Cruzat

About Cruzat Winery

Cruzat winery was started in 2004 with the singular ambition of making Argentina’s top sparkling wines. A venture between a group of four Chilean businessmen and Argentine sparkling winemaker extraordinaire Pedro Rosell, the goal was to make top end, traditional method sparkling wines seeking out the best terroirs in Mendoza to grow grapes and building a state-of-the-art winery to produce the wine.

Seeking out well-draining, high-altitude vineyards in Luján de Cuyo and the Uco Valley, the grapes are all handpicked and taken to the winery. The winery was designed to reflect a medieval style, a homage to the thousands of years it has taken to perfect the art of sparkling winemaking, and offers an ideal space for an entirely traditional method (Champenoise) production with long ageing on the lees and in the cellar.

About the Vineyards

Cruzat uses different vineyard sites in Luján de Cuyo and the Uco Valley for their sparkling wine range. For the Premier line, Cruzat uses grapes from their own vineyards in Perdriel in Luján de Cuyo. The vineyard is located at an altitude of 1,100 metres above sea level on average and has rocky river soils.

The Cuvée, Single Vineyard and Millésime lines all come from vineyards in the Uco Valley, in San José de Tupungato (at 1,400 m.a.s.l.) and in Vista Flores (1,000 m.a.s.l.). The loamy, rocky soils are well-draining which combine with the high altitude for wines of vibrant acidity and intense fruit concentration.

About the Winemakers

Pedro Rosell

Pedro Rosell is one of the most experienced sparkling winemakers in South America with a long career in Mendoza that spans five decades and experience in Champagne. Pedro has been a sought-after specialist in bubbly throughout his career and worked in several of the most esteemed sparkling wine productions around Mendoza, before starting with Cruzat.

“Patience, hard work and dedication are the key to obtaining good results in the world of wines,” says Pedro Rosell about the winery’s philosophy for making wines that are worth the wait.

Lorena Mulet

Pedro’s right-hand woman, Lorena Mulet is one of the most promising winemakers of her generation and has specialised in sparkling wine since the beginning of her career. She originally studied under Pedro at University before working several years heading up the sparkling wine production in other wineries and working as a consultant. In 2011, Pedro recruited her to work full time as the main winemaker of Cruzat, where they continue to work together to this day.

About Cruzat Sparkling Wines

All of the Cruzat wines are made with selected bunches of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir grapes in the traditional method. The first fermentation is usually a period of 12 months and the second fermentation on the lees starts at a minimum of 12 months up to ten years, depending on the wine.

CRUZAT PREMIER

The Cruzat Premier sparkling wines are made with grapes from Luján de Cuyo and spends 12 months in the making. The Premier wines are youthful, fresh wines with crisp floral and fruit aromas which distinguish their quality and style. Within the range, there is currently a Nature, Extra Brut, Rosé Extra Brut and Dulce.

CRUZAT CUVÉE

The Cuvée line is the winery’s grand reserve line using their grapes from the Uco Valley, which enable them to achieve sparkling wines fuller body with defined aromas, a mature but approachable character with a persistent, creamy and firm mousse. The Cuvée range, which spends 24 months on the lees, includes Nature, Extra Brut and Extra Brut Rosé.

CRUZAT SINGLE VINEYARD FINCA LA DAMA

Coming from their Finca La Dama vineyard in Vista Flores in the Uco Valley, this Single Vineyard wine is from a specially selected site where calcareous soils help offer a sparkling wine with great character, structure and complexity. This 100% Chardonnay (Blanc de Blanc) spends six years on the lees and is elegant but complex, with aromas of toasted brioche and vanilla with an undertone of fresh citrus and floral aromas.

CRUZAT MILLÉSIME

This is Argentina’s most iconic sparkling wine made with grapes from Tupungato in the Uco Valley which spends 10 years on the lees! It is one of the longest-aged sparkling wines of South America and combined with the addition of a liquor de tirage which has been aged for 20 years on the lees, it is an extremely complex and profound sparkling wine with layers pastry, orchard fruit, mineral and spice aromas. The current vintage on the market is 2006 and has been made with two editions – a blend (of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir) and a Blanc de Noir (100% Pinot Noir). Millésime is the result of years of dedication and passion in each detail of the wine.

CRUZAT PETNAT

Cruzat recently launched two Chardonnay and Pinot Noir PetNat wines (pétillant naturel), which come from a method that was discovered by accident in France in the 16th century. Also called the ancestral method, these PetNat wines are made from bottling the wine before the first fermentation has finished to capture a light sparkle in the wine. Fresh, authentic and with their own unique personality, Cruzat’s PetNat wines are unfiltered, lightly cloudy and have no added sugar or sulphites.

Visiting Bodega Cruzat in Luján de Cuyo

If you are a sparkling wine lover, then Cruzat is one of the best wineries to visit in South America with a tourism team and engaging, creative tastings which allow you to experience the art of fascinating bubbles.

There are several visits you can choose from at Cruzat winery, including:

Cruzat Experience

A classic tasting of three of Cruzat’s Premier and Cuvée sparkling wines with a tour of the winery.

Creating Bubbles

This in-depth visit gives you the opportunity to make your own bottle of sparkling wine by adding the dosage, corking and labelling your own bottle.

Cruzat Family

This family-style tour is great for children as well as the parents and includes activities designing labels for children, and wine tasting for the adults.

Premium Tasting

This exclusive tasting includes a tasting of Cruzat’s top sparkling wines, Millésime and the La Dama Single Vineyard as well as the Cuvée line.

Picnic & Relax

You can enjoy the gardens of Cruzat and sparkling wines with this special picnic experience, including empanadas, charcuterie and fizz!

The winery is open Monday through Saturday for visits and tastings, which need to be booked in advance online. The terraza is ideal for an afternoon spent enjoying the stunning view and sipping the delicious creations of Cruzat. Previous books are also recommended.