Zuccardi Concreto Malbec, Valle de Uco

Description

Zuccardi Concreto Malbec is part of Zuccardi’s “Vinos de Viticulor” range of wines created by Sebastian Zuccardi as a tribute to the inspiring members of his family whose passion and innovation has established Zuccardi as one of Argentina’s leading wineries. It is a cooler, mineral and fresher style of wine which is atypical of the Mendoza region.

Zuccardi Wines was founded by Alberto “Tito” Zuccardi. Zuccardi was an engineer who had arrived in Mendoza from the Tucuman province of northwestern Argentina where his Italian grandparents had settled. Zuccardi was primarily working on irrigation systems which are very important in a region with minimal rainfall. In order to demonstrate his irrigation system he planted a vineyard in Maipu in 1963. This was to be the Zuccardi family’s entry into the world of wine. Construction of their first winery began in 1968. Zuccardi was followed into the business by his son, Jose, in 1976 and Jose’s son, Sebastian, who is now the Zuccardi winemaker, joined the family business in 2002.

Zuccardi Vineyards

Zuccardi is based in the Valle de Uco and a new winery was completed in Paraje Altamira in 2013. In 2019 Sebastian was voted one of South America’s most exciting winemakers by Decanter Magazine and Zuccardi Valle de Uco voted “The World’s Best Vineyard”. The Valle de Uco is located at the foot of the Andes and runs north to south along the western edge of the Mendoza wine-growing region. Zuccardi have several vineyard locations comprising some 800 hectares. As well as vineyards at the wine in Paraje Altamira, there are also vineyards in La Consulta, Vista Flores, Santa Rosa and Maipu. 35% of their vineyards have organic certification and the others are all sustainably managed.

Zuccardi Concreto Malbec Vinification

The grapes for the Zuccardi Concreto Malbec come from the Paraje Altamira vineyard in San Carlos. It is located at an altitude of 11oo metres. Paraje Altamira occupies the highest part of its alluvial fan. This place has a cool temperate climate, with great thermal amplitude. Its soils stand out for the presence of a large conglomerate of stones and granite gravel covered with calcareous material, where huge rocks weighing up to 20 tons can be found.

After years of research into how different plots of grapes ripen and develop, the plots are treated separately so that every corner of our vineyards can be harvested at the perfect moment. The wine is fermented and aged in concrete, hence the name “concreto”. The concrete vats are egg-shaped. The 100% Malbec grapes undergo whole cluster fermentation in concrete vats without epoxy using native yeasts (to avoid the influence of aromas and flavours which do not come from the vineyard) and maceration for 20 days.

Also available in 1.5 Litre Magnums.