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EP 816 2009 Torrontes Taste Off

Gary tastes 3 new arrivals from Argentina of Torrontes, a cool grape that makes interesting white wines from south of the Equator.

Wines tasted in this episode:

2009 Urban TorrontesArgentine Torrontes
2009 La Yunta Torrontes Stelvin ClosureArgentine Torrontes
2009 Crios De Susana Balbo TorrontesArgentine Torrontes

Links mentioned in todays episode.


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luca bercelli

90/100

lines of the day – ‘literally you are about to laugh your ass off’, ‘Mott, I’m hoping you can come through for the Vaynernation …for once in your life’ and ‘I can see a lot of people screwing by the pool…err with screwtops by the pool’

GV back in the groove

Tags: Argentina, review, Torrontes, Video, white, wine, wines

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  • OK. Here's my issue with the episode, Gary: Now I am DYING for spring to come. All I want to do is sit on the porch in the sunshine with some artichoke dip and that la yunta.
    BUT I CAN'T. BECAUSE MY PORCH IS COVERED IN SNOW.

    QOTD: 35 mm film

  • divyamistry

    Torrontes is yummy!
    QOTD: 35 = percent / grades I needed to pass my 10th grade board exams (standardized tests in India).

  • wayno daaa winooo

    Yo JasonM, ARE WE HAVIN’ ANY FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUN YEEEEEEEEEET!!?????!!!! :o)

  • WineWoman

    QOTD: An age I want to be in body, but the reversal 53(my actual years)in mind and life experiences. 35 also reminds me of the beginning or cut-off number in age ranges for surveys or questionaires. 18-34 35-49, etc.

    Enjoyed the screw cap Freudian slip.

    Happy 35th to your parents!

  • zHeadless

    QOTD : When I think of 35, I think about my IQ!

    Other Torrontes to try out Alamos (sells for 15 bucks or bones if you prefer) in Quebec, and Etchart makes a nice one for 13 bucks as well.

  • WineWoman

    Don't they give you a hefty discount at the Winery. You need a large Eurocave!

  • winecountrynm

    For the past couple of years, I have considered the Crios Torrontes to be the “gold standard”. Now, I will look for the La Yunta – looking forward to trying it!

  • I always accept donations!

  • QOTD: I was 35 when I got married.

  • admchin

    Screwtop comment was pretty funny. Almost didn't get it until you corrected yourself

    I've been meaning to try torrontes again. I remember liking it but I've been mostly drinking port and carmenere as of late.

    qotd: I think of the hot milf trying to take you home just to have a hot night with a young guy. LOL

    PS: This being my second post, I didn't mean to be praised when I said I was a lurker. I meant you achieved in bringing me out and getting an account with that post. I am first a beer drinker and then a wine drinker so that episode appealed to me alot.

  • Fonzie1568

    Love torrontes. have had the la yunta and also think its very good.

  • kylemittskus

    I just had the Crios two days ago and thought it was absolutely WATER. I tasted the candied lime and that was it. No front palate. No mid palate. Perhaps I had a weird bottle, but I score it a 76. It tastes like nothing until the very end. Sooo weird that our palates are that different.

    35 gives me nothing.

  • kylemittskus

    See? My bottle had to have been bad. It tasted like NOTHING when I drank it.

  • Green Pea

    35 Is how many damn pounds I've gained sense I quit smoking 6 months ago. Funny thing is tonight I bought a set of weights to help motivate me to loose this weight. I'm sure like the rest of my exercise equipment they will collect dust and become art work in my basement.

  • Richie

    Torrontes is definitely the most pretty grape I've had the pleasure of trying. Total love the price point of these wines. I've been trying to turn people onto Torrontes for years. Lets see more torrontes on future shows, especially about wines of summer.

  • peaceloveandpinstripes

    I was dissapointed the only time i had torrontes but will give it another shot someday.

