Intelligent Value from Argentina’s Cafayate Valley: 2007 Don Rodolfo Torrontés

As the weather gradually warms up, I’m pleased to be encountering more intelligent value Argentine wines from provinces outside of Mendoza. Produced by Viña Cornejo Costas, an estate with established history in the Argentine northwest, here’s another Torrontés beauty from the mineral-rich Cafayate Valley. This is a great recommendation that can stand up to spicy and Asian dishes, given that Argentina’s native Torrontés variety is intense in acidity and flavor, even if light on body.

This wine reminds me again that Torrontés made in the Cafayate Valley could well be considered the benchmark for Argentine Torrontés. For being in the $10-$12 range, this Torrontés boasts a great deal more complexity and balance than some French and Italian varieties costing more have sadly failed to exhibit. Although I am a lifetime fan of European wines, I’d like to drink more intelligent value wines made by producers who don’t take me for granted due to some sense of entitlement. I sometimes worry about that and I’m not sure whether it’s that exactly or perhaps the fact that wine prices for Burgundy and Bordeaux are incredibly inflated, but I’m finding it more difficult than ever to put down $15 for a bottle of white wine from prestige regions that won’t underwhelm.

Reflecting more upon possible Argentine wine import trends, I am really looking forward to seeing more wines from Argentina’s provinces outside of Mendoza given that producers are avoiding bulk production like the plague and still very much feel that they have everything to prove. For one, crafting wines in Salta isn’t exactly for the faint of heart—stony, sandy soils on steep Andean inclines and almost 360 days of sunlight. Wines produced in Salta don’t even account for a tenth of Argentine wines, and this especially underscores the fact that bulk producers have stayed away for some time.

I’ve recently noticed lots of new and exciting things which I’ll report on later in terms of Argentine wine imports. Interestingly enough, these wines don’t exactly fit the typical “Wines of Argentina Awards” formula for success (Bordeaux-style blends with Malbec playing a role to some degree). I am seeing more general Patagonia appellation Pinot Noir, Tempranillo from San Juan and now, more Torrontés producers from Salta stepping up to deliver. I have a feeling that things are looking up for smaller Argentine producers who may want to share their work with export markets such as the U.S., since an open-minded changing of the guard, taste-wise is afoot. For now, here’s my take on the don Rodolfo Torrontés:

In the glass, it is a clear, pale lemon color. The nose is perfumey and stays true to the nature of the aromatic Torrontés variety—clean, pronounced floral aromas (elderflower dominating), stone fruit (apricot and peach), and lemon. The style is dry, with high acidity, light body and an impressive balance of flavors for the price point. The elderflower blossom aspect that dominates from the nose on through to one’s afterbreath really captivated me, as it’s one of my favorite scents/flavors in general. The acidity from the lemon zest is very refreshing and nicely accompanies the stone fruit flavors.

The importer of the don Rodolfo wines is Cabernet Corporation, out of California. Check with them for distribution information if it doesn't seem to be available in your area.