Cara Sur

  • San Juan, Argentina
Cara Sur

Cara Sur is a small winery formed in 2011 as a partnership between two couples who were inspired to revive ancestral vines and produce wines from traditional Argentine varietals. Sebastián Zuccardi and Marcela Manini teamed up with Nuria Año Gargiulo and Pancho Burgallo, an avid mountaineering couple who live in Barreal, in the Calingasta Valley of San Juan, north of Mendoza. This mountaineering spirit is represented in the name: Cara Sur translates to "south face" and refers to the more challenging approach to Cerro Mercedario, one of Argentina’s tallest peaks, which can be seen from Panch and Nuria's hometown of Barreal.

Sebastian and Marcela regularly make the trip north to Barreal to work alongside Pancho and Nuria, and the quartet produces wines made from 80 year old Muscatel, Muscatel Negro, Bonarda, and Criola Chica, the Argentine iteration of País (a.k.a. Listán Prieto, a.k.a.Mission). The vineyard sits alongside the Los Patos River in Barreal on stony soil at 1500 meters above sea level. The vines were trained to a Parral, a ceiling-trellised system that provides shade and maximizes airflow. The wines are made in a tiny winery next to Pancho and Nuria’s home, where they produce small quantities via minimal intervention. This team at Cara Sur are quietly producing some of the most unique wines from one of the most underrated microclimates of Argentina. 

This profile and tasting notes were edited from the Brazos Wine website, along with the pictures used. For more information please visit: Brazos

Image Producer PRODUCT Description Country / Region

DB9664-19
Organic
WA:91 VM:92
Cara Sur Tinto (Bonarda)
2019
Bonarda
85% Bonarda Piemontese, 15% Barbera from 50 year old vines. Grapes are left whole cluster. Fermentation is spontaneous without temperature...
Argentina

DB9667-21
Organic
Cara Sur Moscatel Blanco
2021
Moscatel
100% Moscatel Blanco from 30 year old vines. The grapes are destemmed and fermented in 2,000L concrete eggs on the skins. Maceration takes...
Argentina

DB4427-22
Organic
WA:92
Cara Sur Pergolas Criollas Blancas
2022
Torrontés Sanjuanino
A blend of White Criolla varietals from tiny family vineyards in Barreal and Hilario in San Juan, Argentina, at very high altitudes (4900ft...
Argentina

DB4425-22
Organic
WA:90
Cara Sur Pergolas Criollas Tintas
2022
Criolla Chica
A blend of Red Criolla varietals (70% Cereza, 20% Criolla Chica, 5% Canela, & 5% Moscatel Tinto). Grapes are hand harvested, destemmed...
Argentina

DB9665-22
Organic
WA:93
Cara Sur Criolla Chica
2022
País (Mission)
2021 Also Available!  100% Criolla Chica from 80 year old vines that are mixed between three parcels within the estate. A majority of the...
Argentina

DB9666-22
Organic
WA:93
Cara Sur Moscatel Tinto
2022
Moscatel
2021 Also Available! 100% Moscatel Tinto from 80 year old vines. Grapes are destemmed and undergo spontaneous fermentation on the lees....
Argentina