A special toast: the bottles worth popping open

At Cruzat, bubbles take center stage. Based in Perdriel, Luján de Cuyo, the winery has built its identity around sparkling wines and the traditional method, exploring everything from long-aged labels to releases that challenge expectations. That spirit of experimentation gave rise to Cosecha Temprana, launched in 2022 as one of Argentina's early responses to a trend now sweeping the wine world: drinking lighter without sacrificing complexity in the glass.

This Extra Brut Rosé is made from 100% Pinot Noir grown in Perdriel, harvested during the first days of February to naturally achieve lower sugar levels and, consequently, less alcohol. Produced using the traditional method, it spends around six months on its lees, which lend creaminess to a fresh, fruit-forward profile and a delicate onion-skin hue. The label debuted with just 9.4% alcohol and 72 calories per 100 ml, compared with approximately 95 calories in a traditional sparkling wine.

Did you know? In a country where most wineries produce sparkling wines alongside reds and whites, Cruzat chose to dedicate itself exclusively to bubbles. Since its founding in 2004, its entire production has focused on sparkling wines made using the traditional method, with secondary fermentation taking place in the bottle.

Not all great Pinot Noirs are served red. With Cuvée Réserve Blanc de Noirs, Chandon takes the variety into sparkling wine territory, using grapes grown in high-altitude vineyards between 1,400 and 1,650 meters above sea level. The result combines the structure of Pinot Noir with freshness and the complexity developed through extended contact with yeast.

On the nose, expect plums, cherries, roses, praline and almonds, while the palate reveals a creamy texture and fine bubbles. It's a sparkling wine versatile enough to move beyond the celebratory toast and onto the dining table: it pairs beautifully with everything from brunch and tapas to fish and main courses.

Did you know? Blanc de Noirs literally means "white from black grapes": although it's made entirely from Pinot Noir, the grapes are gently pressed to avoid extracting color from their skins. Need another vote of confidence? It's the favorite of Ana Paula Bartolucci, Chef de Cave at Chandon Argentina.

When grapes arrive by gravity from high-altitude vineyards in the Uco Valley, something interesting begins to happen. At Kung Fu, the grapes grow in limestone-rich soils at 1,400 meters above sea level, under agroecological practices that respect the surrounding environment. Harvesting is done by hand, and winemaking follows ancestral techniques: spontaneous fermentation with native yeasts in concrete eggs, with no filtration, fining or added sulfites.

This iconic Pét-Nat from Riccitelli Wines is bottled just as it is, with minimal interference. Through natural fermentation, every bubble reflects the terroir of Gualtallary and Los Chacayes, without additives altering its essence. The idea isn't to control the process, but to let nature do the talking.

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Did you know? Behind Kung Fu is Matías Riccitelli, one of the leading figures behind Mendoza's new generation of winemakers. And the name is no coincidence: "Kung Fu" refers to the philosophy of learning and improving through practice, an idea the winery has embraced in this range of minimal-intervention wines.

With a history dating back to 1888 in Vistalba, Nieto Senetiner has spent more than 130 years combining tradition and technology. Sparkling wines have played an important role in that journey: the winery has a dedicated production area equipped for both the Charmat and traditional methods. Now, that expertise meets one of the trends transforming drinking habits worldwide: consuming less alcohol without giving up the ritual of wine.

The result is Nieto Senetiner 0% Brut, introduced as Argentina's first sparkling wine made entirely from wine but containing 0% alcohol. It begins with Pinot Noir grown in the Uco Valley at 1,400 meters above sea level, undergoes two natural fermentations and spends at least six months on its lees before being dealcoholized using spinning cone technology. With no added aromas or flavorings, it retains its characteristic salmon-pink color and offers notes of brioche, toast and red berries, alongside freshness and lively acidity on the palate.

Did you know? The 0% Brut is just the beginning. With this launch, Nieto Senetiner is introducing a new range of alcohol-free wines, with additional labels including Chardonnay, Malbec Rosé and Malbec–Pinot Noir.

At Susana Balbo Wines, the story of Osadía de Crear brings two generations together. The range emerged from a collaboration between Susana Balbo, Argentina's first female winemaker, and her daughter Ana Lovaglio Balbo, initially designed to complement the culinary offering at the winery's restaurant. First came a sparkling wine made from Pinot Noir, followed by the need for a white sparkling wine that would offer greater flexibility when creating food pairings. That's how the Extra Brut Blanc de Blancs was born, taking an idea conceived in the restaurant far beyond its dining tables.

The current version is made entirely from Chardonnay grown in the Uco Valley and Luján de Cuyo, harvested by hand and transformed into sparkling wine using the Charmat method, with three months on its lees. Pale yellow with greenish reflections and fine, persistent bubbles, it reveals notes of white peach and apple, while the palate combines intense fruit flavors with pronounced acidity. Its culinary DNA remains intact: it's designed to accompany fish, seafood, rice dishes and even desserts.

Did you know? This sparkling wine followed the opposite path to most: it wasn't originally created for store shelves, but to accompany the dishes served at the Osadía de Crear restaurant. The experience proved so successful that the family decided to expand the range and bring those bubbles beyond the winery.

