(2024) Torrontés was making quite an impression a decade or so back - I recall writing a piece called 'Is Torrontés the new Pinot Grigio' for Decanter magazine. But somehow it never really grabbed mass market appreciation, perhaps its overtly floral nature being too much for some? This comes from vineyards in Cafayate, Salta, arguably the strongest Torrontés terroir in Argentina, planted at 1800 metres. This opens with so much ginger spice on the nose, that joins white flowers and fruit that moves between lemon and peach. It's not as flowery as some, but makes up for it with spice that continues onto the palate. It is an intense wine for sure, with a searing core of acidity and the heat of ginger again. Quite unusual, and I am thinking a banker for spicy Thai or Szechuan cuisine perhaps. Watch the video for more information.
(2021) Only 2,600 bottles of this orange wine from a vineyard planted in 1945 were produced, light orange in colour and explosively different on the nose: masses of smoky, herbal and skinny aromas, seeds and flowers somewhere in there too. A really arresting palate too - bone-dry with searing lemon pith acidity, but bursting with sweet, ripe orangey fruit too, peach and nectarine touches, and once again that salinity in the long finish. Made in concrete eggs. No UK retail listing at time of review.
(2021) These 60-year-old vines have been identified amongst a plot of pergola-trained Torrontés, now harvested separately in the early hours of the morning. Is it a red or is it a rosé? From the very deep pink colour it could be either, and indeed fermentation begins with whole berries, then the juice is separated and fermentation continues of juice only, with wild yeasts. Warming, subtle, chestnut, cranberry and sweet earth aromas, then a juicy and vibrant palate, firmly in the red fruit camp of raspberry and redcurrant, but some real grip from firm tannins and acidity, both tensioning the picture and giving this a keen, incisive finish. No UK retail listing at time of review.
(2016) Pure, high perfume, lots of flowers, and almost jasmine like fragrance, with fresh citrus and fresh, crunchy apple. The palate is bone dry, with a sweeping citrus juiciness but lemon rind and pith too, giving those dry, very fresh characters, then it turns quite grippy, a bit of phenolic grip, though still juicy and tangy.
(2011) >From vineyards at 1,700 metres altitude, this has a gorgeous floral lift, with some herbs and some almost geranium like fragrance over the black fruit base. This very expressive Malbec continues on the palate with some meaty tones, the tight, endive and liquorice tannins adding a vital edge and the sweet fruit canoodling with the acidity to delightful effect in the long, sinewy finish. A fabulous buy at the offer price with immediate drinking appeal.
(2010) There's a touch of gold to this pale yellow wine, and a nose that's only gently floral and herbal, and much less expressive than many examples of this grape. There's a touch of tangerine skin and some lemony notes. On the palate this has a bit of phenolic grip, the pithy bite of citrus and plenty of acidity keeping it crisp and fresh, if fairly simple. Seems rather too high a price for the content of the bottle in the final analysis.
(2008) >From Salta, a really honeyed quality with ripe nectarine and pineapple and just a touch of that floral Torrontés perfume. Mouth-filling, limpid, with herb-tinged crunchy apple and citrus fruit.
(2008) Flamboyant, floral and exotic fruit character. The palate it has ripe melon and star-fruit flavours, some dried apricot and honeyed richness, but good acidity.
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