Chandon Argentina is the first international subsidiary ever opened by the Champagne house Moet & Chandon, founded in 1959 in Agrelo, Lujan de Cuyo, 28 km south of Mendoza city. It was a defining moment for Argentine wine tourism: in the late 1950s, Count Robert-Jean de Vogue, then chairman of Moet & Chandon, looked beyond France for the first time in over 200 years of company history and chose the high-altitude alluvial soils of Mendoza for their daytime sun, cool nights and clean Andean meltwater. The decision legitimized Argentina as a serious New World wine country a full generation before Catena Zapata or Zuccardi reached global fame. Today Chandon Argentina is the largest Chandon operation outside Champagne, producing more than 10 million bottles a year and exporting to 60+ countries. The estate covers 164 hectares with French-style gardens, modern cellars and panoramic Andes views; it sits within the Lujan de Cuyo wine corridor and forms part of the same LVMH group as Dom Perignon, Krug, Veuve Clicquot, Hennessy, Ruinart and Moet & Chandon itself. The flagship traditional-method sparkling wine is the Baron B Brut Nature, a cuvee aged 36+ months on the lees that competes blind with mid-range Champagnes at a fraction of the price.
Why visit Chandon Argentina
Chandon is the easiest, most photogenic introduction to Mendoza wine tourism — and the only winery in the region where you can see traditional-method sparkling production at full industrial scale. The cellar tour walks you past riddling racks (pupitres), disgorgement lines and tirage cellars where bottles spend 12-36 months on the lees acquiring brioche, almond and citrus complexity. Most Mendoza wineries are devoted to red varieties, particularly Malbec, so a half-day at Chandon adds the missing piece to a wine itinerary by showing how Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier are turned into world-class sparkling at 950 m altitude.
The other reason to come is value. Argentine sparkling wines made by the same method as Champagne typically cost a third of what equivalent French bottles run, and the on-site shop is the cheapest place in the world to buy Baron B and Cuvee Speciale. The French-style gardens, designed in 1959 by Bernard Rosset, are some of the most photographed in Mendoza and provide a relaxed counterpoint to the intense red-wine tastings most visitors do at Catena Zapata or Norton earlier in the day. Chandon also runs one of the few summer picnic programs in the region, with hampers and chilled bottles served on the lawn under the Andes.
The wines
Chandon (entry sparkling)
The everyday range — Brut, Extra Brut, Rose and Demi-Sec — based on Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Semillon from Mendoza estates. Argentina retail USD 8-15. Crisp, citrus-forward, with the bready autolysis notes you expect from 12 months on the lees. The benchmark Argentine sparkling and the most-sold bubbly in the country.
Chandon Reserve
The mid-tier line, sourced from selected high-altitude parcels in Tupungato. USD 18-25. Longer lees ageing (18-24 months), more mineral, with stronger Pinot Noir character on the Brut Reserve and a fuller body on the Blanc de Blancs.
Baron B (super-premium)
The flagship traditional-method line, named after Baron Bertrand de Ladoucette who oversaw the founding of Chandon Argentina. Brut Nature (zero dosage), Extra Brut and Rose. USD 25-40. Aged 36+ months on the lees, complex notes of brioche, hazelnut, candied lemon and chalky minerality. The Brut Nature is widely considered the best Argentine sparkling wine and has won gold medals at Decanter, Effervescents du Monde and IWSC.
Baron B Cuvee Speciale (icon)
The vintage-only, very limited release. USD 50-80 in Argentina, often USD 100+ in export markets. Hand-disgorged, prestige-tier presentation. Made only in years that meet a strict quality threshold and almost exclusively available at the winery shop and a handful of high-end restaurants in Buenos Aires and Mendoza.
Tasting & tour options
| Experience | Price (USD) | Duration | What's included |
|---|---|---|---|
| Discovery tour (classic) | 25-35 | 1 hour | Cellar tour + 3-sparkling flight (Brut, Extra Brut, Rose) |
| Premium with Baron B | 40-50 | 1h30 | Cellar tour + 4-sparkling flight including Baron B Brut Nature |
| Sparkling & Cheese | 45-60 | 1h30 | 4 sparklings paired with 4 artisan cheeses, sommelier led |
| Garden Picnic (Oct-Mar) | 60-80 | 2 hours | Gourmet hamper on the lawn, chilled bottle, vineyard views |
Reservations open via chandon.com.ar 60-90 days ahead; the picnic and Baron B experiences sell out fastest in summer.
