Different wines, Mendoza wines: 10 labels to discover what's new

Lower-alcohol wines are no longer rare but a growing trend responding to new consumption styles: more mindful, fresher, and more balanced. In this context, many wineries explore early harvesting or naturally sweet styles to enjoy wine without sacrificing flavor or complexity.

Enter Andeluna’s Torrontés Dulce Natural, the newest addition to their young "1300" line. Made from grapes in Valle de Uco from an old pergola vineyard, this wine has only 6.5% alcohol and stands out for its balance of sweetness, acidity, and an aromatic profile reminiscent of white flowers and fruits like peach and pear. It’s perfect paired with strong cheeses or fruity desserts. A fresh, elegant, and modern proposal reflecting the new face of mountain wine.

Fun fact: The new label features an embossed design simulating the Andes profile and native flora, celebrating the wine’s origin through its design.

The search for livelier, purer wines with less intervention has led more wineries to natural vinifications, without added sulfites or artifices. Among the fastest-growing styles, pet-nats—sparkling wines made by the ancestral method—have become icons of young, fresh, experimental wine.

Chakana Wines’ Sobrenatural Frisante Rosado perfectly exemplifies this trend. Made without added sulfites, with biodynamic practices in their Agrelo vineyard, this Syrah, Tannat, and Malbec blend offers an intense nose full of red fruit and a crisp mouthfeel thanks to natural carbon dioxide. The 2024 harvest was warm, enhancing aromatic expression, while the early harvest keeps vibrant acidity. Ideal for summer, as an aperitif or paired with fresh dishes.

Fun fact: Its carbonation is completely natural—only one fermentation finished in the bottle, no additives, just grape and terroir.

More people are choosing wines that fit a healthy, conscious lifestyle without giving up enjoyment. In this context, low-alcohol and low-calorie wines are gaining ground. And if they are organic, vegan, and sulfite-free, the combo is irresistible.

LoCa (a wordplay between “Low Calories” and its “crazy” production) is Argentina’s first wine to combine all this in one bottle. Deep violet color, intense aromas of red and black fruits, light and fruity body. This Malbec from Domaine Bousquet has only 9.5% alcohol, made with certified organic grapes from Valle de Uco, harvested early and fermented with natural yeasts.

Fun fact: Besides its low calorie and alcohol content, LoCa is vegan, gluten-free, sulfite-free, and certified regenerative agriculture.

Responsible consumption is also gaining strong ground in the wine world. More consumers seek options that support a conscious lifestyle without sacrificing flavor or quality. In this spirit, Susana Balbo, Argentina’s first female winemaker, presents her bet: Crios Sustentia Chardonnay, a fresh, elegant white with only 8.9% alcohol.

Also of interest: 7 sweets that capture the flavor of the season

This wine comes from an early harvest in Valle de Uco, resulting in lower sugar concentration in the grapes, and thus a naturally low alcohol and calorie profile. With balanced, refreshing acidity, it’s perfect to pair with light dishes or simply enjoy well-chilled on any occasion. It’s part of a sub-line committed to sustainability, ecological viticulture, and innovation.

Fun fact: At Susana Balbo Wines, whites and rosés make up to 40% of the portfolio—more than double the national average.

The future of wine is also reinvented through science. After two years of research at its own institute, Catena Zapata presents Domaine Elena de Mendoza, targeting the premium market with an innovative proposal: non-alcoholic and low-alcohol wines made from verjuice, an unfermented juice from green Chardonnay grapes from Valle de Uco.

This research resulted in four unique drinks: two sparkling beverages infused with botanicals (non-alcoholic) and two sparkling wines with just 7% alcohol combining verjuice and dry Chardonnay, called Uco Mineral and Uco Stones. Aromatic, elegant, and balanced, they offer a new way to enjoy wine without giving up sensory pleasure.

Fun fact: Using verjuice—uncommon in Argentine winemaking—allows lowering sugar, alcohol, and calories without sacrificing the complexity typical of the winery’s wines.

Natural viticulture also has its place in Mendoza, and Santa Julia was among the pioneers betting on minimally intervened wines without losing accessibility or enjoyment. Within their line of natural, organic, and vegan wines, El Zorrito is their first orange wine: made 100% from Chardonnay with no added sulfites.

The wine ferments with native yeasts and spends over 40 days in contact with skins, achieving an expressive aromatic profile with citrus and tropical fruit notes plus a bold texture that makes it an uncommon white. It is bottled unfiltered and unfined, enjoyed fresh, alone or paired with spicy dishes or strong cheeses.

Fun fact: Santa Julia was the first winery in Argentina certified "Fair For Life," guaranteeing fair and sustainable labor practices throughout its production chain.

Matías Riccitelli represents a new generation of Mendoza winemakers who combine identity, creativity, and rebellion. His personal project highlights Kung Fu Orange, an orange Sauvignon Blanc fermented in concrete eggs and clay amphorae, unfiltered and unfined.

This natural wine emphasizes pure varietal expression with citrus, herbal, and mineral notes, plus a enveloping texture making it as intriguing as easy to drink. Its raw, unembellished style speaks to consumers seeking honest, vibrant wines and sets trends in the most experimental segment of Valle de Uco.

Fun fact: Riccitelli Wines has vineyards in extreme areas like Gualtallary and Los Chacayes, at altitudes above 1,500 meters, allowing production of wines with great freshness and natural acidity.

Joanna Foster and Ernesto Catena created Stella Crinita with a clear goal: to make 100% natural wines that reflect place, grape, and the spirit of biodynamics. Their Omaggio Pet Nat, made with Cabernet Franc and Viognier, is an ancestral sparkling wine ideal for those looking for different bubbles.

Also of interest: The best spots to eat goat and barbecue in Mendoza

No added sulfites, no filtration, spontaneous fermentation—Omaggio is fresh, juicy, with fine bubbles and notes of red fruit and bakery. Enjoy it as an aperitif or with spicy dishes. Its name honors artisanal crafts and creation as an act of love.

Fun fact: Their wines come from a biodynamic 5-hectare vineyard certified by Demeter, an international certification guaranteeing biodynamic agriculture.

The recovery of criolla grape varieties is another ongoing revolution. Winemaker Lucas Niven understood this early and brought life to this line called “Criolla Argentina,” from a century-old pergola vineyard planted in Junín in 1920. With minimalist winemaking and great personality, the result is a light red wine with its own identity.

Fermented with native yeasts and aged unfiltered in concrete, Criolla Grande expresses red fruit, earthy notes, and natural acidity, making it fresh, friendly, and very versatile. It’s one of those reds you can drink lightly chilled, paired from an empanada to a ceviche.

Fun fact: The Criolla pergola vineyard from which this wine comes is over 100 years old—a living gem of Mendoza’s viticultural heritage.

In a land dominated by Malbec, Ver Sacrum Wines dares to take another path. Led by Eduardo Soler, this project explores the potential of unconventional grape varieties, especially Mediterranean ones, and bets on minimal intervention viticulture and low alcohol.

One of its gems is Doña Mencía de los Andes, made from the ancestral Spanish variety Mencía, grown at 1,100 meters above sea level in Los Chacayes, Valle de Uco. The result is a fresh, elegant, and floral wine with excellent acidity and notable aromatic expression. Its versatile profile makes it a great gastronomic companion: perfect for a platter with smoked provoleta cheese or spicy chorizo.

Fun fact: Ver Sacrum’s winemaking philosophy focuses on fresh wines with low alcohol, minimal intervention, and use of native yeasts.