    I think of mike mussina and his unfortunate timing as a new york yankee showed up just after the championships and left just before another championship.

  • ironmics

    35….the amount of free SO2 that was in about half of our when I was labs last week. I got pretty sick of getting it over and over. Congrats to your parents though, very impressive my parents 28th anniversary was last week. By the way, who was the importer of the La Yunta? You said it was from Oregon, so I'll definitely keep an eye out to stock up for hiking and swimming.

  • robrx

    Interesting inexpensive white wines, great show!

    QOTD-Makes me wonder what it will be like when my lovely wife and I make it to our 35th anniversary?

  • Andres Rosberg

    Good show, Gary!

    However, I would like to make a few comments on some of the hard facts that you have mentioned, just to get you and your audience up to date.

    Although there are talks about Malvasia being linked to Torrontes as well as a confusion with another variety called Torontel (the one used in Chile and Perú for pisco, which, by the way, is a spirit and not a liqueur), recent studies have shown that Torrontes is actually a cross between Criolla Chica and Muscat of Alexandria. This crossing, also, has originated in Argentina, and not Spain. To make it even a little harder, there are actually three varieties of Torrontés: Mendocino, Sanjuanino, and Riojano (the best of all, and the one you have tried today). Oh, and Riojano is not only grown in La Rioja, but also in Salta…

    Total surface planted with Torrontés has diminished in Argentina, going from over 15,000 hectares in 1990 to around 7,000 hectares today (or some 18,000 acres), constituting around 22% of all white vinified (Torrontes is undergoing a serious transition from quantity to quality…)

    All the best

    Andres Rosberg, Argentina

  • Andrew

    Hey Gary….Great EP!
    I really can't believe that you liked the wine that reminded you of diapers the best.
    Still, I completely agree that Torrontes is an amazing varietal &, yes, it goes great with Southern Hem. cuisine. Just last week I made some cilantro lime chicken fajitas & had it with a torrontes… definitely a keeper.
    Recipe –
    http://www.tablespoon.com/recipes/lime-chicken-…
    (No…I'm not pimping out my own recipe)
    In a separate pan I sauteed some white onions & green peppers.
    Once ready, I laid down the onion/green peppers & placed the chicken on top.
    It looks good, tastes good, goes great with torrontes, & is really easy to make! (only 30 min. + two hours of marinating)

  • Big fan of Torrontes, I have had the Crios before but I think it was the 08, I really enjoyed it.

  • laurieinvt

    Thank you, Andres!

  • Happy anniversary Sacha and Mrs. Chuck. Little meh to start off the week.

    QOTD: I think of the PNW where I will hopefully be living when I am 35.

  • Gaining a few pounds is still better then smoking…better for your palate also 😉

  • yacoub

    Was that a shark on the floor under where you and Mott jumped up for the chest bump?
    That music video was ridiculous, but I love that you are down with doing something crazy in order to help folks out that need it.

  • I need to try the Alamos

  • Anonymous

    they are fairly entertaining under the right… err… circumstances. However, I hear they can be one hell of a fire hazard if left on for a prolonged period of time. the sandalwood incense is a must.

  • How does Gary know what a 16 year old girls room smells like?

  • plcb

    QOTD: I think “that was 10 years ago”.

    I like Trivento Torrontes better than I like the La Yunta. My PA store sells La Yunta for $8.

  • laurieinvt

    Boy am I glad I'm not a lurker! 😉
    Happy Anniversary Mom and Dad V.!
    QOTD: My age long, long ago, in a galaxy far, far away…. Well, lots has happened in 16 years, so it seems that way!

  • QOTD: The age by which my children better have left home!!

    Regarding the origin of Torrontès: if indeed it sprang from Malvasia, there is a saying about Argentinians being Italian immigrants, speaking Spanish, pretending to be English.

    There is a *lot* of Malvasia grown and vinted in Italy. My money is on its being Italian immigrants to Argentina who introduced the vines not Spanish missionaries.

