Never tasted a Torrontés like this one. High alcohol, some herbs and then the traditional fruit.
WINE DETAILS:
- Grape: Torrontés Riojano
- Alcohol: 14.3%
- Wine: San Pedro de Yacochuya
- Vintage: 2016
- Winery: Yacochuya S.A.
- Location: Valle de Cafayate, Salta, Argentina
- Date: 1/6/21
- Distributor: CC1
Curious Synonyms: Torrontel, Torrontel Riojano, Malvasía
Nerd Alert: Recent research using DNA profiling has shown that the different Torrontés are genetically closely related but distinct grape varieties, and that Torrontés Riojano, Torrontés Sanjuanino, and Torontel (also known as Moscatel Amarillo) are all separate crossings of Mission (originally reported as Criolla Chica) and Muscat of Alexandria. Around 8,700 hectares (21,000 acres) in Argentina have been planted with Torrontés Riojano, and 4,850 hectares (12,000 acres) with Torrontés Sanjuanino. The Salta region in northwest Argentina is particularly noted for its Torrontés as the grape thrives in cold dry, windswept conditions.
Personal Note: I had written a draft and I threw it out. You see, I’ve tried Torrontés before. I had this expectation of knowing the grape and yet this wine caught me off guard. It didn’t share the profiles of others I had tried before. Spices notes nearing pepper? What’s that about? The acidity, the body and the fruit was there but this other hint caught me off guard. Maybe I didn’t know this grape that well after all? So I went online, and I started reading and just like in other occasions, I was shocked to learn just how little I know. There are 3 sub varieties. So I went to the winery’s website and wrote them asking about which type the used. They wrote back within a day (very cool of them) and told me this wine was made with Torrontés riojano which is the most common one. I later learned that unless otherwise stated, most Torrontés is riojano. So the sub variety had nothing to do with the profile but I learned immensely by that unexpected peppery scent. Also this is great news for me. Now I have to find two more grapes from Argentina.
PS: Don’t mind the duck. He’s just waiting around for it to be pool season.
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*Sources for the wine facts are from: Wine Searcher, Wikipedia, Vivino, wine.com, and the wineries websites.
