Today's review is outside of my usual realm - I'll be reviewing a white wine. It's not that I am not against white wine, I just don't drink it very often because I don't like the flavors. I also am allergic to fish, so I don't often eat dishes for which white wine would be an appropriate pairing. There are a few whites, however, that have struck my fancy and I acknowledge that there are good white wines out there.
Today's wine is one such wine - a Patagonian sparkling torrontes grape that longtime friend and wine merchant Charles Bissell of Charles Fine Wines recommended. The wine is from the Argentinian winemakers Bodega Familia Schroeder and weighs in at 10% ABV, so a little weaker than a typical red. I got this bottle on special order, and it cost around $20 for the bottle.
Torrontes is one of my go-to whites and definitely a summer white. It's sweeter than a chardonnay but lacks the caustic taste that a lot of sparkling white wines have, which makes it the #1 choice for me when entertaining or choosing an afternoon wine. Since this white is meant to be served cold, it's also a great choice for hot days at the beach or yard parties. I drank this bottle over my vacation at our beach cottage.
The wine comes topped with a muselet, also known as a champagne wire (also known as the twisty wire thingy that holds the cork in.) The cork came loose with very little effort and issued forth from the neck of the bottle with a satisfying POP.
The carbonation was high - lots of little bubbles shooting to the top of the wine from inside the glass. The color was greenish-yellow (the picture does not do it justice) and there wasn't really any nose at all except for a slight whiff of sugar.
This wine was very sweet and heady with lots of sugared apple tastes. Sugar is really the dominant taste here, which is okay, because it's not overly sweet. Some wines overdo it but this one manages to maintain a firm, sweet taste while delivering apple flavors. The finish was crystal-clear and surprisingly, the wine had no aftertaste.
Naturally you need to refrigerate this and get it nice and chilly. It's best when served cold and is very refreshing as such. This wine would go great at the beach, on its own (how I drank it), or paired with some cheese and crackers. Alternatively, you COULD pair this with a light salad if you wanted to, but easy on the dressing and fruit. You don't want the sugars in the food to mess with your wine!
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