    Edwardo

  • Not a lurker!

    35? I'm sure everyone thinks of 35 as the year Artaxias III, king of Armenia died.

  • BoxPressed

    QOTD: I think about Bordeaux prices pre-2005, what I would give to have those prices again…..

    Great show G, love the value play……

    See you in SouthBeach next week!!!!!

    Lerker Out……

  • slave2thevine

    Fun show…and I'd like to say Happy Anniversary to Mr & Mrs Sasha Vaynerchuck. I think it's great to see some less mainstream varietals here on the show. When are you going to do a show on Muller Thurgau?

    QOTD: When I think of the number 35 I think ahead to the time I will turn 35, and my hopes and plans to be enjoying my job as a clinician, my life whenever I am, and look forward to gathering good friends around me to share some great wines!

  • Quick…Simple…Awesome….Classic GV!

    QOTD: 335…it's a wine from Cali..never had it but it is what popped into my head 🙂

  • lordsauvignon

    QOTD: I think of being in my prime.

    Happy Anniversary to your folks!!! That is truly something worth celebrating 🙂
    Awesome future future future shout out

  • jcab

    QOTD: I'm not a Yanks fan, but 35 reminds of Mike Mussina. Moose Hall of Famer fo sho…

    Like the value play shows, great to see Torrontes stepping up

  • Good to see torrontes getting some love! It's something I definitely try to push at my restaurant when people are trying to pick out a lighter white wine.

    QOTD: Like some of the others I think about when I will turn 35. Without writing a novel here in the comments section lets just say I sure have a whole lot to accomplish!

  • theDude

    What is your deal Gary? Lay off the lurkers. If your show requires a comment to be posted every time then screw it. I didn't know this was an exclusive club of “twit facers” (You know when Twitter, Facebook and MySpace all merge they will call it “MyTwitFace”.)

  • It's YouTwitFace. YouTube, Twitter and Facebook. MySpace is 2000 and late.

    Anyway, Google Buzz is here to save us. Where are all my buzzters at???

  • QOTD: 35…reminds me how old I'll be in 13 days. Ha!

    Loved that you honored your parents in today's show. Hope they have an awesome anniversary!!!

  • plcb

    337 Cab

  • adrums

    Nice, old-school show, and a very touching tribute at the end.
    Recently picked up a couple of the Crios de Susana. Tanzer also gave it a 90, no small feat, imho, fwiw.
    QOTD: The Celtics star Reggie Lewis who died tragically before his career even started, and whose jersey hangs retired in the rafters at the Boston Garden.

  • plcb

    The store's La Yunta is the 2008 at 7.99 + tax.

  • plcb

    Do a pisco show!!!

  • Kayla28

    Great show Gary! I have been watching ur show for about 6 months know. I have learn alot from u…THANK YOU for all the great info. ur awesome!!!

    Tired of being a “Lurker”

  • Riddler

    GV: I've been meaning to try Torrontes since you first mentioned it. It is now #1 on my list of new varietals to try!

    By the way, I followed the marathon Cinderella train this weekend. Do NOT let the critics get you down, Gary! Just keep doing what you're doing. Of course, I scored 3 on the Barolo deal, so maybe I'm biased.

    QOTD: My parents have been together 45 years now, so I know where you're coming from. But 35 is the age I am now, and my wife is having our first baby this year. So 35 has a whole new meaning for me! Sorry I couldn't come up with something sportsworthy 😉

  • Michael D

    Another fun show, Gary. Last year I had a bottle of Pascual Toso Torrontes, from Argentina, and it was excellent, for about $14.

    QOTD: My wife has put up with me for 35 years of marriage. She is amazing.

  • scottEJ

    Thanks, G.

    QOTD: About the amount of days since your last wine club offering.

  • Loving the sound of the 2009 La Yunta Torrontes Stelvin Closure. I'm keen to get me some of that and give it a whirl!

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