In 1959, our founder Robert-Jean de Vogüé and a handful of other exceptional individuals had the vision, courage and stamina to redefine luxury sparkling wine. They realized that there was a way to make it modern; and that was to take it far from France to unexpected lands around the world, exporting their centuries-old know-how, not the bottles. It was a groundbreaking idea, but our CHANDON history is full of pioneers who were unafraid to push the boundaries of what was known, and what was possible.
Our journey of discovery began in Argentina. From there, the road unfolded to California, Brazil, Australia and China. We are now one sparkling wine domaine with CHANDON wineries in five countries around the world. CHANDON is a thrilling paradox: a heritage maison with dynamism in its DNA.
We never know where the road will lead us next, but we hope you'll come with us.
Robert-Jean de Vogüé
Founder, visionary, pioneer
A TASTE FOR THE UNKNOWN
1959: THE JOURNEY BEGINS
By the early 1950s, Robert-Jean de Vogüé was already a legendary figure in Champagne. A former prisoner of war, he knew life was too short not to take risks. He was the head of a famous house in Epernay; a maverick and a visionary who tirelessly sought to expand overseas markets.
Now he felt a strong thirst for the new, and he could see that his home turf would not satisfy his global ambitions. His revolutionary idea was to make top-quality sparkling wine in new places, applying his traditional method savoir-faire to the challenges of new terroirs.
In 1953, de Vogüé and noted winemaker Renaud Poirier set out to find the best land. They travelled South America in a tiny 2CV until they reached Agrelo, in Mendoza, Argentina – spectacular country at the foot of the Andes. It was high – around 3,280ft in altitude, with astonishing views. The Andean meltwater ran deep underground.
There was very little infrastructure, facilities were basic to say the least, and it didn't look much like Champagne. But something told de Vogüé it was perfect.
CHANDON Argentina broke ground in 1959. From there, a world of exceptional sparkling wines opened up. This is why exploration is a founding principle of CHANDON.
NORTH AND SOUTH
1973: CHANDON CALIFORNIA AND CHANDON BRAZIL
Fourteen years after CHANDON Argentina, in 1973, we made our next audacious move. A double wager, in fact: breaking ground in the Napa Valley, California and the Serra Gaúcha, Brazil, in the same year. We've always believed it's riskier not to take risks than to take them.
Robert-Jean de Vogüé became convinced of Napa Valley's potential in the late 1960s. At a distributors' conference, he found himself in the wrong room, where members of the Wine Institute of California were gathered, tasting and discussing. He was highly impressed. At the time, the idea of top-quality Napa sparkling wine was considered revolutionary both in France and in America. The United States had always been a minor market, and US demand for California sparkling wine was even smaller. De Vogüé bet on the emergence of a local market, engaged American wine expert John Wright to pinpoint the best terroir, and founded the CHANDON California in March 1973. Production began under the direction of Dawnine Dyer, and our beautiful Yountville winery was inaugurated in 1977.
1973 was also the year that the Serra Gaúcha was pinpointed for a CHANDON Brazil winery. This region, which although subtropical had excellent high vineyard sites and plentiful rainfall, already had 100 years of form in winemaking. The climate and soil had all the qualities needed to produce exceptional quality Brazilian sparkling wine – and CHANDON had the pioneering mindset to match. Philippe Coulon, at the time Chief Winemaker at Moët & CHANDON, kicked off our operations at the CHANDON Brazil winery in Garibaldi.
1973 was proving to be a very good year.
In California our wines were made mostly with the traditional method; in Brazil, we used our own slow-ferment long Charmat method; in Argentina, we used both. But at CHANDON, technique always follows style, not the other way around, and our unrestrained winemakers always picked the method that was right for the style of wine they were trying to achieve, and that their customers wanted. Unbound by conventions and appellation requirements, CHANDON was writing its own rules.
The CHANDON way was starting to emerge. An international language with pronounced local accents. Elegance with informality. A fondness for fruit and terroir expression, to encapsulate our unexpected lands. But nothing was set in stone. Exploration was everything.
The road was still unfolding. Soon, we would be a truly international sparkling wine domaine.
A WORLD OF POSSIBILITIES
1986-2013: FIVE ESTATES, FOUR CONTINENTS
The next phase of our CHANDON history took us beyond the Americas.
By the 1980s, our Argentina, California and Brazil sparkling-wine estates had bedded in. It was time to seek fresh challenges.
