Zuccardi Serie A Cabernet Sauvignon 23

Bodegas Zuccardi is one of the largest wineries in Argentina, yet it remains distinctly a family affair.  From their beginning, the winery has been all about family, and not just the Zuccardi family. Most of the Bodegas Zuccardi's 500 employees come from families who have been with the winery for decades, providing an invaluable continuity of passion and experience.

 

 

It all began when the Zuccardi family left Sicily to make their way to the New World. They settled in San Miguel de Tucumán -- a province in Northwest Argentina. By the late 1940s, the family had moved south to Mendoza.

 

In 1963, Alberto Zuccardi planted the family's first vineyard in the Maipú region of Mendoza. At the time, Alberto had no intention of becoming a winemaker -- he was an engineer who had invented a new type of irrigation system. He intended his newly planted vineyard to function as a test vehicle for his invention. He soon discovered, however, that he loved making wine more than being an engineer. More than 60 years later, Bodegas Zuccardi rates as one of Argentina's top properties.

 

The Uco Valley is a short 90-minute drive south from Mendoza city on Argentina's Ruta Nacional 40. This seemingly insignificant distance leads to an area with remarkably different climate and geology. 

 

The key here is the gradual ascent in altitude as you approach the Uco Valley. This proximity to the initial slope of the Andes produces the only cool terroir of Mendoza. It allows the fruit to ripen in the punishing high dessert climate while also retaining more elevated levels of freshness and acidity.

 

Third generation vigneron Sebastián Zuccardi runs the Bodega today. His keen passion for the Uca Valley has been instrumental in shining an international light on the diversity of wines influenced by the different altitudes, microclimates, and soil types in the region.

 

Malbec is king in Mendoza's northern areas; however, the cooler microclimate of the Uco Valley is suitable for a much wider variety of grapes. Cabernet Sauvignon does exceptionally well here, ripening perfectly while retaining freshness and lift rarely found in Northern Mendoza. 

 

Bodegas Zuccardi Serie A is a terrific entry-level Cabernet Sauvignon that drinks way beyond its modest price point. It's 100% Cabernet Sauvignon and is sourced exclusively from Zucardi's Estate vineyards in the Uco Valley. 

 

In the glass, a quick swirl unlocks aromas of dark berry, blueberry, and cassis, leading to a supple palate of blue and black fruits with hints of black pepper and spice. A portion of the production ages in well-used French oak,  adding a touch of class not usually found in such a modestly priced Cab. Drink this one with steaks, chops, stews and ragouts. It also shows beautifully on its own and with lighter fare.