Starting with the Crios Torrentes
I ‘ve had Crios wines at many tastings over the years. I liked them but I usually skipped purchasing a bottle because, although good, I thought they typically were too dry or too minerally. But I have to say my option has changed dramatically. Maybe shipments from Argentina have improved and the natural quality of the wines are no longer endangered by being in a hot shipping container for 3 months. Maybe Susan Balbo’s wines have evolved. Whatever the reason I really liked all six of the wines tasted today (I stopped by during the Friday session).
I searched the web on something about Susan Balbo and found this writeup. verbatim on every site I found. (I don’t know who originally penned it so my apologies for not providing attribution). “In a country dominated by male winemakers, Susana Balbo stands out not only for her gender, but for her incredible skill and experience. She has been making wine since she earned her enology degree in 1981, and she has probably produced a wider variety of wines than any other winemaker in Argentina. Susana was the first Argentine winemaker to be hired as a consultant to make wine outside of Argentina. She has made wine in Australia, California, Chile, France, Italy, South Africa, and Spain, and she spends a month each year in a different wine region of the world studying with local winemakers and growers.”
Where: Vineyard Wine Market (map), 4414 Evans to Lock Road, Evans, GA. (706) 922-9463
When: Friday, June 20, 2014, 4:30-6:30PM. Saturday, June 21, 2014, 2 to 6 pm.
Cost: $8
Here are the wines, along with tasting notes that Roger provided, followed by my comments:
- Crios Torrontes 2013
- Rosé of Malbec 2012
- Crios Red Blend 2012
- Crios Syrah/Bonarda 2011
- Crios Malbec 2013
- Crios Cabernet Sauvignon 2011
The nibbles were good as usual
Here are the detailed wine notes:
Crios Torrontes 2013 | Argentina | $14.99
Fruity, floral aromas similar to Viognier; hints of peach pit, white pear, flowers, and orange citrus; beautiful structure and acidity.–Roger’s Notes. I’m beginning to adopt Torrontes as my summer white of choice. Sauv Blanc are becoming too grassy. Torrontes to my palate aren’t too acidic. This one is very yummy. I think the white pear mentioned in the notes is what I’m tasting the most. Very nice mouthfeel and flavors.–My Notes.
Rosé of Malbec 2012 | Argentina | $14.99
Deep, vibrant color; surprising amount of body for a rose wine; aromas of ripe, wild strawberries; clean, dry finish..–Roger’s Notes.This has some very intense flavors for a Rosé. I would love to give this wine to someone blindfolded and let them guess as to what kind of wine this is. I doubt they would say Rosé–My Notes.
Crios Red Blend 2012 | Argentina | $14.99
Announcing the arrival of another offspring to the Crios Family. This red blend has amazing taste, great reviews, and sleek limited edition packaging.–Roger’s Notes. What a dark wine. This one has 40% Malbec, 40% Bonarda, 15% Tannant and 5% Syrah Interesting blend. Nice flavors. I couldn’t even start to describe everything. This would be a great wine club meeting wine. You could argue for hours on which grape is dominant and what the flavors are.-My Notes.
Crios Syrah/Bonarda 2011 | Argentina | $15.99
Medium-bodied with incredible depth; ripe red plum and black raspberry flavors; long, juicy finish.–Roger’s Notes This wine is also very dark and dense looking. Fruit rush as the beginning but drops off to a minerally dry finish. This one would be great with a steak.-My Notes.
Crios Malbec 2013 | Argentina | $14.99
Crushed cherries and toasty/smoky oak aromas; jammy fruit quality with hints of spice.–Roger’s Notes I didn’t detect the smoky oak aromas but still smells very nice. I would say this was the lesat dry and tannic of all of the wines. Jammy is a good description of this wine.–My Notes.
Crios Cabernet Sauvignon 2011 | Argentina | $14.99
Dark ruby color; richly textured plum and currant flavors; ripe tannins give beautiful structure and a long finish.–Roger’s Notes. Nice cab for the price. I think this one could stand up to most California Cabs at the same price.–My Notes.
