CHANDON, a global leader in estate-grown sparkling wine since 1959, has announced the launch of the CHANDON Spritz collection. This new trio of ready-to-serve (RTS) sparkling cocktails represents a significant expansion for the LVMH-owned estate, leveraging its multi-national vineyard footprint to enter the rapidly professionalising "aperitivo" market.
The collection is designed to bridge the gap between traditional oenology and modern mixology, offering a high-fidelity cocktail experience that maintains the brand’s "pioneer" status across its territories in Argentina, California, Brazil, Australia, and China.
Collaborative Winemaking and Mixology Leadership
The development of the Spritz collection was managed by a cross-functional leadership team, combining technical winemaking expertise with elite bar-industry insights. Key contributors include:
Ana Paula Bartolucci: Cellar Master of CHANDON Argentina.
Pauline Lhote: Director of Oenology and Vineyards of CHANDON California.
Inés de los Santos: Renowned mixologist and owner of Cochinchina (ranked number 26 in the World’s 50 Best Bars 2025).
This collaboration ensures that the product addresses the technical requirements of high-end wine production while meeting the flavour-complexity standards of the world’s leading cocktail programs.
Technical R&D: 6 Years and 179 Trials
CHANDON’s entry into the RTS category is the result of a rigorous six-year development cycle. The technical team conducted 179 separate formulation trials to achieve the precise balance of freshness, acidity, and botanical integration.
The base of the Spritz is crafted from musts and sparkling wines produced in Mendoza, Argentina. The high-altitude terroir provides the necessary structural integrity for the botanical macerations. These macerations utilise a slow-extraction method for natural aromas, including:
Citrus: Organic lemons and oranges.
Botanicals: Hibiscus and lemon verbena.
Regional Fruits: Raspberries and blackcurrants sourced from Patagonia.
Lower ABV Innovation via Natural Processes
A primary technical differentiator for the CHANDON Spritz collection is its approach to alcohol reduction. While many competitors use industrial dealcoholizing processes that can strip flavour, CHANDON has implemented a "natural-stop" fermentation strategy for its 6% variants.
According to Ana Paula Bartolucci, the process involves selecting Muscat grapes that are naturally low in sugar and harvested early in the season. The technical workflow includes:
Fermentation Control: Stopping the fermentation of juices once the alcohol level reaches 5.5%.
Residual Sugar Management: Maintaining a residual sugar level of 57 g/L to provide body and balance.
Natural Blending: Integrating botanical macerations to achieve a final 6% ABV.
The collection features three distinct variants:
Orange Peel and Spices: A delicately bitter profile at 11.5% ABV.
Berries and Hibiscus: An aromatic and zesty profile at 6% ABV.
Lemon and Verbena: A crisp, citrus-forward profile at 6% ABV.
Distribution and Premium Positioning
CHANDON is utilising a tiered distribution strategy that focuses on premium on-premise and speciality retail channels.
European Rollout: The Orange Peel and Spices variant is available through leading wine merchants, bars, and restaurants.
Experiential Launch: In France, the Lemon and Verbena and Berries and Hibiscus variants will debut as a preview during the Roland-Garros Tournament, aligning the brand with high-profile sporting and social events.
Price Architecture: Positioned in the premium tier at 19.90 euros at wine merchants. In the on-premise sector, the products carry a bottle price of 49 to 59 euros and a per-glass rate of 12 to 13 euros.
For B2B stakeholders, the launch of CHANDON Spritz signals the "premiumization" of the ready-to-serve sparkling cocktail category. As the RTS sector moves away from synthetic-flavour profiles and toward "estate-grown" and "botanical-macerated" standards, CHANDON is positioning itself as a primary partner for high-volume hospitality venues looking to offer consistent, high-quality cocktails without the labour requirements of traditional bar prep.
As the brand scales the collection throughout 2026, industry observers expect the success of the "natural-stop" fermentation model to serve as a benchmark for the lower-ABV wine category. By delivering a product that balances the heritage of Mendoza winemaking with the innovation of modern mixology, CHANDON is securing its role as a dominant player in the evolution of global sparkling wine consumption.
