In Argentina, the land of Malbec, a historic, almost forgotten variety has re-emerged to generate great expectations in Argentine viticultural circles: Criolla Chica.
Criolla Chica is the local name for Listan Prieto, a red grape that first came to the Americas in the middle of the 16th century, brought by Spanish colonizers, very possibly from the Canary Islands, the last stop of ships from Europe before crossing to the New World.
Together with Muscat of Alexandria, the grape was planted widely in American vineyards and didn’t just produce the first wines on this side of the ocean but, after cross-breeding with other varieties, sired a large family of indigenous grapes that would in Argentina become known collectively as criolla. They include Torrontés and Criolla Grande. And so, over the years, it became better known as Criolla Chica than Listan Prieto, while in the USA it was renamed the Mission grape and in Chile, País.
In the mid-19th century, the arrival of French varieties and the development of modern viticulture took the focus away from Criolla Chica, which was mainly used to make cheap, simple wines. Of course, this affected its reputation. The National Institute of Viticulture even left it off its list of quality red grapes, regarding the variety as having little oenological potential.
An ongoing resurgence
However, over the past decade, oenologists have been seeking out old vineyards of this grape, intrigued by how it has adapted to different terroirs and its history, which is profoundly linked to the viticultural identity of Argentina.
Now, this renewed interest in Criolla Chica has led to the grape receiving new impetus with reclassification as a quality red grape by the National Institute of Viticulture.
From now on, wines that are at least 85% Criolla Chica can be officially labelled as reds. Previously, Criolla Chica was considered a rosé, which meant that producers were able to label their wines as rosés even though they looked and tasted much more like a light red in a similar way to Pinot Noir. This discrepancy caused issues, especially when it came to exports.
Among those celebrating the news is the British expert Phil Crozier, who says that, “Criolla varieties are proving quite popular in the independent market in the UK. I think that they offer an excellent introduction to Argentina and bring diversity and history to the Argentine wine scene. They share stories about old vineyards in the east of Mendoza, young restless oenologists interested in old varieties that are proving to be resilient to climate change. What more can you ask?”
From Argentina to the world: Criolla Chica as an opportunity
The recognition of Criolla Chica as a quality red grape isn’t just an adjustment in regulations, it is also a boost for its oenological status, offering new opportunities to producers and consumers. In a world where authenticity and diversity are increasingly valued, Criolla Chica is emerging as a variety that connects the past to the present, representing fresh, light wines that have deep roots in Argentine viticultural heritage.
From Brazil, the wine journalist Jorge Lucki notes: “I like wines made with criolla grapes in Argentina mainly because they are excellent examples of current trends that demand lighter, more vibrant, balanced wines with lower alcohol content but most of all because they reflect both the viticultural tradition of the country and the resurgence of this old variety in recent years. They’re important because they add something new to what Argentina has to offer, something good and on trend for the international market.”
Finally, reclassification eliminates another barrier to these wines, as the winemaker Santiago Mayorga at Cadus Wines explains: “In addition to being able to label these wines as reds, the even more important aspect of Criolla Chica being named a quality grape is that we can start using Geographic Indications. That will allow us to highlight its different characteristics in all the terroirs where it is grown.”
Which Criolla Chica wines are available to try today
Currently, Argentina only has 320 hectares of Criolla Chica under vine, making them more and more prized for their heritage value. “In Salta, Criolla Chica has been grown for more than 300 years. It has a notable historical value but there is also the way it has adapted to the terroir, allowing us to make a wine with plenty of character and sense of place,” says Raúl Dávalos, who makes a Criolla from an old vineyard in the Calchaquí Valleys. Obviously, Mendoza has the greatest surface area of Criolla Chica with half of the overall total spread across the vineyards of the east, Luján de Cuyo and the Uco Valley.
With regard to what we can expect from a Criolla Chica wine, the sommelier Valeria Gamper says: “These wines, in addition to their unique heritage value, offer lightness and delicacy, juiciness and a satisfying texture in the mouth.” These are ideal attributes for anyone looking for a mild wine with its own identity.
Recommended versions of Criolla Chica include Pala Corazón criolla argentina by Lucas Niven, made with grapes from Junín; from Luján de Cuyo, try Proyecto Las Compuertas by Durigutti Winemakers. For some of the character of the Uco Valley try the version made by Santiago Mayorga for Cadus Wines, or Kung Fu Criolla sin sulfitos by Matías Riccitelli.
It’s also worth trying Criolla Chicas from Salta, where 40 hectares supply delicious labels such as El Esteco Old Vines, Valle Arriba Criollita, Sunal Ilógico by Agustín Lanús and Vallisto by Pancho Lávaque.
San Juan, which has around 77 hectares, is achieving excellent results in the Calingasta Valley with Cara Sur, a winery that pioneered the variety.
Finally, in the Quebrada de Humahuaca in Jujuy, Diana Bellincioni harvests from extremely old vines for her exotic Sacha Tigre, while Daniel Manzur makes his compelling Viñas Elegidas Don Pilar Criolla Chica in Purmamarca.
This rebirth, led by winemakers who have brought out the best of Criolla Chica, is now a wonderful opportunity to rediscover a part of Argentine viticultural heritage that had almost been forgotten.
