Amalaya Torrontes & Riesling 2023

Amalaya means “Hope for a Miracle” in the indigenous language. Because in an extremely dry region, in the Cafayate Desert, it was possible to obtain wines of the highest quality in vineyards measuring 1,800 m above sea level. The estate is now part of Hess Family Wine Estates, famous in the Napa Valley. They manage Amalaya with the same dedication to quality and sustainability as the family’s other famous estate: Bodega Colomé.

The grapes for this vintage grow at high altitudes on rocky and sandy soils. The Amalaya vines are also drip irrigated using mountain runoff stored in reservoirs, as the average annual rainfall is only 150 mm. The harvest is manual and fermentation takes place at very low temperatures followed by 3 months of ageing in stainless steel vats. This wine is composed mainly of Torrontes and a small part of Riesling to bring liveliness. It reveals notes of grapefruit , lime zest , ginger , fresh lychee , elderflower, jasmine and anise. The palate is fresh, mineral and sapid which balances very well the very aromatic profile of the Torrontes.

Although Argentina is considered the "new world", its wine tradition is much older than one might think, dating back to the time of Spanish colonization, in the 16th century and then by Italian settlers. Unlike Chile, wine has long been part of the country's culture. No wine-producing country in the world has made more progress in the last years of the 20th century (on the viticultural and oenological level and necessarily financially) which has allowed the country's wine producers to increase quality levels and have succeeded in consolidating an international export market. Argentina has now become the fifth largest wine producing country in the world, after France, Italy, Spain and the United States. Viticulture is practiced mainly in the foothills of the Andes, and more particularly in Mendoza, where the desert landscapes and high altitudes combine to give rise to aromatic and intensely perfumed wines. Some vineyards can even be planted up to 3000 meters above sea level! The terroir here is well suited to the grape variety adopted by Argentina: the omnipresent Malbec. Originally from Bordeaux, he is today responsible for some of the most famous Argentinian wines, which are characterized by their brightness and intensity, with floral notes and dark fruit flavors. Other red varieties produced in Argentina are Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Bonarda, Syrah, Tempranillo and Pinot Noir. Among white wines, the emblematic grape variety of the Argentine wine region is Torrontés, which gives a wine with a floral and tropical taste. The country also produces Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Grigio. Today, Argentinian wines are recognized throughout the world for their full-bodied reds and as high-quality wines.