I love good torrentés and love its floral, fruit, and tropical flavours with some serious mineral and summery tones. Personally, I can't get enough of the mild bitterness on the finish too. Here are some ones that I enjoyed recently-some more than others. But all are well priced wines.
Michel Torino CUMA 2011 Organic Torrentés, Cafayate Valley, Argentina
Stunning fruits of orange, melon, lemon and peach with prominent mineral characters on the nose. Flavours are rich and consistent with a lengthy finish and a lot of floral characters. Crisp, clean, and classically torrentés-oh, and its organic too. Drink now. $15
4 stars (★★★★) Highly Recommended.
Tapiz 2011 Torrentés, Mendoza, Argentina
Made from torrentés riojano, the nose showcases the floral characters the grape is known for with apples, peaches, nectarines, and other tropical fruits. Slightly creamy on the palate, the fruits are more apple than tropical, but overall a good example of the grape and nicely quaffable. $19
3 stars (★★★) Recommended.
Finca Los Primos 2011 Torrentés, San Rafael, Argentina
Floral and spicy immediately on the nose, the fruits of apple, pear, nectarine, and lime follow along with a flinty mineral tone. Decent expression of the grape, the palate lacks excitement or tension leaving an impression of perfectly average wine. Best for fans of pinot grigio as they have somehow managed to make a good facsimile of one out of the torrentés grape. The price is right though…$12
2 stars (★★) Acceptable.
Luigi Bosca Finca La Linda 2011 Torrentés, Cafayate Valley, Argentina
Presenting plenty of floral characters and mineral aromas right off the bat, but still leaving room for fresh apples, nectarine, peaches and pears, and a mild waxiness. In the mouth, the weight is good with fruits having a mild sweetness and richness but allowing the mild, bitterness on the finish to show through. An excellent example of what torrentés can deliver. $13
4 stars (★★★★) Highly Recommended.
Terrazas de los Andes 2011 Reserva Torrentés, Salta, Argentina
Hailing from high altitude vineyards (1800 meters) in Salta, Terrazas is a relatively new brand for Alberta and this was possibly the first “good” torrentés I ever had. The nose is all about those floral tones with bright fruit and a little mineral to go with it. Somewhat restrained, go back to it again and again as the nose evolves in the glass. Rich fruits and expressive mineral show on the palate with dry, crisp fruits and a hint of succulent leaf over underripe apple, oranges, and pear flavours. I love the big finish. $22
4 stars (★★★★) Highly Recommended.
La Puerta 2011 Torrentés, Famatina Valley, Argentina
Possibly the first torrentés widely available in Alberta, decent fruits show on the nose with green apple jolly rancher, spice and white blossom notes along with a chalky mineral character. The fruits are a little fuller than some of the others making for a slightly easier expression than some of the others, but characters border on simple and somewhat candy-like. I’d bet this would be the crowd pleaser, but it isn’t the purest expression of this grape. $13
3 stars (★★★) Recommended.