The New Range Rover Sport SV Is the Fastest, Most Dynamic Model in the Marque’s History
The 2024 Range Rover Sport SV covers zero to 100 km/h in 3.6 seconds on its way to 290 km/h.
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Land Rover just can’t help itself. Facing a pedigreed squad of SUV interlopers —think the UK’s own Rolls-Royce, Bentley, and Aston Martin — the original purveyor of posh British SUVs isn’t about to cede the high-dollar ground. Sprinkle in exotic Italian spice in the Ferrari Purosangue and Lamborghini Urus, and German beef such as the Porsche Cayenne, and the market message is unmistakable: SUVs top the wish list of even the most discriminating buyers, more than sports cars or even traditional sedans.
Enter Land Rover’s Range Rover Sport SV. This 626 hp gloss on the all-new Rover Sport becomes the fastest, most dynamic model in Land Rover’s mud-spattered history. The slant-roofed SV wasn’t only developed to climb tougher off-road obstacles than the competition, but also ascend to market heights as yet unexplored by the Rover Sport.
This 2024 “Edition One” model starts from $360,800, and it tops $500,000 with optional carbon-ceramic brakes and dramatic carbon-fibre wheels—standing 23 inches tall—that, together, trim about 45 pounds of unsprung weight at each wheel. Yet the cost of the Sport SV remains less than that of a Bentley Bentayga, Rolls-Royce Cullinan, or Aston Martin DBX707.
My drive along the western spine of Portugal begins at Vermelho, a 13-room boutique hotel designed by Christian Louboutin, who fell in love with the tiny village of Melides and bought a fisherman’s house on the nearby Alentejo coast. Any visitor would swear this villa had stood for centuries, and had been restored for maximal modern charm. In fact, the shoe magnate’s hotel is an entirely new, ground-up design. The Rover Sport SV engages in a similar trompe l’oeil effect, with a shapely form that alludes to a sturdy off-road history, but that largely masks the speed-centric mechanicals below. After a too-brief stay at Vermelho, my luggage-friendly Rover SV is spearing past the vineyards of the scrappy Alentejo wine region, and blurring the bark-regenerating cork oaks that provide stoppers for the world’s wine industry. Next stop, sun-soaked Algarve, the southernmost anchor of Portugal.
Where other 2024 Rover Sports get a turbocharged inline-six engine with hybrid assist, the SV adopts a 4.4-liter V-8, squeezed by twin turbochargers to 626 hp and 750 Nm of torque. That V-8 pairs smartly with an eight-speed, paddle-shifted automatic transmission. A selectable active-exhaust system underscores a philosophical change versus the previous Rover Sport SVR.
Rover engineers fondly recall that departed model and its supercharged V-8 as “a bit of a sledgehammer.” What I mainly remember (aside from middling handling by Cayenne standards) was that hammer’s effect on passengers’ eardrums. That SVR’s gratuitously rowdy exhaust note was like having the band Motorhead banging away in the back, including belching exhaust backfires at every throttle lift: A diverting experience for about 20 minutes, but soon tiresome in a Range Rover ostensibly aimed at refinement. En route to the Algarve, the Sport SV’s downsized V-8 still snarls when prodded, packs decisively more punch, yet never draws undue attention to itself.
“There’s a bit more finesse to the engineering, yet the bandwidth of the car has gone way up,” says Matt Becker, the former chassis maestro for Lotus and Aston Martin, who brought his talents to Land Rover a few years into the Sport SV’s five-year development.
The Sport SV storms to 100 km/h in 3.6 seconds, and keeps churning to 290 km/h. More importantly, it raises its dynamic game to roughly Cayenne or BMW X6M levels—if still shy of crossover SUVs such as Ferrari’s Purosangue or Aston’s DBX707 that weigh several hundred pounds less. That zero-to-100 km/h burst is more than two seconds faster than the Rover Sport’s 335 hp starter model, and a full second quicker than even the 542 hp Rover Sport PHEV P550e.
Unleashed on Portugal’s rustic two-lane roads, the Rover is more engaging than a 5,532 kg SUV has any right to feel. Adjustable air springs lower the rakish body by 10 mm to 25 mm versus standard models. And the Rover can tackle serious off-road situations, aided by those height-cranking air springs, a Terrain Response system, and gadgets such as a camera-based wading-depth sensor. I sample all that on an all-terrain course that includes perching the Sport SV on a 29-degree side slope; and steeps that require the (easy) removal of a front aero splitter to avoid scraping the handsome chin.
Back on asphalt, the Rover’s newfound agility flows from another wellspring of tech. The SV steers faster than any Rover before, with a 13.5:1 ratio that’s 30 percent quicker than other Rover Sports. The brand’s first-ever hydraulic suspension links all four corners and their semi-active dampers. Those hydraulic connections eliminate any need for weighty anti-roll bars, and almost magically suppress body roll, pitch, and dive.
A standard rear-steering system can pivot rear wheels at up to 7.3 degrees to trim a turning circle at parking-lot speeds, or help the Rover rotate through fast corners. As speeds climb, rear wheels can turn in phase with fronts to boost stability. Staggered 23-inch tires include thicker 305 mm slabs in the rear to balance that fast-acting front and avoid twitchy reactions. A selectable SV mode biases power toward the rear, and optimises the throttle, transmission, steering, and rear-steer functions.
