Torres (Spain) Vina Esmeralda 2002
Bottled in a screwcap, there’s a lot to like about this dry but fragrant, 11% alcohol white from Torres in the Penedes in eastern Spain. A blend of 85% Moscatel (Muscat) and 15% Gewurztraminer, this almost translucent, green-tinged wine has a captivatingly floral nose, with scents of summer flowers, musk, and a downy mango- and peach-skin perfume. On the palate there’s a little spritz of carbon dioxide that gives a tingling impression, then a surprisingly dry palate of crunchy green apple fruit, with just little edges of more tropical, sweet nectarine and again, mango flavours. Light- to medium-bodied and with plenty of apple and citrus acidity, there is a crispness about this wine that would make it great with Oriental cuisine. A very welcome antidote to the ubiquitous Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay on the supermarket shelves. Booths, Oddbins, Waitrose, Tesco, Unwins
