Vallisto, Criolla 2019

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Francisco (Pancho) Lavaque is part of the Lavaque family, a well-known producer of wines from Cafayate in Salta in the far north of Argentina. His Vallisto wines ( a Vallisto is a person from the valley, fundamentally from the Cafayate Valley) exploit exceptional Criolla vines, first planted in 1898 and residing at an altitude of 2600m in the Calchaqui Valley. The Criolla Chica grape is more commonly seen in Chile (where it's known as Pais) but is well suited to the extreme conditions of the north of Argentina. Vallisto is about expressing the virtues of the unique terroirs in and around this beautiful, remote area of Argentina. It is also a rescue mission, giving voice to long-forgotten vineyards and lesser-known grape varieties, pulling together a youthful, dynamic approach to winemaking and the kind of natural resources that take millennia to form. Pancho and his team are creating exciting, rare gems, often from very old vines, and they are crafting modern, elegant wines that are light on extraction and big on flavour and complexity.