WINE GRAPE BASICS: TORRONTES
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Hopefully, you’ve heard of Torrontes before and drank more than a little bit of juice from this lovely grape. If not, you’ve been missing out!
Torrontes is a white grape that happens to produce one of my favourite wines, especially in the summer. But I recognize that it is not a varietal that many people have tried before….or know a lot about. I was the same way until I came across Torrontes wines in my travels and then did my research.
Interestingly, it is also a rather surprisingly complex subject. Let’s break it down together!
KEY THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT TORRONTES
GRAPE CHARACTERISTICS
One of the key things I learned is that Torrontes is actually not just a single grape variety; rather it is a term that is used for several distinct and unique white skinned grape varieties, mostly in Spain and South America., but also in Portugal. It is a complex and confusing situation, to put it mildly :)
Torrontes wines from Argentina, which to my mind are the most commonly associated with this term on a global scale (more about this below), are delicate, highly perfumed, citrus and tropical note driven wines of great finesse and elegance.
OTHER NAMES FOR THE TORRONTES GRAPE VARIETIES
As noted above, the term Torrontes is used for multiple distinct grapes. These different grapes, whilst similar, are genetically different. In this way, Torrontes is not the same as many other grape varieties where there are true synonyms for a grape’s name in different parts of the world (for example, primitivo/zinfandel).
To give you a sense of the range of grapes that are referred to as Torrontes, here’s a quick list:
there are three different varieties in Argentina - Torrontes Riojano, Torrontes Sanjuanino (found mostly in San Juan) and Torrontes Mendocino (found mostly in Mendoza and Rio Negro).
According to The Oxford Companion to Wine, there are at least four distinct varieties in Spain that are referred to as Torrontes, specifically in Montilla-Morilles, Navarra, Ribeiro (in Galicia) and the somewhat remote western region of Extramadura. Synonyms for these grapes are Fernao Pires, Bical, Monastrell Blanco and Alarije (to name a few).
The Oxford Companion to Wine also notes that there are several varieties in Portugal that also used the name Torrontes as a synonym. In this country, the varieties referred to as Torrontes are also called Boal Cachudo, Boal da Graciosa, Boal da Madeira, Malvasía Fina, and Assario Branco according to the Museo de Vino de Galicia. The venerable bible Wine Grapes notes even more possibilities in addition to these.
PLACE OF ORIGIN
As you can see from the section preceding this one, the world of Torrontes can become rather pedantic and confusing if you go down the proverbial rabbit hole. For most wine lovers, suffice it to say that the Torrontes that is widely available and drank around the world today is considered to be indigenous to Argentina.
Overwhelmingly, Argentinian Torrontes is made from the Torrontes Riojano variety. This is the most highly aromatic, productive and vigorous variety of the three types of Torrontes that are grown in Argentina.
WHERE IT’S GROWN TODAY
Primarily in Argentina, where it is truly considered to be the country’s signature white wine. Here it is famously made as a varietal (single grape) wine and is also used as a blending partner. Most of the Torrontes that is produced is made from the Torrontes Riojano variety.
To a lesser extent, Torrontes is also grown and vinified in Chile and Uruguay. There are small plantings in the U.S. and Australia as well.
Lastly, grapes that are referred to as Torrontes are also found in Spain and Portugal - note that, as explained above, these are genetically different than the Argentinian grapes of the same name. In this part of the Iberian peninsula, Torrontes is primarily a blending partner.
WHAT TORRONTES WINE TASTES LIKE
(NOTE: For the purposes of simplicity, I am breaking down wines that are made from Torrontes Riojano in Argentina because, as previously discussed, these are the most commercial available Torrontes-based wines around the world)
Body - Medium body, generally medium to medium plus alcohol; almost always produced as a dry wine.
Aromas and Flavours - Typically highly aromatic, often compared to Muscat. Aromas and flavours usually include intensely floral, pear, citrus and tropical notes.
Tannins - Not discernible to the average consumer.
Acidity -Usually medium acidity, with a pleasant rounded texture. These are not high acid wines by any means - they will not make you salivate or cause your lips to pucker!
WHAT ELSE IS TORRONTES SIMILAR TO?
For my palate, these wines are similar to Viognier, Soave Classico, Muscat and maybe even Gewurtztraminer……though they are not nearly as potent or heady as Gewurtztraminer.
WHAT TEMPERATURE SHOULD TORRONTES BE SERVED AT?
I like these wines nicely chilled. 10-12 degrees Celsius is ideal.
CAN YOU CELLAR TORRONTES WINE?
No. For me, these are wines that you should buy and drink more or less immediately.
IDEAL FOOD PAIRINGS TO WINE-IT-UP-A-NOTCH
Pair these wines with Asian food! I love this pairing - seriously. I think they also go well with salads and white fish. Poached scallops could be a lovely match!
DEEP DIVE - TORRONTES RIOJANO FROM THE SALTA PROVINCE
As we’ve already learned, most of the Torrontes wines that are enjoyed the world over come to us from Argentina. Within Argentina, which is a pretty big place, Torrontes is most famously associated with Salta province, and more specifically, the town of Cafayate therein.
This is not to say that Torrontes does not hail from other parts of Argentina - it is absolutely grown and produced in other places such as the provinces of Mendoza, La Rioja and San Juan - but it does seem to have found its most consistently beautiful expression in Cafayate.
Cafayate is located in northwest Argentina. It is situated in Calchaqui Valleys and is famous for the red rock formations that surround it. Cafayate is located about two hours away by car from the capital of the province that is also named Salta. This region only produces about 1% of Argentina’s wines, but it is very highly regarded for the country’s best Torrontes.
And why is this the case? Well, the Calchaqui Valleys are right up against the Andes mountains and thus, the vineyards are located at high altitude (typically 5000-10,000 ft. above sea level). Being at such a high elevation creates cooler conditions, especially at night (this phenomenon i.e. the difference between day and night temperatures, is known as diurnal range). This, combined with this area’s arid, warm, sunny climate and its sandy soils, tends to produce wines that are relatively high in acidity and quite potent in terms of the bouquet of aromas and flavours that they display. The prominent variety that is grown here is Torrontes Riojano and well regarded producers of the variety from Salta/Cafayate include Catena Zapata, Colome, and Susan Balbo.
Bottom line - don’t pass up a Torrontes, especially one from a quality producer hailing from Cafayate/Salta!
Cheers!
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Learn everything you need to know about Torrontes, one of the most aromatic white grapes around!