Have you ever heard about Torrontés? And I am not talking about the Spanish variety, although there is a grape, called Torrontés too, but today we are talking about the Argentine one. And of course, if we are talking about a variety, we have to mention the place, where it is planted and thrives the most, which is Argentina and the region of Salta.
I found the history of Torrontés really fascinating as it belongs to the Criollas group of grape varieties, which is a term used for American-born varieties but with both of the parents being a Vitis Vinifera species from Europe. Here we have Muscat of Alexandria and Mission (originally reported as Criolla Chica, a widely planted red grape variety in Chile) as parents and for this naturally crossed group of varieties. There are 3 types of Torrontés in Argentina: Torrontés Riojano, the most common, Torrontés Sanjuanino, and Torrontés Mendocino. The first two are the most similar to each other as they are sharing the same parents however the Torrontés Mendocino (the least planted one) is an offspring of Muscat of Alexandria too but the other parent is still unknown today. As I said, for many years it was thought that the Spanish Torrontés is the same variety than the Argentine one but it is far from the truth, the recent researches show no evidence of direct relaitionship of these two varieties. There is also a less common red wine grape called Torrontés, which is also known under the synonyms Tarrantes and Turrundos.
What we are drinking today is most likely Torrontés Riojano labelled just simply Torrontés. The wines made out of this variety are really Muscat-like but sometimes reminds to Gewürztraminer as well. It can be very high quality if the yields are under control and it depends on the skills of the winemaker as well. It is a highly aromatic variety with spicy, very grape-like and floral notes with a good amount of acidity which balances the wine. Usually it produces a lighter style which is better to drink while it’s young, 1 to 3 years maximum after harvest. Torrontés Riojano is the most aromatic of all 3 varieties and produces the highest quality while Torrontés Mendocino is the least aromatic.
Torrontés thrives in dry, and very windy conditions to retain its refreshing acidity. It is not a coincidence that Torrontés Riojano was named after the Argentine region La Rioja where it is the most planted variety, Torrontés Sanjuanino got its name after the province of San Juan and Mendocino or Mendozino which is further south, in Rio Negro, at the northern end of Patagonia. Plantings of Torrontés is increasing in Argentina and especially on the northwest in Salta where vines are planted as high as 1700-3000 meters above sea level! Cafayate is the most important valley in Salta and the main wine producer of the region. This includes the Calchaquí Valley where 60% of the region plantings are located. The region has sandy-loam soils made from thick grains with gravel and fine sands on the surface. The most planted variety is still Malbec here but Torrontés is the strong second one.
High altitude is a really important contidion here as this region is closer to the ecuador which means higher temperature. But when you go higher, temperature falls and even diurnal ranges (difference between day and night T°C) increase which helps retain acidity in the grapes and slow down grape ripening. Slowing down the ripening will result more aromas in the grapes and eventually in the wine and when we combine this with a good acidity level, our wine will be well-balanced and very pleasant to drink.
But outside of Argentina, Torrontés is grown in Chile as well where it is known often under the synonym Moscatel de Austria, which is believed to be Torrontés Sanjuanino. Here the grape is primarily used in the production of the Chilean brandy, pisco.
I hope I got you into to discover this variety and its wines, I am a big fan for years and hopefully you can see it now, why is that. These wines are really affordable as they usually don’t age in barrels and spend extra time in the winery or cellar but an excellent choice next to fish and seafood specially during summer time on the beach or in the pool.
