Wine for the Weekend of 10/25/19
Torrontes is the Wine for the Weekend of 10/25/19
The reason I picked torrontes to be the wine for the weekend of 10/25/19 is partly because of its obscurity. I drink it rarely. Just like most of the world, I forget about it. Torrontes is rarely seen or discussed. That is a shame, because it is a hidden gem. And, it hides only in Argentina. But, it hides no more! Because, we just found it again. The main reason is that torrontes makes a phenomenal wine. One whiff hooks you. It’s game over. It is grown all over Argenina. In fact, it is the primary grape in the La Rioja region. See the map below. I like this map, because you can clearly see where the different varietals are grown.
Aromas and Tastes
Torrontes is a light yellow wine. Its aroma is reminiscent of roses, jasmine, and geraniums. That’s why one whiff hooks you. In your mouth, it is like a fruit salad with touches of honey and oregano. It is bone dry, but the fruitiness fools you into thinking it’s sweet.
Food Pairings
With its light aromatic style, torrontes is a great match with foods from Asia and India. For example, coconut curries and Thai spice peanut dishes pair well. Also, poultry, fish and tofu pair well because they won’t overwhelm the wine. Are you thinking coconut shrimp?
Torrontes Wine for the Weekend of 10/25/19
This one is easy. Head right to the Argentinian or South American section of the store. And, hope they carry it. If not, find a better wine store. Wine stores that carry just the basics are not good for people who love wine. Because, wine shopping and drinking are experiments. Therefore, let’s experiment! See below the two examples of torrontes. Howver, buy whatever you can find as long as it’s within the last 2-3 years. Wine that sits around in stores will deteriorate over time, especially if the glass is clear. That means drink it young.
If you would like to see my cheat sheet for wine shopping, please click here. If you would like to learn more about how to pick a wine, please click here.
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Hey Frank, Sorry I missed you the other day. Hope you enjoyed your visit (what wine did you have?). I, too, love Torrontes. We had it on the list for a while and once I sold it to someone they would reorder. It sold fairly well but I replaced it with an Albarino – another favorite white of mine. Enjoyed looking over your site. Best of luck with it. Tom @ Barnsboro Inn
Hi Tom. Thanks for your kind words. I had the crianza. Very nice with the baked oysters believe it or not. Also, with the filet medallions. I’m debating on whether to feature restaurants on my site. Of course, I would only feature places that care about wine. Your place and Carolina Blue are 2 of my favs. The thing is my site has followers around the world so not sure if they care about a couple of restaurants in NJ. I’ll be back and we can talk. Thanks Frank