Toe-Ron-Tes or We're through the looking glass now (WTNAAF)

WTNAAF = Wine Tasting Note After A Fashion

2008 Terrazas de Los Andes Torrontés Reserva Unoaked
16.99 US American Dollars

The bottle looks like this:



But it tastes like this:


+


I've been waiting to write this one up for a while but I was so blown away at first blush that I thought I needed to give it another go 'round just to make sure that I wasn't out of my mind (more than usual). It took a little bit to find locally, though I have to say the Evil Empire (MHLV) that owns/imports this were very quick in responding and even directed me to a set of shops. Fair play to them. I think a discussion is in order revolving around why most local distribution companies seem to think of the end customer as nuisance that gets in the way of their drinking coffee or whatever the hell it is some of them do. Three Tier? I digress. As I usually do.

Anyhow, this screwcapped wee gem was first had in a local wine focused bar, Proof for those that are in proximity to me, and I got it on a lark. At first whiff, I got an atomic bomb of aroma with tropical fruits, exotic spices, warm sun, cool shaded breezes, all of which seemed to go on forever. Really. I'm still smelling it now. I was immediately reminded of the Gewurtztraminers of Alsace. But this was aromatically even more powerful than that with a certain je ne sais quois, which I believe is French for "what in the hell is that, I'm not sure but I've got to have more of it". I realize that I'm very much driven by aromatic wines, so keep that in mind. Perfumed doesn't even begin to cover it.

The taste, well it was more restrained than the aroma would suggest. I don't mean say it was disjointed but the transition from nose to tongue was not unlike a race car being full out then down shifting to take a corner before ramping up to full gear again. The taste seemed to go in seamless line from pineapple, to mango, to lime, sort of like bouncing down a hill of tropical fruit. All around this was some subtle spice that I couldn't quite put my finger on. There was more than a fair bit of length.

So as above, I flashed on some sort of Alsatian half timbered house being dropped in the middle of a tropical isle. Conversely I could see an orchard of Equitorial fruits growing in the middle of Ammerschwihr. If this wine was a song it would be "Parlez Moi D'Amour" but with congas and more accordion. It's all Old World spice and taste melded with a New World El Nino of scent.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nTpP4FtMbCU

This comes close.

I have some follow up Torrontes I've investigated which let me now that great things are really possible with this grape. As well as average things being possible, but that will have to wait.

Salud!

Hi Kelly - first off, I just have to say that I totally love your writing style! So entertaining and engaging. You're speaking my language!

Second, Torrontes is typically just like this: explosive perfumey tropical explosions (redundancy is the only way I seem to be able to express things tonight) on the nose, and then a shockingly restrained palate (at least when compared to the nose). I find that most of them tend to be a bit sweet, especially through the mid-palate, but they hopefully finish with a good zing of acidity to dry things up.

Terrazas de los Andes is also a great place to start with this grape; some of the cheap ones can get a bit cloying.

On a related note, I just realized that I'm not familiar with Torrontes from anywhere other than Argentina. Anyone else have any insight into this?

Hi Kelly - first off, I just have to say that I totally love your writing style! So entertaining and engaging. You're speaking my language!

Thanks. It's amazing what one can do when not encumbered by experience or facts.

A potential problem with Torrontes (and other aromatic grapes like Scheurebe and Viognier) is insufficient acidity, which in Argentina is habitually countered by additions, making the acidity numerically correct but poorly integrated. This can make a wine taste exactly as Melissa described it - a bit sweet for most of the initial entry and mid-palate, followed by some unintegrated acidity towards the end, like an afterthought. Since your (very engaging) review doesn't mention acidity, either that's because there was little to speak of or, alternatively, it did not appear to be missing?

A potential problem with Torrontes (and other aromatic grapes like Scheurebe and Viognier) is insufficient acidity, which in Argentina is habitually countered by additions, making the acidity numerically correct but poorly integrated. This can make a wine taste exactly as Melissa described it - a bit sweet for most of the initial entry and mid-palate, followed by some unintegrated acidity towards the end, like an afterthought. Since your (very engaging) review doesn't mention acidity, either that's because there was little to speak of or, alternatively, it did not appear to be missing?

It was solely due to absentmindedness. I actually had meant to go back in and put that description in, but I forgot to do that too. When one is a busy captain of industry such as myself, well maybe a lieutenant of industry....sergeant....ok corporal, details often get overlooked.

The acidity was there (trailing off of that lime flavor). I though it was pretty well integrated from mid palate to aftertaste. It didn't necessarily taste like some of the new world wines I've had where somebody obviously dumped something in to lower the ph, but I'm not the best technical judge of these things. In short the acidity was very present and pleasing.

Cool, then I'll look for it. Should be easy to find around here.

[James Roscoe]

You need to name the wine bar to give the local yokels a chance to go there unless it is your little secret!

I did name it, but I can see why it would be missed:

Proof
775 G Street Northwest
Washington, DC 20001-3727
(202) 737-7663

http://www.proofdc.com/index.php

[Jenise]

On a related note, I just realized that I'm not familiar with Torrontes from anywhere other than Argentina. Anyone else have any insight into this?

Melissa, I believe it's not just related to but is exactly the same grape known as Malvasia or Malvasia Blanca in Italy, where the ones I've had have prominent flavors of tangerine and ginger. I've also had some from California that tasted like dilute versions of the Italian. Out of South America and called Torrontes, it usually goes more toward grapefruit and pineapple. True story: at the Hilton hotel bar in Reykjavik a few weeks ago I asked for a glass of chardonnay. What they served me tasted of grapefruit and underripe pineapple. "Is this really chardonnay?", I asked the bartender. Sure, and if it wasn't what he wanted to know did I think it was? Torrontes. "It is! But that's Spanish for chardonnay", he said. Further discussion revealed that he thought 'chardonnay' was American for 'white wine'. But anyhow, point is that it's distinctive, even when it's a poor one.

Proof

I recently went there for the first time and was very impressed. Loved the food (especially the pork and duck confit) but was even more impressed -- and surprised -- at the wine pricing. Got a bottle of the Faury 2006 St.-Joe for $40, which I believe is no more than $10 over the retail price, and which was outstanding. Many of their wines did appear to have more typical markups, but obviously not all. Best restaurant wine value I've found yet in the D.C. area (where markups in excess of 3x retail are common).

They also have a nice policy that if you buy a bottle and only drink half (not an issue in our case), they'll only charge you 60 percent of the price or you can take any unfinished bottle home.

[James Roscoe]

Thanks Kelly. When I ever get a new job I will have to try it out!

Jenise that is a great story!

I've also had a late-harvest Torrontes (Torrontes Tardio) from Saint Julia that was quite nice when consumed young but didn't stand up to an extra year of cellaring.

P.S. I will try to visit Proof next time I travel to DC.

[James Roscoe]

I've also had a late-harvest Torrontes (Torrontes Tardio) from Saint Julia that was quite nice when consumed young but didn't stand up to an extra year of cellaring.

P.S. I will try to visit Proof next time I travel to DC.

OFFLINE ALERT!!!!!

Proof is good but pricey. I'm mostly stuck to their by the glass selection.