A pair of refreshing wines to help you enjoy your summer to the fullest, the Crios Torrontés and Crios Rosé of Malbec.
Perhaps it’s the long winters (and therefore the relatively short summers) we experience here in Minnesota, but we love it when the time for “summertime sippers” rolls around.
Of course, a summertime sipper doesn’t necessarily have to be a wine that I would only drink in summer, but it does have to be a wine that is refreshing — one that I would be happy to drink on a hot and humid 90 degree day. Today we have two excellent wines that fall into this category.
Torrontés has long been one of our favorite white wines. We also love rosé although it’s still not very common to see one made from Malbec. Let’s find out how both of these taste.
First up is the Crios Rosé of Malbec, which is 100% Malbec from the Uco Valley, Mendoza, Argentina.
Sample submitted for review. The wine has an SRP of $15 and is available for as low as $10. Both wines are imported by Folio Fine Wine Partners.
I founded Crios as tribute to my children, Jose and Ana. Together, we craft wines to be enjoyed across generations and to represent values we strive to instill in our own families. Crios Rosé of Malbec prompts us to look at life differently, as we did while imagining premium rosés as a new way to enjoy Argentina’s flagship varietal.
Crios Rosé of Malbec is sourced from the highest Andean vineyards, both in elevation (avg. 3.700 ft) and quality. It is fresh, dry and delicate with aromas and flavors of strawberry and gooseberry and leading to a balanced palate and crisp finish.
14.5% Alcohol
The 2018 Crios Rosé of Malbec begins with a pleasing light berry and watermelon aroma with a hint of sea salt. It’s a bit subdued at first but then opens up with a little time in the glass. Tasting the wine reveals it to be fresh and juicy with lots of strawberry and watermelon plus some darker berry fruit notes, a bit of citrus and an excellent texture. It’s got plenty of fruit but is not sweet. It ends dry with good length and lingering tropical fruit notes. Don’t drink this one too cold as it becomes more multi-dimensional as it warms up a bit.
Ready to buy? Check your local retailers for this wine.
Next up is the Crios Torrontés which is 100% Torrontés sourced from both Cafayate in Salta and the Uco Valley in Mendoza, Argentina. The wine has just 2 g/L of residual sugar.
Sample submitted for review. The wine has an SRP of $15 and is available for as low as $9.
I founded Crios as tribute to my children, Jose and Ana. Together, we craft wines to be enjoyed across generations and to represent values we strive to instill in our own families. Crios Torrontés reminds us to break the rules – that tinkering with assumptions can lead to rewards like seeing a common blending grape become Argentina’s star white wine.
Crios Torrontés is sourced from the highest Andean vineyards, both in elevation (avg. 5.600 ft) and quality. It is crisp, refreshing and aromatic, with a bouquet of citrus fruits, passion fruit, lychee and white flowers. Lively acidity, a hint of creaminess and a long, mineral finish add depth and balance to the palate.
13.5% Alcohol
The 2018 Crios Torrontés begins with aromas of honeydew melon, peach, lemon and lime and a lot of grassiness when first opened that turns a bit more tropical with time in the glass. It’s a rather Sauvignon Blanc like bouquet. Taking a sip reveals a crisp wine that is pretty tasty on the palate. It has similar flavors to the nose with good depth of flavor on the fruit. Smooth and even a bit creamy with an appealing lively acidity, this is highly quaffable. It ends dry and long with a bit of lingering sea salt minerality under the tart citrus and tropical fruit notes.
Ready to buy? Check your local retailers for this wine.
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