Torrontes: The Next Malbec

By Dan Karlin

Since 2004 no other country has seen the meteoric rise in volume, value and market share figures that Argentina has in the import segment of fine wine to the U.S. Over the last two years, while all other segments of imported wine have been down in both value and volume—except for Argentina’s across the Andes rival—Argentina has seen value increase in 2008 by 26.6% (U$ 500m) and volume by 15.6% (18.1m 9L cases), and through 3Q 09 value was up 8.8% and volume 8.9%. (It’s important to note that over 50% of all wine sales in the U.S. are done in 4Q of any year due to the Holidays.)        

The majority of the reason for this growth during a recessed world economy is due to the great value that is Malbec. But of recent, Argentina’s ace in the hole has been its little known white wine called Torrontés. Torrontés, a grape variety of Spanish origin, has found a home in the arid high altitudes of Salta, La Rioja and San Juan. The dryness and altitude factors enable Torrontés to achieve its best expression while maintaining its acidity, something that it loses at lower altitudes and with too much rain. When achieving its fullest personality, a Salteño Torrontés—from Salta, widely considered to be the best region—such as one from Carinae Vinos, will have an exuberant nose of honeyed orange blossom, jasmine and citrus while the mouth remains dry and crisp with flavors of pineapple, grapefruit, apricot and tropical fruits. Carinae Vinos  was started by Philippe and Brigitte Subra, a French couple who relocated to Mendoza in 1998. They have a passion for astronomy and have named their winery and all their vineyards after constellations, beginning with the southern sky, which was not visible for them before in France. They now make several wines that have received high ratings from both Wine Spectator and Wine Advocate.

This Salteño version of Torrontés is contrasted only slightly by its Riojano (see Aguijón de Abeja) and San Juanino (see Serrera Torrontés) counterparts, which exhibit more delicacy and elegance. The Aguijón de Abeja (“Bee Stinger”) Torrontés comes from Familia Durigutti, a winery started by Pablo and Hector Durigutti. The two brothers had made wine for 10 years in differing styles for different-sized wineries—Pablo for the now Catena Zapata–absorbed La Rural (an enormous conglomerate), and Hector for the acclaimed once-boutique Alto Las Hormigas—and recently they partnered on this project to make their first family wine. Both winemakers have been featured all over the wine press with articles and high ratings alike.

Serrera Torrontés comes from a fairly unknown, very new winery that maintains vineyards in four separate and distinct regions of Mendoza to make its vast array.....




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