23 August 2010

2009 Tamari Torrontés

I haven't had one of these in a while... This 2009 Tamari Torrontés is from La Rioja, Argentina. $15, 13.3% abv. Aromas of peach and lemon, and a touch of flowers. Overripe fruit flavors with firm acidity and minerality. Slightly bitter finish. It is completely dry, and I think just a hint of sweetness would balance it out well. Fortunately this is an opportunity to compensate with the food.

I had some grouper, but hadn't made up my mind on how to fix it. The wine had elements of tartness and bitterness, so I decided to add sweet and savory to the fish with a honey-soy glaze. Some black beans, fresh cucumbers, and I had a decent little dinner. And with all the acidity in the wine, there was no need for a little squeeze of fresh lime juice on the fish and beans. I was thinking this would be a good match for various Cuban seafood and poultry dishes.

Tamari means "to do everything with passion" or "be passionate" in the language of the Huarpe, the extinct tribe native to the Mendoza region in Argentina. Well done label, too--arty without being annoying or indecipherable, only two fonts, and the brushstroke "T" is overlaid in a glossy black ink that makes it look wet and freshly applied.

4 comments:

Unknown said...
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dining tables said...

That is so true. I am not a drinker but I like to taste different kinds of wine. Based on my experience, there are indeed elements of tartness and bitterness in wines.

Michael Hughes said...

I'm a big fan of torrontes. Gotta try this one.

Benito said...

Michael,

It's got a unique flavor to it, and I was in the mood for something that wasn't Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc. I think I prefer the grape in a little lighter style, but this worked well.

Cheers,
Benito