Criolla Chica bunches
The European import Listán Prieto, known in Argentina as Criolla Chica, joined the cast of quality red grapes approved by the country’s Instituto Nacional de Vitivinicultura (INV) in legislation published on 16 August.
It joins better-known counterparts, such as Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir and Bonarda, in the list of varieties approved for the production and labelling of quality red wine, and can include Geographical Identification (IG) or Denomination of Origin (DOC) classification. All Criolla grapes were so far on the list of approved rosé varieties preventing Argentine producers from producing a lighter style of red, labelled as such. The resolution opens the doors for Argentine wineries to present and export fresher, lighter-hued red for which there is increasing demand.
Timely renaissance
A member of the criolla (creole) family that includes multiple varieties – Cereza, Criolla Grande, Pedro Gimenéz and various Moscatels and Torrontés – commonly grown in South America following the conquista – the pale-skin big-berry grape has been cultivated in Argentina since the 17th century. From Quebrada de Humahuaca, at 2,600 metres above sea level, to the provinces of Catamarca, San Juan and Mendoza, the variety’s ability to express terroir is appreciated by winemakers. The grape also appeals to a new generation of consumers seeking fresh, lighter wines.
Criolla Chica (also known as País in Chile and Mission in California) has, along with other varieties of the criolla family, experienced an exciting renaissance in the last decade. The Cara Sur project, founded in 2011 by husband-and-wife
