Reginato Torrontes / Chardonnay Brut NV
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Robert
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The non-vintage Torrontes/Chardonnay is a blend of 20% and 80% respectively, made under the Champenoise and Charmat method. The Torrontes, which comes from La Rioja rather than Salta, lifts the aromatics with some lovely lime and lychee aromas. The palate is well-balanced, with attractive passion fruit and lime notes, crisp acidity and a nicely poised, peachy finish. This is a great sparkling Argentinean wine. Drink now.
Having learned from his father Jose who made wine for over 50 years, Pepe crafts some of Mendoza’s most sought after limited-production, boutique sparkling wines. The Reginatos have always had a ritual of toasting not only all of life’s important events, but also the small joys of everyday life. Unlike other “factory” sparkling wine producers in Mendoza, the Reginatos personally manage the whole process themselves, from grape to bottle. They manage the vineyards, select the grapes, harvest at the optimal time, make the base wine, and then do secondary fermentation at their own winery.
From Rosé of Malbec to Torrontés-Chardonnay, the Reginatos go outside the box of traditional sparkling varietals to find an Argentine twist to the French classics. They produce both Charmat and “Metodo Tradicional” (Champenoise) sparkling wines, and if you ever get a chance to meet Pepe, you’ll see what kind of hand muscles you can develop after years of hand-riddling bottles.
A term typically reserved for Champagne and Sparkling Wines, non-vintage or simply “NV” on a label indicates a blend of finished wines from different vintages (years of harvest). To make non-vintage Champagne, typically the current year’s harvest (in other words, the current vintage) forms the base of the blend. Finished wines from previous years, called “vins de reserve” are blended in at approximately 10-50% of the total volume in order to achieve the flavor, complexity, body and acidity for the desired house style. A tiny proportion of Champagnes are made from a single vintage.
There are also some very large production still wines that may not claim one particular vintage. This would be at the discretion of the winemaker’s goals for character of the final wine.
By far the largest and best-known winemaking province in Argentina, Mendoza is responsible for over 70% of the country’s enological output. Set in the eastern foothills of the Andes Mountains, the climate is dry and continental, presenting relatively few challenges for viticulturists during the growing season. Mendoza, divided into several distinctive sub-regions, including Luján de Cuyo and the Uco Valley, is the source of some of the country’s finest wines.
For many wine lovers, Mendoza is practically synonymous with Malbec. Originally a Bordelaise variety brought to Argentina by the French in the mid-1800s, here it found success and renown that it never knew in its homeland where a finicky climate gives mixed results. Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Merlot and Pinot Noir are all widely planted here as well (and sometimes even blended with each other or Malbec). Mendoza's main white varieties include Chardonnay, Torrontés, Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillon.