Torrontés is Argentina's own white grape, and nowhere does it grow with more perfume than in the high, dry vineyards of Mendoza. Argento farms it there, and the 2021 is a clean, lifted example of the variety: highly aromatic, light on its feet, and dry through to the end.
- Torrontés, an aromatic white native to Argentina.
- Mendoza, high-altitude vineyards along the Andes.
- 2021 vintage, 13.5% alcohol.
- Dry, light-bodied, high acidity.
- 750ml bottle.
How it tastes
Lychee and rose petal lead the nose, with citrus zest and a faint ginger note behind them. The acidity is high and keeps the wine crisp rather than soft, and the finish stays delicate. It is a dry white, so the fruit reads as perfume rather than sweetness.
Where it comes from
Mendoza sits in the rain shadow of the Andes, at altitudes that run well above a thousand metres in places. Cold nights and long, sunny days give whites like this one ripeness and freshness at the same time. Torrontés is grown widely across Argentina, but Mendoza's altitude gives it a tighter, more mineral frame than the warmer northern plantings.
Good to know
Torrontés has a reputation for smelling sweeter than it tastes. The grape builds intense floral and stone-fruit aromatics, then ferments to bone dry, which is why the first impression rarely matches the last sip.