John Wright, pioneer at CHANDON California, had an idea. Australian wine was in the throes of a quality revolution – but it was a different story for sparkling. Beyond cheap and cheerful fizz, you looked abroad, usually to Champagne. Wright believed he had identified a potential domestic and Asian market for top quality Australian sparkling wine.
Wright and Philippe Coulon hired legendary winemaker Tony Jordan, who began hunting for sites. In 1986, he arrived at Green Point in the Yarra Valley, Victoria: luscious, bountiful country about an hour's drive from Melbourne. He knew he'd found the perfect location for our CHANDON Australia winery.
CHANDON had been searching for a site in China since 2009, believing it to have enormous potential for production and consumption of top-quality sparkling wines. CHANDON asked a team of international experts, again led by Tony Jordan, to find the ideal land. They found it in the north of China, in the Ningxia Hui autonomous region, in the eastern foothills of Helan Mountain. It was a spectacular place on the edge of a pristine wilderness. With exciting climatic, environmental and geological conditions, it's one of the country’s largest viticultural areas, now recognized domestically and internationally for the caliber of its wine. Our CHANDON China winery has been up and running here since 2013.
We are now the world's largest sparkling wine estate, with 3460 acres under vine. As CHANDON has grown, so has our pool of knowledge. From the start, we’ve generously shared our know-how between our wineries, across borders, because we are a community.
THE PRINCIPLES OF HAPPINESS
EVERYONE IS WELCOME AT OUR TABLE
We were born in France but raised in the New World, where things are very different. That's why we're here.
It's one of our mantras that everyone is welcome at our table. We know the world of wine can be intimidating, distant and elitist, but even though our wines have won multiple awards, that’s not CHANDON's style.
We want to include, not alienate. Enjoy, not revere. When we come together, we find that happiness often follows.
The meaning of luxury has changed. It is less about ownership, more about seizing and sharing small moments of pleasure. CHANDON is always elegant, enough for any occasion – but it is genuinely informal. It's as perfect on a Tuesday night as it is on a birthday or at a wedding. Maybe even more so – because seizing and marking small moments of joy is what we love to do.
There is mastery in our winemaking. But by the time you pour a glass of CHANDON, all the technical stuff – the care in the vineyards, the wizardry in the winery, the patience in the cellar – has already happened. It’s gone. What is left is pure joy.
The CHANDON tradition of innovation means that we never stop exploring new terroirs, techniques and styles.
A perfectly mixed Spritz with authentic natural ingredients, ready to pour, ready to share... Why not?
The iconic CHANDON Spritz is a collection of three fresh ready-to-serve Spritzes, crafted with ingredients from the gardens of our world. Spanning a choice of flavors and intensities – the already successful bitter Orange Peel & Spices at 11.5% ABV, and two new recipes: delicious Berries & Hibiscus and zesty Lemon & Verbena, both at 6% ABV – they offer a Spritz for every taste. Diverse, fresh expressions, choice, versatility.
We mix, you Spritz: we’ve done the hard work, so you don’t have to. These three are dressed and ready to party – ready mixed, ready to serve – for a perfectly balanced, premium Spritz experience every time. There’s no fuss: just pour over ice, garnish and enjoy.
From aperitivo hour, to a Friday gathering, to anything in between; just choose your moment and your crew, because CHANDON Spritz is made to celebrate the moment, ready when you are, whenever the time feels right.
WE NURTURE SEEDS OF POSITIVE CHANGE
We are custodians of our landsMore than six decades from our founding, CHANDON is the world’s largest sparkling-wine domaine. The unexpected lands that we call home span the earth, taking our community of skilled individuals to unique and varied places. Each has its own history, culture, ecosystem, and environment; we operate with the highest consideration for these singularities. It is our collective responsibility to preserve them for our communities, our business, and the generations of tomorrow.
We face challenges every day, but across all our terroirs, from high-altitude deserts in Argentina and China to sub-tropical hillsides in Brazil, it is our duty and privilege to protect and restore our land, soils and ecosystems for future generations. We do this in collaboration with the diverse communities at our five estates worldwide.
Our farming practices consider the entire ecosystem – vines, insects, animals, other plant species, soil life, soil type, and bordering ecosystems
– to minimize pests and diseases and help create a healthy symbiosis between our crop and the environment. As responsive farmers, we are in a unique position to observe the effects of climate change on our lands and communities, and to respond, learn and promote knowledge transmission.
We aim to foster respect: for the earth, and between cultures.
