Colomé, Torrontes

Alcohol percentage: 13.5%

Area:
The Calchaquí Valley is predominantly in the Salta province in north west Argentina. With neighbouring Jujuy, this is the highest wine producing region in the world. The altitude ensures cool nights which are vital for keeping the wines fresh. Irrigation is of course necessary as it only rains 15cm a year.
Colomé itself is 2 hours north of the key wine town, Cafayate, up an eternally rising dirt road, seemingly to the middle of nowhere. It’s a totally exceptional place

Grape variety:
100% Torrontes, fermented cool in stainless steel to retain all the natural perfume of the grape

Producer:
Colomé is owned by the Swiss billionaire Donald Hess, just like Amalaya down the road, Glen Carlou in South Africa, The Hess Collection in California and Peter Lehmann in Australia. Only a rich maverick could succeed in such an extraordinary undertaking.

The Bottle Shop rating:
Torrontes deserves more success. The obvious perfume combined with zesty freshness make an excellent (more textured) alternative to Sauvignon Blanc.