one, the DB10 seen in the 2015 film Spectre was exclusive to 007. As Aston Martin executive Marek Reichman explained to Variety, director Sam Mendes, producer Barbara Broccoli, and Bond star Daniel Craig were touring Aston Martin’s design studios when they saw a concept sketch on the wall. The Bond team insisted that this should be 007’s next car, and Aston Martin spent the next six months furiously working to turn the drawing into a real-world car. The DB10 was unveiled during the launch of the film Spectre, and eight of the 10 examples built were featured in the movie, with the remaining two used for promotional appearances.
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What Venice’s New Tourist Tax Means for Your Next Trip
The Italian city will now charge visitors an entry fee during peak season.
Visiting the Floating City just got a bit more expensive.
Venice is officially the first metropolis in the world to start implementing a day-trip fee in an effort to help the Italian hot spot combat overtourism during peak season, The Associated Press reported. The new program, which went into effect, requires travellers to cough up roughly €5 (about $AUD8.50) per person before they can explore the city’s canals and historic sites. Back in January, Venice also announced that starting in June, it would cap the size of tourist groups to 25 people and prohibit loudspeakers in the city centre and the islands of Murano, Burano, and Torcello.
“We need to find a new balance between the tourists and residents,’ Simone Venturini, the city’s top tourism official, told AP News. “We need to safeguard the spaces of the residents, of course, and we need to discourage the arrival of day-trippers on some particular days.”
During this trial phase, the fee only applies to the 29 days deemed the busiest—between April 25 and July 14—and tickets will remain valid from 8:30 am to 4 pm. Visitors under 14 years of age will be allowed in free of charge in addition to guests with hotel reservations. However, the latter must apply online beforehand to request an exemption. Day-trippers can also pre-pay for tickets online via the city’s official tourism site or snap them up in person at the Santa Lucia train station.
“With courage and great humility, we are introducing this system because we want to give a future to Venice and leave this heritage of humanity to future generations,” Venice Mayor Luigi Brugnaro said in a statement on X (formerly known as Twitter) regarding the city’s much-talked-about entry fee.
Despite the mayor’s backing, it’s apparent that residents weren’t totally pleased with the program. The regulation led to protests and riots outside of the train station, The Independent reported. “We are against this measure because it will do nothing to stop overtourism,” resident Cristina Romieri told the outlet. “Moreover, it is such a complex regulation with so many exceptions that it will also be difficult to enforce it.”
While Venice is the first city to carry out the new day-tripper fee, several other European locales have introduced or raised tourist taxes to fend off large crowds and boost the local economy. Most recently, Barcelona increased its city-wide tourist tax. Similarly, you’ll have to pay an extra “climate crisis resilience” tax if you plan on visiting Greece that will fund the country’s disaster recovery projects.
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Omega Reveals a New Speedmaster Ahead of the Paris 2024 Olympics
Your first look at the new Speedmaster Chronoscope, designed in the colour theme of the Paris Olympics.
The starters are on the blocks, and with less than 100 days to go until the Paris 2024 Olympics, luxury Swiss watchmaker Omega was bound to release something spectacular to mark its bragging rights as the official timekeeper for the Summer Games. Enter the new 43mm Speedmaster Chronoscope, available in new colourways—gold, black, and white—in line with the colour theme of the Olympic Games in Paris this July.
So, what do we get in this nicely-wrapped, Olympics-inspired package? Technically, there are four new podium-worthy iterations of the iconic Speedmaster.
The new versions present handsomely in stainless steel or 18K Moonshine Gold—the brand’s proprietary yellow gold known for its enduring shine. The steel version has an anodised aluminium bezel and a stainless steel bracelet or vintage-inspired perforated leather strap. The Moonshine Gold iteration boasts a ceramic bezel; it will most likely appease Speedy collectors, particularly those with an affinity for Omega’s long-standing role as stewards of the Olympic Games.
Notably, each watch bears an attractive white opaline dial; the background to three dark grey timing scales in a 1940s “snail” design. Of course, this Speedmaster Chronoscope is special in its own right. For the most part, the overall look of the Speedmaster has remained true to its 1957 origins. This Speedmaster, however, adopts Omega’s Chronoscope design from 2021, including the storied tachymeter scale, along with a telemeter, and pulsometer scale—essentially, three different measurements on the wrist.
While the technical nature of this timepiece won’t interest some, others will revel in its theatrics. Turn over each timepiece, and instead of a transparent crystal caseback, there is a stamped medallion featuring a mirror-polished Paris 2024 logo, along with “Paris 2024” and the Olympic Rings—a subtle nod to this year’s games.
