The 2022 Sunal Exploración Criolla Blanca is a labor of love from Agustín Lanús, a winemaker on a mission to preserve and celebrate Argentina’s ancient heritage grape varieties. Made from 100% Criolla Chica sourced from Luracatao in the Calchaquí Valleys of Salta — one of the highest wine-growing regions in the world — this is a wine with a story to tell.
Pale in color and surprisingly complex, the aromatics lead with cherry, kumquat, and a wild, spicy hit of dill. On the palate it’s light and fruity but structured, with firm tannins, a meaty texture, a touch of iron, and a bright acidity that lingers well past the finish. Spontaneous fermentation with indigenous yeasts and 12 months aging in concrete eggs give it an electric, mineral energy you won’t find in conventional wines.
This is a bottle for the curious — one that honors hundreds of years of tradition from the families of the Calchaquí Valleys.
