2022 Zuccardi Serie A Torrontés

Sometime before 1950, Alberto Zuccardi came to Mendoza from his homeland in Tucuman where their great-grandparents had settled upon arriving in the Italian region of AveIino. In 1963, Alberto planted a vineyard in the region of Maipu not knowing that it would begin the great passion of his life, the wine industry. In 1990, his son, Jose Alberto Zuccardi, became the General Director of the company.

In 2005, Sebastian Zuccardi, the third generation of the family, led the development of the next stage of the winery expansion into the Uco Valley. Since 2008 the company has been dedicated to the study of the terroir and the different variables that affect wine production. In 2013 the construction of the new Zuccardi winery in the Uco Valley began. It opened in March 2016 with the promise of producing wines with identity, through the continuous exploration of the different terroirs of the Uco Valley.

The Salta region in northern Argentina is home to world’s highest vineyards. Salta is part of the Calchaquí Valley, which benefits from more than 300 days of sun per year, subjecting its vines to considerable ultraviolet radiation. The valley experiences strong high altitude winds, even in the “lower” vineyards, which are planted at 5,413 feet. Because of these elevations and resulting extreme conditions, vines produce lower yields and thicker-skinned grapes, resulting in concentrated, aromatic, and well-structured wines.

In a truly unique region, the highly aromatic variety, Torrontés, thrives; intense sun exposure allows full ripening, while cooling winds maintain the grapes’ acidity levels and phenolic balance. Unapologetically fun and distinctively fragrant, Torrontés is regarded as the signature white grape of Argentina. In many ways it bears a striking resemblance to Muscat (and in fact is an offspring of Muscat of Alexandria). These wines are always delightfully refreshing and are best enjoyed in the sunny outdoors at a picnic, poolside, or on the porch.

The Zuccardis have had a vineyard rented in Tolombón to produce the only wine not from Mendoza, and that vineyard has always been used for their Torrontés wine. The 2022 Serie A Torrontés is from a "normal" and classical vintage there, despite being a completely different world from Mendoza. The wine has a moderate 13.3% alcohol and a low pH, denoting freshness and a wine that aims to show the typical style of Torrontés. It fermented in stainless steel and with short maceration to avoid rusticity and enhance more of the citrus and herbal side of the variety. It ferments in Salta and then is moved to Mendoza, so the wine has no geographical indication on the labels. It comes through as fresh and vibrant, with depth of flavors and very nice precision and clarity.

Winemaker’s notes describe the wine as, “Zuccardi Serie A Torrontés sports an intense yellow-greenish color with a delicate and unique nose, full of white flowers such as roses and citrus blossom. Also, it reveals notes of mature white fruits and citrus zest. The wine is well structured with a lively acidity but remains centered around the aromatic intensity and delicate finish.”