Torrontés Riojano

Also: Torrontés

Torrontés Riojano is Argentina's flagship white grape and a global rarity: it's one of the few wines in the world where the aroma in the glass recalls fresh grape directly. It's a natural cross between Moscatel de Alejandría and Criolla Chica, which explains its terpenic profile—jasmine, rose, orange blossom, pink grapefruit. Three distinct Torrontés varieties exist in Argentina: Riojano (superior quality, the one exported), Sanjuanino, and Mendocino. Only Riojano produces wines of category. Its star region is the Valles Calchaquíes in Salta—especially Cafayate, where altitude (1700+ masl) is a world record—and Famatina in La Rioja. It has a characteristically bitter aftertaste that some producers offset with residual sugar and others moderate through careful vineyard management. The modern trend is toward dry, tense Torrontés, moving away from the off-dry style that dominated for decades. Its gastronomic versatility with spicy food (sushi, ceviche, Asian heat) is making it increasingly interesting for sommeliers.