Since the weather is getting a little warmer, tonight I tried the Mendoza Station Seleccion Especial Torrontes 2010. This is a brand that is produced for Total Wine, and as far as I know, is not available elsewhere (although it wouldn't surprise me if the same wine is sold under other names as well; it's produced by Trapiche IIRC).
I'm a fan of the regular Mendoza Station, which at $6, is a great value for a nice summertime wine. So I was looking forward to trying their premium product. The nose is an intense burst of lime, and hint of orange, and something I couldn't quite put my finger on.
The palate is more lime, with a lot of mango or similar tropical flavor. But when well chilled, the acidity is a little strong. Turns out that this wine is balanced for, and has the body to support, a considerably warmer drinking temperature than it's lower priced companion. At the temperature that I would normally reserve for a nice white Burgundy, it's drinking pretty well (I'm guessing that it's currently well over 50F).
Since I tend to drink my torrontes alone or with something like a salad, I prefer it on the more chilled side. But I think that this one would be a good match for shellfish, where the extra acidity is a good thing, or perhaps on a picnic where you might not be able to keep it super-chilled. But in other cases, I'll stick to the previously reviewed La Vuelta, which is a little softer, and the same $8 price.
Recommended with shellfish or similar food (or when you can't keep it cold); otherwise, not recommended. 82 points (although that was with it too cold; maybe 85 warmer)
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