Torrontes
Quick summation:
Think Salta, think Northern Argentina, think the grape varietal Torrontes, an aromatic floral white wine with grapey aromas, light body, medium alcohol, average to low acidity, with typically, trace amount of residual sugar(RS) at about 2g/L, no oak. Sometimes, I find a bitter phenolic component if cool temperatures at harvest/vinification and/or poor canopy management results in sunburn on the grapes. Malbec does well here; however, as late ripening Cabernet Sauvignon does not ripen fully here, there are consistent pyrazine aromas and paprika on the palate, not to my liking. Methoxypyrazines contribute largely to the sensory herbaceous and bell pepper characteristics dependent on grape maturity, climate, and fruit exposure. Tannat can be noteworthy, if tannins are managed properly. Michel Torino picks the tannat later for licorice notes and presses the wine before alcoholic fermentation is complete, around 10-11%, thereby softening the affect of the tannins and reducing the maceration time.
Ola from Cafayete. I had a lovely bike ride in the charming town. The town is small and authentic. The main square and the layout and reminded me a bit of Quito in Peru.
I arrived here from Colome, after a visit with the wine estate.Tuesday's visits included meetings with the winemaker and viticulturist from Michel Torino and Bodegas Etchart, both larger wineries in Cafayate.
The landscape is breathtaking.
