Susana Balbo, Argentina (Argentina) Torrontés 2018

   Torrontés grapes can make a very charming and delicious wine like this one from Argentinian trailblazer Susana Balbo.  Its pale yellow color and enticing lychee and floral aromas insist that you take a sip.  There you will find intense lychee, peach, lime and white grapefruit flavors with notes of honeysuckle.  It is light in body with a creamy texture from three months on lees, and finishes with crisp and lively acidity.  Enjoy is as an aperitif, with a spicy Thai curry or fresh goat cheese.  Argentina is this wine’s appellation because the grapes come two very different areas: Cafayate in the northern region of Salta and Uco Valley in the Mendoza region.  In 1981 Susana Balbo was the first woman to get a degree in enology.  Her first wine job was at Michel Torino winery in Salta where she worked with this flavorful grape.  I had learned that the grape was indigenous to Argentina, but found in Wine Grapes by Robinson, et al. that there are grapes in Spain that have been called Torrontés, unrelated to the indigenous Torrontés in Argentina.  I also learned that there are three different Argentine Torrontés grapes.  Torrontés Riojano is the grape that is responsible for the wine Torrontés.   Torrentes Mendocino and Torrontés Sanjuanino are the other indigenous varieties.  One of the many things that makes wine so interesting is that there is always something new to learn.