One of my recurring New Year's wine resolutions is to drink more wines made from the less well-known grape varieties that offer value, new flavor profiles and high quality. So this week I'm trumpeting Torrontés, the fragrant native white from Argentina that's been vastly overshadowed by the country's wildly popular signature red, Malbec.

The light, delicate deliciously rose-petal-scented 2011 Bodega Colomé Torrontés, with its refreshing citrus, herb and spice notes and smooth yet lively texture, is a prime example. It's surprisingly food-friendly. I enjoyed it with tangy lime and chili-laced ceviche, a plate of sushi appetizers and a stir fry of scallops and baby bok choy.

DNA profiling has shown that there are actually three different varieties of Torrontés; this one, Torrontés Riojano is the best and widely grown in Salta. It's a cross between Muscat of Alexandria -- that's where the floral aromas come from -- and the Mission grape.

What gives the Colomé Torrontes so much intensity of flavor and aroma, though, is the micro-climate of the winery's vineyards. They are 5,500 to more than 10,000 feet above sea level in the arid, desert-like Calchaquí Valley of Salta province in Argentina's northwest corner. Because of the high altitude, the grapes are exposed to more of the sun's ultraviolet rays and that, plus the age of the vines, are responsible for the intensity. Add in, too, the winery's commitment to biodynamic viticulture, which also insures the wines remain balanced.

A vast estate in a spectacular remote landscape in the Andes Mountains, Colomé was founded in 1831 and completely renovated by Swiss businessman, vintner and art collector Donald Hess after he purchased it in 2001. Hess, who founded Napa Valley's Hess Collection in 1978, now owns eight wineries on four continents. As in Napa, Colomé devotes space to part of Hess's art collection, displaying works of James Turrell, known for his haunting use of light and space.

Some suggest that Torrontés could be as popular as Argentina's Malbec, an unusual and flavorful alternative to boring Pinot Grigios. Maybe. So far the best ones I've tasted, like this 2011 Colomé, are from Salta province. And this one is priced right.

Zester Daily contributor Elin McCoy is a wine and spirits columnist and author of "The Emperor of Wine: The Rise of Robert M. Parker, Jr. and the Reign of American Taste."

Comment

smaller | bigger

Write the displayed characters

Post Now Preview