Great Cheap White

Let's face it - we are all creatures of habit. When it comes to wine, we tend to buy the things we know. And why not? Who can afford to waste money on wines we might or might not enjoy.

Try Torrontes

If you have never heard of the Argentine white called Torrontes, you are not alone. Only in the last few years has this varietal started to become more popular in the United States.

What makes Torrontes great? It's smells like flowers and peaches, works well with a wide variety of foods or as a cocktail and it is inexpensive.

Torrontes to Taste

The best Argentine white wines come from the Argentine province of Salta. Turn over that bottle and read where the grapes come from, not where they are bottled.

An excellent brand that is widely distributed is Crios de Susana Balbo Torrontes. We're talking around $10. Works well as an aperitif or a good match with ethnic foods that are slightly spicy like Thai, Indian or Chinese.

My personal favorite is to serve this on a very hot summer day, chilled but not ice cold. Slip a few garlicky shrimp on the grill. Enjoy.