Largest rosé Champagne in the world released

Armand de Brignac has released the worlds largest rosé Champagne onto the market. As reported on the drinks business, the 15l Nebuchadnezzar of Armand de Brignac Rosé, equivalent to twenty regular 75cl bottles, is housed in the brand’s signature metallic bottle finished with a pewter ace of spades. Only a limited number of bottles will be produced each year for the global market.

The Nebuchadnezzar made its debut at private members club Nikki Beach in St Tropez on 1 June. “This was the perfect time for us to release the Nebuchadnezzar as rosé is synonymous with summer,” said Philippe Bienvenu, commercial director of Armand de Brignac, adding, “Armand de Brignac Rosé is fresh and full-bodied with a rich bouquet of red fruits and aromas of strawberries and blackcurrant – perfect for enjoying in the sunshine.” 

Last year the company released the world’s largest Champagne bottle format onto the market – the 30l Midas, named after the mythological god that turned everything he touched to gold. Equivalent to 40 regular 75cl bottles, the Midas weighs a hefty 45kg. Earlier this year young financier Alex Hope splashed out £125,000 on a Midas of Armand de Brignac Brut Gold at a nightclub in Liverpool, racking up the most expensive bar bill in the world in the process.

Yvonne Lardner, Armand de Brignac’s director of PR has reported a large interest in Nebuchadnezzar’s of Brut Gold NV in emerging market Nigeria, which are being used for weddings and large family celebrations. Lardner also reports an interest in Ace of Spades Rosé from men: “We’ve found our Rosé to be really popular with men, the stigma towards the style seems to have gone,” she said. 

Ace of Spades recently appeared in Nigerian singer D’banj’s music video for the song Oliver Twist. D’banj is signed to rapper Kanye West’s record label. Last month Wine and the City reported that Nigeria was developing a third for wine, and particularly high end Champagne, with its wine industry expected to reach US $370m by 2015.

Nigeria develops thirst for wine

The value of Nigeria's wine industry is expected to reach US$370 million by 2015, as Nigerians develop a thirst for high end wine and spirits, as reported on thedrinksbusiness.com. "Many global luxury brands have entered the Nigerian market, including several well known spirits and Champagne brands, which are being embraced by the country's affluent consumers,” said Sue Birch of Wines of South Africa. 

With a wine market currently valued at US$300m a year, volume sales in Nigeria are expected to grow by 6% a year, with red wine accounting for 74% of sales. WOSA is keen to tap into this growth: "We know anecdotally from a number producers that there is a robust appetite for premium and high-end South African wines in Nigeria," Birch said. South African wine exports to Nigeria grew by 12% for the 12 months to March 2012.

"Europe holds the lion's share of the Nigerian market with 60% of volumes sales, but South Africa is the next biggest player with a 22% by volume share," said Sapta Bhattacharyya, associate vice president of global research company Aranca. Bhattacharyya estimates that 5.2m people, representing the top 10% of earners among the 156m population, account for 43% of wine consumption in the country. "This is the group to target," he said.

With most economic activity taking place in Nigeria's key cities of Lagos, Abuja, Kano, Kaduna, Onitsha and Port Harcourt, potential wine markets are being identified and developed with luxury hotels and restaurants catering to the affluent consumers in these areas. All of WOSA's marketing efforts will be concentrated on the south, non-Muslim regions of the country. Home to the second largest economy in Africa, Nigeria will be the world's fourth most populous nation by 2050.