Powering this Olympiad offering—and ensuring the greatest level of accuracy—is the Co-Axial Master Chronometer Calibre 9908 and 9909, certified by METAS.
A Speedmaster to commemorate the Olympic Games was as sure a bet as Mondo Deplantis winning gold in the men’s pole vault—especially after Omega revealed its Olympic-edition Seamaster Diver 300m “Paris 2024” last year—but they delivered a great addition to the legacy collection, without gimmickry.
However, the all-gold Speedmaster is 85K at the top end of the scale, which is a lot of money for a watch of this stature. By comparison, the immaculate Speedmaster Moonshine gold with a sun-brushed green PVD “step” dial is 15K cheaper, albeit without the Chronoscope complications.
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The Omega Speedmaster Chronoscope in stainless steel with a leather strap is priced at $15,725; stainless steel with steel bracelet at $16,275; 18k Moonshine Gold on leather strap $54,325; and 18k Moonshine Gold with matching gold bracelet $85,350, available at Omega boutiques now.
Discover the collection here
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Here’s What Goes Into Making Jay-Z’s $1,800 Champagne
We put Armand de Brignac Blanc de Noirs Assemblage No. 4 under the microsope.
In our quest to locate the most exclusive and exciting wines for our readers, we usually ask the question, “How many bottles of this were made?” Often, we get a general response based on an annual average, although many Champagne houses simply respond, “We do not wish to communicate our quantities.” As far as we’re concerned, that’s pretty much like pleading the Fifth on the witness stand; yes, you’re not incriminating yourself, but anyone paying attention knows you’re probably guilty of something. In the case of some Champagne houses, that something is making a whole lot of bottles—millions of them—while creating an illusion of rarity.
We received the exact opposite reply regarding Armand de Brignac Blanc de Noirs Assemblage No. 4. Yasmin Allen, the company’s president and CEO, told us only 7,328 bottles would be released of this Pinot Noir offering. It’s good to know that with a sticker price of around $1,800, it’s highly limited, but it still makes one wonder what’s so exceptional about it.
Known by its nickname, Ace of Spades, for its distinctive and decorative metallic packaging, Armand de Brignac is owned by Louis Vuitton Moët Hennessy and Jay-Z and is produced by Champagne Cattier. Each bottle of Assemblage No. 4 is numbered; a small plate on the back reads “Assemblage Four, [X,XXX]/7,328, Disgorged: 20 April, 2023.” Prior to disgorgement, it spent seven years in the bottle on lees after primary fermentation mostly in stainless steel with a small amount in concrete. That’s the longest of the house’s Champagnes spent on the lees, but Allen says the winemaking team tasted along the way and would have disgorged earlier than planned if they’d felt the time was right.
Chef de cave, Alexandre Cattier, says the wine is sourced from some of the best Premier and Grand Cru Pinot Noir–producing villages in the Champagne region, including Chigny-les-Roses, Verzenay, Rilly-la-Montagne, Verzy, Ludes, Mailly-Champagne, and Ville-sur-Arce in the Aube département. This is considered a multi-vintage expression, using wine from a consecutive trio of vintages—2013, 2014, and 2015—to create an “intense and rich” blend. Seventy percent of the offering is from 2015 (hailed as one of the finest vintages in recent memory), with 15 percent each from the other two years.
This precisely crafted Champagne uses only the tête de cuvée juice, a highly selective extraction process. As Allen points out, “the winemakers solely take the first and freshest portion of the gentle cuvée grape press,” which assures that the finished wine will be the highest quality. Armand de Brignac used grapes from various sites and three different vintages so the final product would reflect the house signature style. This is the fourth release in a series that began with Assemblage No. 1. “Testing different levels of intensity of aromas with the balance of red and dark fruits has been a guiding principle between the Blanc de Noirs that followed,” Allen explains.
The CEO recommends allowing the Assemblage No. 4 to linger in your glass for a while, telling us, “Your palette will go on a journey, evolving from one incredible aroma to the next as the wine warms in your glass where it will open up to an extraordinary length.” We found it to have a gorgeous bouquet of raspberry and Mission fig with hints of river rock; as it opened, notes of toasted almond and just-baked brioche became noticeable. With striking acidity and a vein of minerality, it has luscious nectarine, passion fruit, candied orange peel, and red plum flavors with touches of beeswax and a whiff of baking spices on the enduring finish. We enjoyed our bottle with a roast chicken rubbed with butter and herbes de Provence and savored the final, extremely rare sip with a bit of Stilton. Unfortunately, the pairing possibilities are not infinite with this release; there are only 7,327 more ways to enjoy yours.
