David’s Wine of the Week: 2012 Torrontés, Alamos, Origin Salta, Argentina ($13)
One of my favorite “brands” in the New World for good-value wine is Alamos: bouncy reds (like Cabernet) and crisp whites (like this one). The quality in this Alamos line makes sense; Alamos is made by the Catena family in Mendoza, who also make some of the New World’s best expensive wines. Back down at the everyday level, the grape variety Torrontés is usually behind my favorite Argentine whites, particularly when grown, as this one is, in Salta (which is north of Mendoza). I think I’m partial to Torrontés because it’s not unlike Riesling (in fact, some speculate that a Riesling vine in South America centuries ago may have morphed into Torrontés). Certainly, the strains of fruit are there: this terrific example shows citrus on the nose (particularly grapefruit), and a very Riesling-like set of stone fruits (nectarines and peaches). Also like Riesling, it is graceful, not overblown. Then there are the departues: this one is a little fatter than most Riesling (at 13.5% alcohol), and, despite good acidity, not quite as electrically acidic. It is still a great wine for food, however…as long as you recognize that it has a touch of sweetness, just into off-dry territory. No problem!
Wine4Food
Serve this wine with something a little sweet, and the wine turns steely-dry, with all of its Riesling-like fruit emphasized. Delicioso with prosciutto and melon!
Download your copy of my new Wine Manifesto here. It fearlessly abandons conventional wine thinking and argues for exquisite, reasonably priced, food-loving wines from across the world (includes tasting notes, wine pairings, recipes).
Use #wine4food to share your thoughts about this wine on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.
Photo courtesy of Alamoswines.com