Jamal Hameedi, director of SVO Operations, says the package proved its worth at Germany’s Nürburgring Nordschleife circuit: On that benchmark vehicle-development gauntlet, the Sport SV can knock out eight gruelling laps before its tires are shot, versus just two laps for a standard Rover Sport.
After a rip along the Vicentine Coast, I admire this 2.5-ton rabbit at rest. Inside and out, the Sport SV advances the Reductive Design philosophy that Gerry McGovern, Jaguar Land Rover’s chief creative officer, has embraced. The SV adds tasteful jewellery to the Sport’s Botox-smooth skin, in a way that Coco Chanel might approve of. “Range Rover” script is rendered in carbon fibre at the front and rear. White ceramic “SV” roundels are finished by hand. A carbon-fibre hood caps the blunt prow, with enlarged apertures for induction and brake cooling. A reworked rear bumper and diffuser surround four exhaust outlets, wrapped like jumbo burritos with more carbon fibre.
A swank aesthetic, similar to that of a chic London hotel or lounge, defines the interior, where the Rover denudes the cabin of every possible hard switch. Incredibly, there are only two traditional switches, an engine start-stop button and a trunk release hidden near the driver’s knee; three if you count a matte black console shifter for the transmission. The rest springs to life via a 13.1-inch centre screen astride the dashboard, and a 13.7-inch driver’s display that dangles from an awning above. The displays are managed by Rover’s Pivi Pro 4 infotainment, including screen-based volume and temperature sliders that are awkward to operate in motion, especially over bumpy ground. That aside, Pivi Pro 4 finds Rover (finally) becoming fully conversant in modern touchscreen interfaces. Like an intriguing first date, there’s a getting-to-know-you period with the infotainment system, but nothing to make you run screaming to the exit.
The cabin is fashionably draped in a choice of two-tone Windsor leathers; or animal-free textiles that recall technical fabrics favoured by Tom Cruise’s Ethan Hunt, appropriate for the opera house or rugged outback. Another interior gizmo will spark debate. The “Body and Soul Seats” (or “BASS”) function activates four transducers in the front seats. They send energy pulses into front occupants’ torsos, synced to the melodious thrum of a 29-speaker Meridian audio system. Guided by an AI algorithm that analyses media in real time, those vibrations are limited to musical cues in roughly the 60-to-150 Hertz range. Think basses, kick drums, perhaps the odd oboe. System designers emphasise that this isn’t some newfangled version of a cheap subwoofer in a teenager’s Subaru.
“Anyone can make a bloaty, ‘thump-thump’ noise in a car,” says Duncan Smith, group leader for electronics and interior, citing 24,000 hours of system tuning. “The bit we’re really proud of is the fidelity. We wanted to stay true to the soundstage and what the artist intended. This is an extra immersion in music, an extra layer of communication.”
Rover claims that BASS measurably boosts heart-rate variability and skin-contact sensitivity, which correlates to reduced anxiety or improved cognitive response. A series of six “Wellness Tracks,” developed with Coventry University’s National Transport Design Centre, are meant to alternatively soothe or engage occupants.
Cueing up Dave Brubeck’s jazz classic “Take Five” as I drive, the sinuous double bass of the late Eugene Wright pulses discreetly into my back. Higher notes strike higher up my spine, and lower notes ping around my kidneys, right in time with the music. The effect gains intensity during a trip through Daft Punk’s bass-heavy electronica. At first, I dismiss BASS as a gimmick, an update of the risible “Sensurround” that made theater seats quiver during 1974’s Earthquake disaster flick. But perhaps Rover is onto something, and other automakers will follow suit.
Sensations are definitely maximized when I pull into the Algarve International Circuit, better known as Portimão, for a lapping session. The Rover is no one’s idea of a track car. But this tailored brute proves surprisingly graceful on one of my favorite European layouts, where Lewis Hamilton posted a pair of Portuguese GP wins during Formula 1’s pandemic run. Even on all-season Michelin Pilot Sport tires, the Rover puts up 1.1 g’s of lateral grip. That rises to1.2 g’s on Michelin Pilot Sport S 5’s, a new summer tire the Sport SV will offer later this year. That’s a level of grip once exclusive to featherweight supercars, now yours in an off-road-capable Range Rover.
But what really gets me is the brakes, and not just the platter-size rotors that measure 440 mm up front. With traditional brakes, the calipers’ pistons are arranged radially. The bright idea here, hatched by Italy’s Brembo, was to arrange pistons in an “X” shape that concentrates braking forces closer to the centre, boosting efficiency. Engineers urged me to mash those brakes at will, insisting they are nearly impervious to fade and overheating. I wasn’t granted enough consecutive laps to test the theory. But where some “performance” SUVs lose stopping power after three or four hot laps, the Rover was braking impressively after six full-bore trips around Portimão.
Now, don’t shoot the messenger, but did I mention that you can’t buy a 2024 Range Rover Sport SV? Land Rover gave prospective owners an inside track, allowing them to see and spec the cars in places like Pebble Beach and Dubai. There will be a 2025 model, though Rover is officially mum on production numbers and timing. It’s the new game in luxury, strangling supply, juicing demand, or justifying big showroom markups on the basis of exclusivity. The latest player just happens to be the raciest of Rovers.
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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.
