By Roger Morris
Next year will mark the 25th anniversary of Susana Balbo’s winery in Mendoza, Argentina. Balbo is the Argentina wine pioneer who helped make Torrontés an international white wine favorite, and previously made wines for other producers in Salta and Mendoza.
I talked with Balbo recently, and she is full of plans: expanding into the hospitality industry, introducing a new sustainable, low-alcohol series of wines under her “Crios” label and in vowing to help make Argentina as well known for its quality white as it is for its reds. Additionally, Balbo has welcomed her two grown children into the business.
We raise our collective glasses to Balbo with three of her wines in this The Dozen. And there’s a batch of other good wines our menu.
2022 Domaine Delsol Reserve Picpoul de Pinet ($13) – Fresh and floral green flavors, good texture, but a touch rough in the finish.
2022 Susana Balbo Wines “Crios” Argentina Torrontés ($13) – Lovely blue-green aromas with interlocking strands of flavors and good acidity in finish – fresh and refreshing.
2022 Artesano Mendoza White Malbec ($15) – A white wine Malbec from Mendoza is probably in the same experimental category as were the first white Zinfandels a half-century ago in Napa Valley. While interesting with its grainy texture and lime green flavors, it’s a little short on the palate and will probably improve in future vintages.
2022 Rombauer Vineyards Sonoma/Napa Sauvignon Blanc ($28) – Enjoyable, quite floral, very complex Sauvignon, with flavors of green herbs, lime and kiwi and while crisp, not overly tart in the finish.
2022 Gamble Family “Gamble Vineyards” Yountville Sauvignon Blanc ($41) -Marlborough-style fruitiness meets Napa Valley structure. There’s lots of green, tart fruit here – lime, kiwi – but there are also light tannins and a solid backbone to the wine.
2022 Susana Balbo Wines “Signature” Valle de Uco Torrontés ($59) – Balbo shows what she can do with Torrontés with this wine, which is barrel-fermented, with complex, layered green fruit and a background of smooth oak – a great wine to pair with ocean fish dishes.
2020 Susana Balbo Wines “Signature” Valle de Uco Malbec ($22) – Very good ripe flavors of purple and red fruits – cassis, blueberry, blackberry – with a creamy, smooth finish.
NV Paul Mas “Côte Mas” Crémant de Limoux Brut ($17) – Always look to the Limoux region for very good sparklers at reasonable prices. Here Mas puts together a very rich and satisfying bubbly that is long and light on the palate with apple and floral flavors.
2022 Maison Ventenac “Cuvée Diane” Cabardès Rosé ($8) – Made in the Provence style, with light citrus flavors with a crisp finish.
2019 Domaines Baron de Rothschild “Blason d’Aussières” Corbières ($16) – Pleasant, easy drinking with ripe cherry flavors, some barrel notes, and dusty tannins.
2020 Rombauer Vineyards California Zinfandel ($38) – A warm and inviting wine with ripe blackberry fruitiness backed by smooth, creamy oak.
2019 Rombauer Vineyards Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon ($75) – Not as much complexity and impact as with previous vintages, but an enjoyable mix of red and black fruits.
Prices listed are generally SRP or from wine-searcher.com.As more wineries are now shipping direct-to-consumer, check the winery website if you can’t find a bottle in your retail store.
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