Study and careerSouth America
Criolla grapes: South America's own vines
Listán Prieto, País, Criolla Grande, Cereza, Torrontés: what the word Criolla covers, where these grapes came from, and why light, fresh Criolla wines are worth a glass.
Alper Billik · Advanced Sommelier
Updated October 2026 · 4 min read · Edited with AI
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The short answer: Criolla is the name for the old grape varieties of South America. One group arrived from Spain with the first settlers, above all Listán Prieto, called Criolla Chica in Argentina, País in Chile and Mission in California and Mexico. The rest were born in the Americas, mostly as natural crosses of Listán Prieto with Muscat of Alexandria: Criolla Grande, Cereza, Pedro Giménez and the Torrontés family. For centuries they made everyday wine. Today a new generation of growers bottles them as light, fresh, honest wines.
What "Criolla" means
In Spanish, *criollo* once meant someone of European descent born in the Americas. The grapes got the same name: European vines, or their children, that grew up in the New World. It is a family name, not one grape, which is why the labels can be confusing.
- Criolla Chica (Listán Prieto, País, Mission): the Spanish original. Pale, light red wine with soft tannins and red fruit.
- Criolla Grande: pink-skinned, born in South America. Traditionally used for everyday white and pale rosé wine.
- Cereza: another pink-skinned variety, widely planted in Argentina for large-volume wine, juice and concentrate.
- Pedro Giménez: a white Criolla of Argentina, not the Spanish Pedro Ximénez despite the name.
- Torrontés Riojano, Sanjuanino and Mendocino: the aromatic whites. Torrontés Riojano is Argentina's signature white.
Where they came from: what the DNA says
A 2007 study in the *American Journal of Enology and Viticulture* (Milla-Tapia and colleagues) genotyped old American vines and found that two Spanish-era grapes, Listán Prieto and Muscat of Alexandria, are the founders of early American viticulture. Most of the other old varieties turned out to be their offspring, crossed by chance in the vineyards over the centuries.
The best-known case is Torrontés Riojano: DNA work published in 2003 and confirmed by Argentina's agricultural research institute, INTA, shows it is a cross of Muscat of Alexandria and Criolla Chica. That Muscat parent is why Torrontés smells of roses and orange blossom. INTA's later work in Mendoza found Criolla vines never genotyped before, with more varied parents than once thought, so the family tree is still being drawn.
Why they survived
- Hardiness: they cope with heat, drought and poor, salty soils better than many European varieties.
- Yield: big bunches and generous crops made them the backbone of cheap everyday wine in Argentina and Chile.
- Old vines: many vineyards are very old, some on their own roots, often head-trained and dry-farmed in Chile's south.
What Criolla wines taste like today
The new wave works with old vineyards, picks earlier and makes the wine gently. Expect pale colour, low to medium alcohol, soft tannins, bright acidity and flavours of red cherry, strawberry and dried herbs, sometimes a little floral. Some are rosé or orange in style; some are fizzy pét-nats. Serve the reds lightly chilled, like a Beaujolais, with empanadas, grilled vegetables, charcuterie or a simple roast chicken.
| Grape | Where to look | Style today |
|---|---|---|
| País | Chile: Maule, Itata, Bío Bío | Light, juicy, rustic red; also rosé and sparkling |
| Criolla Chica | Argentina: Mendoza, San Juan, Salta | Pale, fresh, low-tannin red |
| Criolla Grande | Argentina: Mendoza, San Juan | Pale rosé and light reds |
| Cereza | Argentina: Mendoza, San Juan | Mostly everyday wine; some light rosé |
| Torrontés Riojano | Argentina: Salta (Cafayate), La Rioja | Perfumed, dry white |
| Mission | Mexico and California | Historic red, now a curiosity |
- País
- Where to lookChile: Maule, Itata, Bío Bío
- Style todayLight, juicy, rustic red; also rosé and sparkling
- Criolla Chica
- Where to lookArgentina: Mendoza, San Juan, Salta
- Style todayPale, fresh, low-tannin red
- Criolla Grande
- Where to lookArgentina: Mendoza, San Juan
- Style todayPale rosé and light reds
- Cereza
- Where to lookArgentina: Mendoza, San Juan
- Style todayMostly everyday wine; some light rosé
- Torrontés Riojano
- Where to lookArgentina: Salta (Cafayate), La Rioja
- Style todayPerfumed, dry white
- Mission
- Where to lookMexico and California
- Style todayHistoric red, now a curiosity
For the exam
- Certified: the Court's 2026/27 syllabus lists Argentina's native varietals. Know Torrontés (Riojano is the best), Bonarda (the French Douce Noir, not a Criolla) and the Criollas.
- MS Diploma: native grape varieties, Criollas included, by name.
- Remember one sentence: Listán Prieto = Criolla Chica = País = Mission, and most Criollas are its children with Muscat of Alexandria.
For the bigger picture, read Argentina for Level 1 and Chile for Level 1. For daily practice on South America, SOMM DIGI AI has 3,000+ exam-prep questions, free to start.
Questions people ask
Is País the same grape as Criolla Chica?
Yes. País (Chile), Criolla Chica (Argentina) and Mission (California and Mexico) are all Listán Prieto, a Spanish variety.
Is Torrontés a Criolla grape?
Yes. The Torrontés varieties were born in Argentina; Torrontés Riojano is a cross of Muscat of Alexandria and Criolla Chica.
What does Criolla wine taste like?
Usually pale and light, with red cherry and strawberry, soft tannins and fresh acidity. Many are best slightly chilled.
Is Bonarda a Criolla?
No. Argentine Bonarda is the French Douce Noir, a European variety.
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