Book your Chandon visit
Best seller Wine Tour from Mendoza (3 wineries)
Full-day small-group tour with hotel pickup, three-winery circuit including Lujan de Cuyo icons. Tastings and lunch included.
Private Driver — Lujan de Cuyo
Door-to-door private transfer with English-speaking driver. Drink freely, return to hotel safely. Up to 4 passengers.
Hotels in Lujan de Cuyo
Compare boutique winery hotels and B&Bs near Chandon. Free cancellation on most properties.
How to get there
Chandon sits 28 km south of Mendoza city in Agrelo, Lujan de Cuyo. Coming from downtown the route is RN 40 south to the Agrelo turnoff, then a short stretch on RP 15 — about 35 minutes door-to-door. There is no public transport to the winery, so you have three realistic options:
- Self-drive: rental cars from Mendoza airport run USD 55-80/day. Free parking on site. Only viable if a non-drinking person in your group can drive home.
- Uber or remis: one-way Uber costs USD 12-18; a remis booked round-trip with a wait is USD 60-85. Mendoza Uber coverage is strong but availability for the return trip from Agrelo can be patchy in the late afternoon.
- Wine tour with transfer: operators like Mendoza Wine Tours, MendoVino, Trout & Wine and Ampora Wine Tours run small-group circuits (USD 130-200 per person, three wineries plus lunch) and private full-day options (USD 280-450). This is the easiest path for first-time visitors.
If you are coming from Valle de Uco, plan 1h15 by car. See the full getting-there guide for airport transfers and bus options.
Best time to visit
Sparkling harvest (January-February) is the most rewarding time at Chandon — earlier than red harvest because Chardonnay and Pinot Noir need higher acidity, you can see grapes coming in by 6 AM and presses running through midday. Daytime temperatures sit at 28-33 C and nights are crisp. Spring (October-November) rivals it: rose bushes (planted as biological indicators of vine health) bloom along every row and the Andes still hold snow. Late summer (March-April) overlaps with the red-wine harvest and the famous Mendoza vendimia festival. Winter (June-August) is the contrarian choice: bare vines, dramatic Andes light, smaller groups, and the cellar feels especially atmospheric with the cool 12 C in the riddling rooms. The winery is open Monday-Saturday year-round; Sundays remain closed.
Where to eat nearby
Agrelo and surrounding Lujan de Cuyo have some of Argentina's best winery restaurants:
- Casa Vigil (El Enemigo) — chef-driven Argentine cooking by Alejandro Vigil, ex-Catena head winemaker. Booking essential 3-4 weeks ahead. USD 80-120 with wine.
- Ruca Malen lunch — see our dedicated guide on Ruca Malen for the famous five-course paired lunch, just 10 minutes from Chandon.
- Brindillas (Vistalba) — modern Mendoza cuisine with a strong sparkling list. USD 65-95 with wine. 15 minutes north.
Where to stay
For a Chandon-focused itinerary, the smartest base is Lujan de Cuyo or Chacras de Coria (15 minutes from the winery). Top winery hotels include Cavas Wine Lodge (Relais & Chateaux, USD 550-900), The Vines Resort & Spa (USD 580-1,100, located in Valle de Uco) and Entre Cielos (USD 380-680). For boutique value try Club Tapiz, Posada Borravino or Finca Adalgisa. See our full Mendoza accommodation guide for neighborhood breakdowns.
Combine with other top wineries
A two- or three-day Mendoza wine itinerary typically pairs Chandon with a Malbec icon to balance bubbles and reds. Top combinations:
- Catena Zapata — most-awarded Argentine winery, 10 minutes from Chandon.
- Zuccardi Valle de Uco — World's Best Vineyard 2020/2022/2023, full-day from Mendoza.
- Bodega Salentein — Dutch-built temple to Pinot Noir in Valle de Uco.
- Lagarde — Forbes #5 in 2024, the only other Mendoza winery with continuous traditional-method sparkling production since 1942.
