2020 Zuccardi, Finca Piedra Infinita, Paraje Altamira, Mendoza, Argentina
Critics reviews
They used more grapes from places with a little more soil and resistance to heat and dry conditions in a warmer year like 2020 for the 2020 Finca Piedra Infinita, which feels very young, primary and undeveloped. They have 46 separate plots in the vineyard, and in this early harvest, they started picking earlier than ever but during the harvest still felt they were too late; but the wines show much better than anticipated. Having the palette of wines to choose from helps in warmer years, when it's more difficult to keep the freshness in the wine, which for them is one of the most important things. It really feels very young and better than expected.
They told me they learned a lot from 2017 to manage a year like 2020, when they do a shorter maceration (and in cooler years, they might do a longer maceration). This is gentler than the 2019, with rounder tannins. 8,500 bottles were filled in June 2021.
Drink 2024 - 2032
Luis Gutiérrez, Wine Advocate (November 2022)
Such a profound nose with plenty of mineral, wild herb, violet and dark cherry aromas and flavors. Full-bodied on the palate with plenty of seamless and powdery tannins which melt into the fruit. Super pristine, polished and refined. An iron fist in a velvet glove. Muscular but intellectual.
Better after 2025
Zekun Shuai, Senior Editor at JamesSuckling.com (March 2023)
The 2020 Malbec Finca Piedra Infinita hails from Paraje Altamira in the Uco Valley. A rich purple in the glass. The nose presents camphor, thyme, hops, blueberry and blackberry over a bed of sage. Dry, compact and juicy, the chalky, vibrant palate is stirred up by measured acidity, ensuring a taut, balanced mouthfeel. With a lithe, energetic character, this Malbec exemplifies Zuccardi's primary, spare style.
Drink 2023 - 2035
Joaquín Hidalgo, Vinous.com (June 2023)
About this WINE
Zuccardi
In 1963, the Zuccardi family first planted grapevines in the Maipú region of Mendoza. This beautiful valley is high up in the foothills of the Andes mountains, and the mountain peaks, covered in snow year-round, dominate the background of this winery.
Zuccardi have spent years learning about the terroir in their vineyards, honing in on the different soil types and effects of altitude on the wines, and matching their blend of grapes – Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Bonarda and Tempranillo as well as Malbec – perfectly to site. Their highest altitude plots are within the sub-regions of Gualtallary and Paraje Altamira, over 1000m above sea level. Here the intense sunlight and cooling effect of altitude result in elegant wines of great finesse.
Their most famous vineyard, Piedra Infinita, produces Malbecs of astonishing elegance. In 2016 the Zuccardi family opened a new winery in the heart of the vineyard. Nestled amongst the vines and made from local materials, the winery seems to be a part of the vineyard itself. Tasting and eating in the restaurant located in the winery, it is easy to understand just why these wines are described as mountain wines.
Mendoza
With its western borderline dominated by the Andes and its 146,000 hectares of vineyards representing 70% of the country’s wine production, Mendoza is Argentina’s biggest and most important wine-growing province.
Mendoza’s vineyards are a haven to Old World varieties including Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah, Tempranillo, Bonarda, Sangiovese, Barbera, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Chenin Blanc. The province’s signature grape is Malbec.
Mendoza still produces large amounts of inexpensive wine for domestic consumption, as well as grape concentrate, but the sub-region of Luján de Cuyo stands out with some lovely velvety Malbecs, while the cool, gravelly Maipú is best for Cabernet Sauvignon.
The most exciting area in Mendoza for fine whites, however, is the Uco Valley, that has the highest vineyards, up to 1,200 metres above sea level. Chardonnay, Sauvignon, Chenin, Pinot Grigio and Torrontés fare particularly well in its cool climate. Its sub-region of Tupungato produces Argentina’s best Chardonnay.
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.
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Description
They used more grapes from places with a little more soil and resistance to heat and dry conditions in a warmer year like 2020 for the 2020 Finca Piedra Infinita, which feels very young, primary and undeveloped. They have 46 separate plots in the vineyard, and in this early harvest, they started picking earlier than ever but during the harvest still felt they were too late; but the wines show much better than anticipated. Having the palette of wines to choose from helps in warmer years, when it's more difficult to keep the freshness in the wine, which for them is one of the most important things. It really feels very young and better than expected.
They told me they learned a lot from 2017 to manage a year like 2020, when they do a shorter maceration (and in cooler years, they might do a longer maceration). This is gentler than the 2019, with rounder tannins. 8,500 bottles were filled in June 2021.
Drink 2024 - 2032
Luis Gutiérrez, Wine Advocate (November 2022)
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