Winemaker Notes
Crios Torrontés is one of the best examples of the potential of this variety. Made with grapes from Cafayate and the Uco Valley, it is an ideal wine to enjoy small moments with family and/or friends. Vibrant, aromatic and refreshing, it has aromas of citrus, passion fruit, lychee and white flowers, as well as a long and mineral finish.
*The label for Crios de Susana Balbo Torrontes is in the process of changing. You may receive either of these two labels featured above. Specific labels cannot be requested.
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
Aromas of orange blossoms, lemons, quince, pears and tropical fruit. The palate is round and fruit-forward, with attractive volume and a tropical note in the finish.
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Vinous
The 2024 Torrontés Crios is sourced from Paraje Altamira and Agrelo. It opens with aromas of white flowers, orange blossom, grapefruit peel and ripe citrus. The palate is creamy, flavorful and vibrant, with floral notes lingering on the finish.
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Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
The fruit-forward 2024 Susana Balbo Crios Torrontés embodies the pioneering vision of founder Susana Balbo and her expertise in this vibrant varietal. With notes of savory spice, floral hints, and a streak of minerality, it pairs beautifully with Argentina’s classic corn pudding steamed in husks—layered with cheese, sautéed onions, and rosemary. (Tasted: June 16, 2025, San Francisco, CA)
After 22 years of winemaking, Susana Balbo has a strong sense of what she wants from her wines. From every harvest, she creates the grandest possible wines under her Susana Balbo label. To achieve this, she makes a rigorous selection of the finest barrels prior to making her final blends, dividing them into the parents (reserve level wines) and offspring or "crios."
Wines under her Crios label display ripe fruit flavors, excellent balance and concentration, and are meant to be enjoyed in their vibrant youth. These wines are produced under Dominio del Plata's code of sustainable agriculture.
Like Susana's own crios (a boy and a girl), they are extremely lovable and fun to be around. The label features a series of three connected and overlapping hands, an image inspired by a Mayan artifact. The artifact illustrates the interconnectedness of every generation, and the irony that we will be both the parent and the offspring at different times in our lives.
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 vineyards tretching along the eastern side of the Andes Mountains from Patagonia in the south to Salta in the north, Argentina is one of the world’s largest and most dynamic wine producing countries—and most important in South America.
Since the late 20th century vineyard investments, improved winery technology and a commitment to innovation have all contributed to the country’s burgeoning image as a producer of great wines at all price points. The climate here is diverse but generally continental and agreeable, with hot, dry summers and cold snowy winters—a positive, as snow melt from the Andes Mountains is used heavily to irrigate vineyards. Grapes very rarely have any difficulty achieving full ripeness.
Argentina’s famous Mendoza region, responsible for more than 70% of Argentina’s wine production, is further divided into several sub-regions, with Luján de Cuyo and the Uco Valley most noteworthy. Red wines dominate here, especially Malbec, the country’s star variety, while Chardonnay is the most successful white.
The province of San Juan is best known for blends of Bonarda and Syrah. Torrontés is a specialty of the La Rioja and Salta regions, the latter of which is also responsible for excellent Malbecs grown at very high elevation.