About this WINE
Familia Zuccardi
Familia Zuccardi, also known as Zuccardi Valle de Uco, is a family-owned winery in Argentina. It was founded in 1963 by Alberto Zuccardi, an engineer who planted his first vineyard in Maipú, Mendoza, to demonstrate a new irrigation system he had developed. Over the years, the winery has evolved under the stewardship of the Zuccardi family, now managed by the third generation, with Sebastián Zuccardi leading the way.
Familia Zuccardi produces a diverse range of wines, including Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, and various white varietals. Their portfolio includes iconic wines such as the Zuccardi Q series, Zuccardi Tito, and the Zuccardi Finca series, highlighting specific vineyard sites and micro-terroirs. The winery is committed to minimal intervention in the winemaking process, often utilising natural fermentation techniques to showcase the fruit's purity and the terroir's character.
At the heart of Familia Zuccardi's philosophy is a focus on research and development, constantly exploring new techniques and grape varieties to enhance the quality and uniqueness of their wines. Their terroir-driven approach aims to express the unique characteristics of the Uco Valley's diverse soils and climates.
Malbec
Known as Auxerrois in Cahors, Cot in the Loire and Malbeck in Argentina, this grape has undergone a mini renaissance in the last decade, largely fuelled by its success in South America. It used to be a staple component of the Bordeaux Blend, but it never recovered fully from the 1956 frosts and its plantings there have fallen by 75% as growers have replaced it with more fashionable, and crucially, more durable grapes.
It is still grown successfully in South West France where its most famous wine is Cahors. This wine used to be black as coal and tough as leather but improvements in viticultural and vinification techniques have led to riper, softer, more approachable wines that are now amongst the best of the region.
In Argentina it is widely grown and produces deep coloured wines with generous black fruit characteristics, balanced acidity and smooth tannins. It is either bottled on its own or as part of a Bordeaux blend. In Chile it is the 3rd most widely planted grape after Pais and Cabernet Sauvignon and tends to produce firmer, more tannic wines than its Argentinian neighbours. In Chile it is often blended with Merlot and Petit Verdot.
When is a wine ready to drink?
We provide drinking windows for all our wines. Alongside the drinking windows there is a bottle icon and a maturity stage. Bear in mind that the best time to drink a wine does also depend on your taste.
Not ready
These wines are very young. Whilst they're likely to have lots of intense flavours, their acidity or tannins may make them feel austere. Although it isn't "wrong" to drink these wines now, you are likely to miss out on a lot of complexity by not waiting for them to mature.
Ready - youthful
These wines are likely to have plenty of fruit flavours still and, for red wines, the tannins may well be quite noticeable. For those who prefer younger, fruitier wines, or if serving alongside a robust meal, these will be very enjoyable. If you choose to hold onto these wines, the fruit flavours will evolve into more savoury complexity.
Ready - at best
These wines are likely to have a beautiful balance of fruit, spice and savoury flavours. The acidity and tannins will have softened somewhat, and the wines will show plenty of complexity. For many, this is seen as the ideal time to drink and enjoy these wines. If you choose to hold onto these wines, they will become more savoury but not necessarily more complex.
Ready - mature
These wines are likely to have plenty of complexity, but the fruit flavours will have been almost completely replaced by savoury and spice notes. These wines may have a beautiful texture at this stage of maturity. There is lots to enjoy when drinking wines at this stage. Most of these wines will hold in this window for a few years, though at the very end of this drinking window, wines start to lose complexity and decline.
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