Susana Balbo Barrel Fermented Torrontes 2023
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James
Suckling - Vinous
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Wilfred
Wong
Product Details
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Somm Note
Winemaker Notes
A golden colored Torrontés with bright reflections. The nose is fragrant and complex, with hints of tropical fruits (especially lychee), citrus notes (such as lemon peel) and delicate floral aromas. The mouth is harmonious, with a balanced acidity that goes with some intense fruit flavors. It has a good, round body and a silky texture.
Fish, shellfish and spicy, aromatic dishes from Indian, Chinese and Thai cuisines all pair well with this wine.
Blend: 100% Torrontés
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
Limes, spearmint and salt with some chalk and cement. Medium-bodied with a creamy texture and beautiful fruit, complexity and character. Some seashells, dried citrus and Meyer lemons in the finish.
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Vinous
The 2023 vintage marks a milestone of high temperatures and extreme dryness. The wines from this year reflect this with ripe fruits, lighter palates and a certain alcoholic richness. The 2023 Torrontés Barrel Fermented slightly deviates from this trend, as it was harvested early. It offers lemongrass and a hint of grass, with a subtle herbal aroma that seems somewhat closed off. The palate is creamy, with pronounced and notable acidity.
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Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
Susana Balbo, Argentina's first woman winemaker, is a remarkable person. I have spent time with her at her winery in Argentina and events in California. Her devotion to winemaking is inspirational. The 2023 Signature Barrel Fermented Torrontés is light years of others in the marketplace. This wine showcases aromas and flavors of fresh garden herbs, slight rustic notes, and dried citrus. Try it with Cantonese ginger onion crab. (Tasted: February 2, 2025, San Francisco, CA)
Other Vintages
2022- Vinous
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Wilfred
Wong -
James
Suckling -
Wine
Enthusiast
Susana Balbo graduated from Don Bosco University in Mendoza in 1981 and established herself as Argentina’s first female enologist and, since then, has been considered one of Argentina’s top winemakers. Three times her industry peers elected her to the Presidency of Wines of Argentina because of her work ethic, innovative winemaking techniques and dedication to the worldwide success of Argentine wine.
After working for twenty years as a consulting winemaker, Susana founded her own brand in 2000. In 2001, she broke ground for her winery in Agrelo in the Luján de Cuyo district of Mendoza. There, she makes her Susana Balbo “Signature” line of wines, as well as wines under the Crios, Nosotros and BenMarco labels. Her winemaking approach for the wines that bear her name is to seamlessly apply her human touch and enhance the grape’s innate character.
Over several decades of winemaking in Argentina, Susana has earned a reputation for a pioneering spirit and innovation. She is known for experimenting with various barrel sizes and aging regimens, fermentation of wine in egg-shaped concrete fermenters, and wild yeast fermentations. The Wine Advocate’s Luis Gutierrez dubbed her groundbreaking barrel-fermented Torrontés one of the “10 Argentine Wines to Drink before You Die.”
Unapologetically fun and distinctively fragrant, Torrontés is regarded as the signature white grape of Argentina. In many ways it bears a striking resemblance to Muscat (and in fact is an offspring of Muscat of Alexandria). Sommelier Secret—If you’re in search of a new summer sipper, look no further than Torrontés. These wines are always inexpensive, delightfully refreshing and are best enjoyed in the sunny outdoors at a picnic, poolside or on the porch.
With a winning combination of cool weather, high elevation and well-draining alluvial soils, it is no surprise that Mendoza’s Uco Valley is one of the most exciting up-and-coming wine regions in Argentina. Healthy, easy-to-manage vines produce low yields of high-quality fruit, which in turn create flavorful, full-bodied wines with generous acidity.
This is the source of some of the best Malbec in Mendoza, which can range from value-priced to ultra-premium. Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Chardonnay also perform well here.