Pascual Toso Brut
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Suckling
James -
Panel
Tasting
Product Details
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Winemaker Notes
Best served chilled as an aperitif, or accompanying any celebration!
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
This sparkling chardonnay is bright and fresh and crisp with attractive lemon and dried-pear aromas and a rather juicy, very clean finish.
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Tasting Panel
Flavors of pear, peach, and apricot shine through along with tropical notes of green melon and banana in this pale yellow, light-bodied wine made with Chardonnay grapes. There are also hints of lemon zest, green apple, elderflower, and biscuit as well as small bubbles and a mildly herbaceous quality,
When in the mid 1880s Pascual Toso set out towards Argentina from its home town, Canale D’Alba, in Piamonte, Italy, he could not have imagined that he would become the founder of a winery, which is today one of the oldest and most prestigious wineries in Argentina.
When he arrived in Argentina, he settled in Mendoza. As he had been closely involved in the development of his family wine business in Piedmont, he promptly saw the promising future for winemaking in the region and decided to use his expertise. Thus, in 1890, Pascual Toso established his first winery in San José, Guaymallén.
At the beginning of the 20th century, he decided to expand his business and acquired vineyards in Maipú. At his estate “Las Barrancas”, he built another winery, “Las Barrancas” (small Canyon) which is dedicated to producing and growing the finest grapes.
In 2001, the Bodega hired as winemaker consultant to Mr. Paul Hobbs for a new high quality wine project. He has been working head to head with our chief winemaker, Rolando Luppino, on the development of premium and super-premium wines. Today, Pascual Toso still makes wines of high quality under the most exigent procedures and rules. The Trophy for Best Argentine Producer awarded by the IWSC (London) in 2007 reflects this commitment to quality.
A term typically reserved for Champagne and Sparkling Wines, non-vintage or simply “NV” on a label indicates a blend of finished wines from different vintages (years of harvest). To make non-vintage Champagne, typically the current year’s harvest (in other words, the current vintage) forms the base of the blend. Finished wines from previous years, called “vins de reserve” are blended in at approximately 10-50% of the total volume in order to achieve the flavor, complexity, body and acidity for the desired house style. A tiny proportion of Champagnes are made from a single vintage.
There are also some very large production still wines that may not claim one particular vintage. This would be at the discretion of the winemaker’s goals for character of the final wine.
By far the largest and best-known winemaking province in Argentina, Mendoza is responsible for over 70% of the country’s enological output. Set in the eastern foothills of the Andes Mountains, the climate is dry and continental, presenting relatively few challenges for viticulturists during the growing season. Mendoza, divided into several distinctive sub-regions, including Luján de Cuyo and the Uco Valley, is the source of some of the country’s finest wines.
For many wine lovers, Mendoza is practically synonymous with Malbec. Originally a Bordelaise variety brought to Argentina by the French in the mid-1800s, here it found success and renown that it never knew in its homeland where a finicky climate gives mixed results. Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Merlot and Pinot Noir are all widely planted here as well (and sometimes even blended with each other or Malbec). Mendoza's main white varieties include Chardonnay, Torrontés, Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillon.