December 8th: Torrontes ... A Hidden Gem

It seems that this year, and especially this December, has been relatively mild in Toronto. Normally, at this time of year, I would be running towards a moderate to heavy red after a cold wintry day. At the moment, that does not seem to be the case. The weather has been mild, and fairly rainy while lacking in the snow and negative temperatures. I am not complaining about this at all, but it has made my wine choices differ somewhat from previous winters.

As you can tell from the previous December posts, the choices have been more focused on white wines and light-bodied reds (i.e. Pinot Noirs have been a hit this year!). So, following suit, I am going with the 2010 Alamos Torrentes. I noticed this wine when I was picking some up for our family Christmas this upcoming weekend and decided to grab some. It had literally just been released (they were stocking it when I arrived) and I had remembered loving last year’s release as well. Torrontes is a specialty and unique white grape from Argentina. We have been seeing more of this grape in the past couple of years, and it is delicious and a great value. The wine itself has lovely aromas of peach, apricot and some floral notes. On the palette, it is a dry wine with a crisp acidity to it. It is a lovely white wine that one can drink on its own, or pair with a seafood dish or even some thai food. The wine retails for $13.95 and is a steal at this price.

The other advantage with the Torrontes grape is that not many people know about it. When shopping for wine, or even when at a restaurant, there is always the tendency to go for Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc as they are familiar names. These are, for the most part, wise choices, but they are also safe choices too. I urge everyone to go out and pick up a bottle of this wine. If you like it, fantastic, you have found a new grape and wine at a reasonable price; and as a side bonus, I have noticed more restaurants carrying Torrontes at great prices! If you don’t (which I doubt!), then you have not broken the bank trying out something new.

HM