LVMH’s Chandon sparkling wine brand is turning 50 and to celebrate the brand has redesigned its tasting room in Napa and created a new bottle of sparkling wine.
“We wanted to commemorate over five decades of sparkling wine making in California with a reimagined Chandon home,” says Cécile Artigalas, chief marketing officer of LVMH’s Chandon.
“Our California home has been a destination for exceptional sparkling wine in Napa since 1973, and is the first of our six homes around the world to undergo this exciting transformation. Additionally, to toast to Chandon’s golden anniversary year, we created the very special 50th Anniversary Cuvée Winemaker’s Blend.”
To create the anniversary bottle, director of winemaking Pauline Lhote reunited with former Chandon winemakers Dawnine Dyer, Wayne Donaldson and Tom Tiburzi to begin trials. “It has been an amazing project to create this limited release cuvée as a true celebration of Chandon’s winemaking legacy in Napa Valley,” adds Artigalas.
Brand Innovators caught up with Artigalas to talk about the milestone anniversary and discuss the new space. This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
What is the inspiration behind the new space?
The vision for Chandon’s California home is a space that allows one to feel at home and be stimulated in a multi-sensory way. Each element that Taalman Architecture added reflects the alchemical processes of winemaking and the hybrid methods of the winemakers in their traditional and pioneering techniques. Earthen textures and materials bring in the terroir and simultaneously add warmth and form. Water and air elements highlight the important microclimate of the region and bring light, reflection and transparency, using glass, mirror, metallic and reflective materials.
The new building design sees spaces seamlessly connected via a series of ramps that echo a Californian hillside path. Wine is a natural product, and we love to taste it as close to nature and our terroirs as possible, so the new space beautifully blurs the lines, the line between indoors and outdoors.
How does this new space help support your brand’s mission?
Our Chandon Homes are our 6 pioneering wineries implemented in unexpected destinations from Argentina to Brazil, Australia, China, India and of course California. We chose the name deliberately because our wineries are much more than a production site. It’s where our roots are, where we’re most at home. It’s a showcase of our craft, and an expression of who we are and our mission. Our California home has been a destination for exceptional sparkling wine in Napa since 1973, and it is one of the first of our six homes to throw open its doors. We are hosts at heart, and our Home is the place where we get to extend our warm hospitality.
Who are your customers and how does this kind of offering appeal to them?
At CHANDON, everyone is welcome at our Home and table. We welcome wine lovers and culinary aficionados alike to enjoy our meaningful sensory experiences and events, as we offer a range of exclusive options that suit every mood. Our new Home will continue to host individuals, groups, families and more serving those 21+, though we certainly re-imagined some of our offerings to bring new energy, edutainment, elevated experiences, and visually appealing elements to life that we feel cater to a wide range of guests.
How are you thinking about customer experience?
When we revitalized this home here in Napa, there was one overarching goal: to welcome visitors and Club Chandon members alike and have a place for all to experience our home’s warm hospitality. We wanted to create a warm and inviting community hub, or ‘home,’ for all where we can showcase our hospitality and exceptional wines – everyone is welcome at our table here at Chandon. We offer a wide range of experiences that cater to a multitude of consumers to ensure their experiences feel very elevated yet approachable.
How are you thinking about innovation?
Since being founded in 1959, Chandon has continuously been a community of pioneers and innovators. As one of the 6 Chandon wineries, we’ve created the world’s largest estate dedicated solely to sparkling winemaking. From our female-lead winemaking team, to our prioritized sustainability practices in our vineyards, gardens and newly renovated spaces, here at Chandon, we are innovators at heart and look to continue that legacy for years to come.
How are you showing up in culture?
At Chandon, our goal was to create a place that reveals our care and deep respect for its land and people. We are a diverse community of a little bit more than 800 employees speaking more than 30 languages worldwide. 16 winemakers of seven different nationalities craft our outstanding creative sparkling wines with the expression of their unique 6 terroirs.
We’ve built the Chandon culture and community around its people and continue to share our message of hospitality and home in hopes others continue along this journey with us. We love to support like-minded organizations and partners across a variety of landscapes – beauty, art, culinary, celebrations and beyond.
