Zuccardi Aluvional Paraje Altamira 2019

This structured and 'aristocratic' red wine originates from Argentina, within the prestigious Paraje Altamira sub-appellation of the Uco Valley in Mendoza. Produced by Zuccardi Valle de Uco a pioneering family estate led by visionary winemaker Sebastián Zuccardi and named 'World’s Best Vineyard' three consecutive years this single-terroir bottling represents a benchmark for high-altitude, limestone-driven Malbec. Sourced from choice estate vineyard blocks situated at an elevation of 1,100 meters (3,600 feet) above sea level, the vines thrive in complex alluvial soils composed of large granite stones heavily encrusted with white calcium carbonate (chalk/limestone). Paraje Altamira’s extreme mountain desert microclimate features intense UV daylight balanced by cold winds descending off the Andes, enabling Malbec grapes to achieve complete phenolic maturity while preserving an electric, age-worthy natural acidity and intense chalky minerality.

Wine Description

The 2019 Zuccardi Aluvional Paraje Altamira presents an opaque, deep black-purple color in the glass with vivid violet and magenta highlights along the rim. Its sensory profile is exceptionally fresh, high-toned, and complex, delivering an energetic, precise, and chalk-driven portrait of high-altitude Uco Valley terroir. The bouquet opens with a soaring display of fresh blueberries, dark plum compote, and wild blackberries, seamlessly layered with complex underlays of fresh violets, dried lavender, mountain thyme, crushed chalk, graphite, and a distinct line of iron-stone minerality, virtually untouched by sweet oak influence. On the palate, the wine is full-bodied, athletic, and linear, showcasing a succulent core of dark berries, blood orange peel, and savory spices. It is characterized by its outstanding inner energy and an incisive, mouthwatering backbone of natural acidity that effortlessly elevates its mid-palate fruit density. The mouthfeel is broad, velvety, and weightless, framed by fine-grained, chalky tannins that glide into an extraordinarily long, dry, and mineral-driven finish accented by persistent notes of crushed stone, black pepper, and dark cocoa.

This high-definition Argentine expression is 100% Malbec, hand-harvested meticulously in small bins to preserve pristine fruit condition. Following gentle cluster selection, the whole berries were fermented using indigenous natural yeasts in unlined, truncated concrete vats. To preserve raw site-specific expression and pure chalky texture, the winemaking team strictly avoided barrel aging in small new oak barrels. The wine completed full malolactic conversion naturally and was matured entirely in unlined concrete tanks and large neutral oak foudres for 12 to 16 months before bottling without fining or filtration. It reaches an effortlessly integrated, food-friendly alcohol content (ABV) of 14.0% to 14.5% and is finished bone-dry.

Vintage Quality

The 2019 vintage in the Uco Valley is widely regarded as one of the greatest and most balanced in modern Argentine history, characterized by cool, dry conditions and immaculate fruit health. Paraje Altamira’s high-altitude alluvial soils encrusted with calcium carbonate yielded Malbec with extraordinary structural focus, chalky tannic grip, and vibrant natural acidity. Sebastián Zuccardi’s minimal-intervention, concrete-focused winemaking allows the unique soil profile of 2019 to shine with total transparency. The 2019 Zuccardi Aluvional Paraje Altamira offers immediate high-energy drinking pleasure upon release and possesses the structural depth to evolve gracefully in a cellar over the next 15 to 25 years.