This little guy doesn’t have a guilty bone in his body. Neither should you. Every Wednesday I will write-up a wine that I feel delivers good value for drinking in the middle of the week. Aside from quality, my only other criteria is price. To start, less than $15, but ideally less than $10, for a 750 ml bottle. I will also add any recipes that I paired with the wine.
Now, I realize that it is already Friday, so I am behind schedule. Nothing new…
Torrontés is my new favorite white varietal. This is the predominant white grape in Argentina. There are different strains of the varietal, but the common denominator seems to be a relationship with the Muscat of Alexandria varietal.
Michel Torino Cuma Torrontés 2010 ($10): exhibits a citrus-like freshness on the nose that I associate with Sauvignon Blanc– but it is definitely not Sauv Blanc. There is also a floral component that defies specific descriptors, but that also lends an appealing quality to the wine. On the palate, it delivers on those floral promises backed up with a pleasing jolt of acidity. It also has a more viscous mouth feel than what you would expect from a wine like this. Rated **
It’s even better with food.
Oven Roasted Sole with Toasted Almonds and Lime-Butter ©
This is a too easy recipe that serves 1-2 people. Proportions can be easily adjusted for larger crowds.
Ingredients:
- 1/2 lb grey or Dover sole (allow 1/2 lb. per person), but really any fish will do including steelhead trout and salmon
- salt & pepper
- juice of 1/2 lime
- 2 tablespoon of butter
- sprigs of fresh thyme
- 2 scallions slice into thin rounds
- 1/4 cup sliced almonds
- 1 doz. fingerling potatoes cut in half lengthwise (the purple ones make for a dramatic presentation) and tossed with EVOO, salt & pepper
- Preheat oven to 400°
- Place a sheet of aluminum foil in a baking dish large enough to hold the fish
- Season the sole with salt & pepper and place on the aluminum foil
- Melt the butter and combine with the lime juice and pour Lime-Butter over the sole (make a little bit more if you want to dress the fish after it emerges from the oven)
- Sprinkle scallions and thyme over the sole
- Loosely cover the fish with another sheet of aluminum foil and crimp the edges to seal tightly (the idea here is to roast and steam the fish at the same time)
- Place in oven for 35 minutes
- Roast the seasoned fingerling potatoes in a separate baking dish at the same time as the fish. Keep an eye on the potatoes to make sure they do not over-cook.
- While the fish and potatoes are roasting, toss the almonds in a pan until lightly toasted and set aside
- After 35 minutes, remove fish and potatoes from oven and carefully remove the foil being careful not to burn yourself from the escaping steam (Note, this can be done at the table to keep the fish warm while guests are gathering)
- Sprinkle the fish with the toasted almonds (Note, if you want to make this a bit more luxurious, you can add a little more lime-butter at the time the fish is served)
© Sybarite Sauvage
Serving Suggestions:
No. 1: Serve with a colorful green salad or a tomato salad.
No. 2: 
Invite that special lady over, put on Miles Davis’ Sketches of Spain and see what happens to you… Whipped cream with dessert is optional (but if you do, Reddi–Wip is preferred for ease of use). Bon appetit!
sybaritesauvage 
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