Doña Paula is based in Mendoza and works with estate-owned vineyards across different parts of the province, with a particular focus on exploring the Uco Valley. When it comes to sparkling wine, the winery also chose an unconventional path: rather than relying on the classic Chardonnay-Pinot Noir pairing, it developed Sauvage Blanc, described as the first sparkling wine in Argentina and the region made exclusively from Sauvignon Blanc.

The grapes come from Finca Los Cerezos in Tupungato, producing a pale-yellow Brut Nature with a distinctly varietal character. Aromas of orange blossom, white peach, grapefruit and a hint of mint emerge, while lively acidity takes center stage on the palate, leaving a fresh, lingering finish. To preserve that character, the grapes are handled carefully to prevent oxidation, and fermentation takes place at low temperatures.

Did you know? This sparkling wine has taken Mendoza's bubbles a long way: it was the only Argentine sparkling wine included among Wine Pleasures' "50 Great Sparkling Wines of the World" in its 2023 edition, an international competition judged through blind tastings.

At Rosell Boher, sparkling wine is far from an afterthought: bubbles have been part of the house's identity since the very beginning. In fact, this Brut was one of the winery's first products and has become one of its classics over the years. Its philosophy centers on the traditional, or Champenoise, method and extended aging, seeking the complexity that develops when wine is given time.

Rosell Boher Brut 2021 blends 60% Pinot Noir and 40% Chardonnay from Finca Los Árboles in Tunuyán, at an altitude of 1,250 meters. It spends a minimum of 30 months on its lees, which are largely responsible for its rich texture and notes of toast and almonds, mingling with peach, orange and white flowers. On the palate, it offers lively acidity, small, delicate bubbles and a long, fresh finish.

Did you know? At Rosell Boher, patience is practically another ingredient. All its sparkling wines are produced using the traditional method, and this Brut spends at least two and a half years resting on its lees before reaching the glass. Other labels from the same winery take that philosophy even further, including its Grand Cuvée 70 Meses.

At Malpensado Wines, bubbles take a less conventional route under the guidance of winemaker Constanza Gaitieri. For this Pét-Nat, the project moves away from the varieties most commonly associated with sparkling wine and embraces Riesling grown in Montecaseros, San Martín, in eastern Mendoza. It's a choice that also reflects a desire to explore different territories and grape varieties within Mendoza's wine landscape.

Malpensado Pét-Nat Riesling retains its natural cloudiness and displays a pale greenish-yellow color. On the nose, it offers pear, lime, pineapple, kiwi and white flowers, while the palate is refreshing and rounded, with pronounced acidity. At 10.8% alcohol, it's a fresh, easygoing interpretation of a variety rarely found at the heart of Argentina's sparkling wine scene.

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Did you know? Riesling didn't arrive at Malpensado by chance. Constanza Gaitieri worked in Germany, where she gained firsthand experience and specialized in this emblematic grape variety. Upon returning to Mendoza, she brought some of that knowledge to this Pét-Nat made with grapes from San Martín.

At Finca Bandini, located in Las Compuertas, Luján de Cuyo, Malbec plays a starring role in a project focused on its origins and the potential of one of Mendoza's historic wine regions. With Aurum, the winery takes that identity in a different direction: transforming Argentina's flagship grape into a rosé sparkling wine.

Aurum Malbec Rosé Extra Brut is made from 100% Malbec grapes grown in Las Compuertas, using the Charmat method. With reddish tones, golden reflections and fine bubbles, it combines floral aromas with the variety's characteristic fruit-forward personality. On the palate, it's rounded and expressive, with a versatile profile that makes it suitable for everything from aperitifs to after-dinner gatherings.

Did you know? Finca Bandini literally preserves a piece of Mendoza's history: within its 77 hectares, remnants of the original irrigation gates and channels built in 1922 to manage water from the Mendoza River can still be found. When Federico Bandini acquired the estate in 2017, he decided to preserve them as part of the project.

At Maal Wines, the Mendoza winery born from scrap metal, practically everything revolves around Malbec. The project began in 2010 through the friendship of Matías Fraga and Alfredo Merlo, initially producing just six barrels from grapes grown in an abandoned vineyard. It eventually evolved into a winery dedicated to exploring the many sides of Argentina's signature grape. Even its headquarters in Las Compuertas reflects that unconventional spirit: it was built using repurposed shipping containers.

Ambiguo La Vieja takes that experimentation into sparkling wine territory. It's a Blanc de Malbec Brut Nature made from grapes grown in El Zampal, Tupungato, at an altitude of 980 meters. The grapes are harvested by hand, undergo just two hours of maceration, see no oak and the wine rests for four months at the winery before spending at least another two months in the bottle. But the most interesting part lies in its origin: the same base wine takes two different paths, with one portion remaining a still wine while the other undergoes secondary fermentation in the bottle to become La Vieja.

Did you know? Take a second look at the label. Its illustration plays with a famous optical illusion: depending on where you focus your gaze, you can see either a young woman or an elderly lady. It's more than just a design choice: it represents the two identities that can emerge from the same wine. La Joven, without bubbles; La Vieja, transformed into sparkling wine.