Theme:
With spring here and summer right around the corner, I thought it would be nice to check out some harder to find Torrontes wines. I had forgotten how distinctive these wines can be! I had it in my head that they were closer to a Sauvignon Blanc, when, in fact, I felt they were closer to a Chardonnay. While these wines are not plentiful in stores, they are worth looking for and you will likely get a great wine for not a lot of money!The Wines:
Trivento Reserve 2011 Reserve Torrontes- Color: Pale, yellow green
- Nose: Aromas of citrus with mineral notes and a hint of floral-the mineral aromas really stand out to us.
- Mouth: A creamy mouth feel with a bright acidity at the end.
- Price: $10.99
- Color: Pale, yellow green-lightest color of the wines
- Nose: Gardenia and white floral aromas hit you in the nose at first sniff.
- Mouth: Creamy with a bit more bright acidity in this wine.
- Price: $17.99
- Color: Light yellow gold with a green tint
- Nose: Peach, grapefruit and strong rose notes
- Mouth: Driest of the three wines, the acidity is up front with creaminess coming through on the finish.
- Price: $9.99
Overall Conclusion: We enjoyed all three of these wines. So interesting how the same grape can make such different styles in wine. The Crios is our favorite, but we would recommend all three of these wines. If you prefer your whites bone dry-go for the Aylla! Definitely these wines would be perfect for a summer party, by the pool, or the next time you order Thai food.
The Pairings:
Goat Cheddar: Excellent cheese that paired well with all three wines.Goat with Lemon Poppy Seed: Great cheese, and it paired well with the wines-a winner!
Goat - Four Pepper: Paired well with the Aylla, with the Trivento coming in second.
Chicken Satay: A wonderful dish that paired well with all three of the wines. Our favorite pairing was with the Trivento.
Reese's Peanut Butter Cups: Very interesting pairing. If you are a fan of Reese's-you should give it a try. We recommend pairing it with the Trivento or Aylla.
Sea Salt Chocolate: Another nice pairing. We liked it best with the Trivento and Crios.
Dark Chocolate: Dark chocolate was a bit too bitter for these luscious wines. Save the dark chocolate for a lovely red!
Conclusion:
Beth: Another great class that has me ready for some warmer weather after sampling these Torrontes wines! The creaminess of these wines is a real treat. The characteristic that stands out the most to me is the aromas. It is amazing the floral undertones-you almost feel like you've just walked into a florist shop when you get a big whiff! I would have to say my favorite wine of the evening was the Crios. The bright acidity and yet still creamy palate makes this wine stand out from the others. All of the wines paired well with the dishes. This is a perfect wine the next time you are having Thai or some other spicy dish.Lisa: It's definitely time for warm weather whites! Come on Spring! I have to agree that this grape comes in many flavors. I've always enjoyed the Crios and will continue. I've had other Torrontes and again thought they were more toward the crispness of the Sauvignon Blanc, but tonight they gave me a big surprise. I definitly found the floral and mineral qualities on the nose, especially the rose petal and gardenia in the Aylla. As for the mouth, they tended to be more buttery like a Chardonnay. A little more chill on the wine may have brought out some more citric flavors. As for the cheese pairings, the goat cheddar and goat with the lemon poppyseed only got better with each wine. The chicken satay was the best with the Trivento! As for the chocolates, the sea salt won hands down for me. All in all they were all different and very good but may lean toward the Crios.
Mary Jo: While I have had Torrontes in the past, I guess I had forgotten the true style of this wine. The colors of all three were pale yellow green, with the Crios being the lightest of the three. All three wines were delicious with aromas of citrus, peach, minerals and grass. However, on the mouth, they had a heavier mouth feel than I expected with a creaminess that I found wonderful! It was interesting how the Crios was creamy initially with the moderate acidity found in the finish, while the Aylla had its acidity up front, finishing up with delightful creaminess. The Crios with the goat cheddar was delicious, while the Aylla was the best with the four pepper goat cheese and the lemon poppyseed goat cheese. The Trivento paired very well with the chicken sate. Finally, the sea salt was best with the Trivento and the Reese's peanut butter cups. I'm not sure I had a "wow" moment with any of the wines and the dark chocolate. Ultimately, three really great wines that were all very moderately priced. These wines need to be chillier than a Chardonnay, but not as cold as a Sauvignon Blanc. I will definitely stock up for summer!
No comments:
Post a Comment