Zuccardi Concreto Malbec 2018
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Robert
Parker -
James
Suckling -
Wine
Enthusiast
Product Details
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Somm Note
Winemaker Notes
Red color with violet hues. It expresses a great herbal character with notes of red fruits, strawberry, cherry and plum: which are complemented by distinctive mineral notes. In the mouth is prolonged and deep. A wine of grand structure and acidity. Super calcareous soil short alluvial soil, with a conglomerate of big rocks at 20 cm - 0.65 feet of depth. Fermentation and aging in Concrete Vats without oak. Half of the wine is fermented with whole cluster.
Vegan
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2018 Concreto Malbec is a selection of the stonier parts of their estate vineyards in Paraje Altamira, and they want the expression of the chalk in the soils to avoid any sweetness (that none of the wines have anyway). This is a wine that works very well in the cooler years like 2014, 2016 or this 2018. It fermented with full clusters, but they don't want a carbonic fermentation, so they break the grapes with their feet. All of this is destined to produce an austere and cold wine, cold and savory. The night before I tasted this, I had a bottle of the 2014 that is evolving at a glacial pace; it's still young and fresh, very primary. I think this is going to have a similar evolution in bottle. This is an incredible value.
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James Suckling
This is very linear and tight with so much blue fruit and violets. Some raspberries, too. Medium body, fine tannins and a long, long finish. Electric at the end.
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Wine Enthusiast
Compact aromas of black plum, cassis and blackberry are reduced due to fermentation and aging in concrete, but with airing this Malbec opens like fan. A pure and juicy palate gets deeper and more layered with time in the glass. Plum, wild berry and savory flavors of wild herbs and stewed tomato finish with laser-like focus. Drink through 2025.
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A few years before 1950, Ing. Alberto Zuccardi reaches Mendoza from his homeland in Tucuman where their great-grandparents had settled upon arriving in the Italian region of AveIino. In 1963, Alberto implanted 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, assumed the General Director of the company.
In 2005, Sebastian Zuccardi, third generation of the family, lead the development of the new stage of the wines of the winery expansion into the Uco Valley. On his initiative, since 2008 the winery has an area of Research and Development 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 premise of producing wines with identity, through the continuous exploration of the different terroirs of the Uco Valley.
The Zuccardi family’s approach to sustainability starts with the environment and people before any product. They’re dedicated to producing the highest quality wines through sustainable practices such as a focus on nurturing biodiversity, organic farming, efficient irrigation practices, composting, water treatment, comprehensive waste and recycling efforts, and the use of solar energy. The winery itself is designed to be naturally energy efficient by maximizing natural light and minimizing electricity consumption. Its concrete walls fulfill the function of a thermal insulator, the movements of liquid are caused by gravity and the concrete-designed vessels allow for a natural control of the temperature of the wine. As a third generation family-owned winery, the Zuccardi’s take seriously their responsibility to protect the environment, support the land, the farmers and uplift the local community. Through building schools, offering free education, fostering equality, banning child labor, and subsidizing health care, they’re not only elevating their wines and the Uco Valley as a world class wine region, but also giving the people who have contributed to their success a path forward and upward mobility for their own families.
Celebrated for its bold flavors and supple texture, Malbec has enjoyed runaway success in Argentina since the late 20th century. The grape originated in Bordeaux, France, where it historically contributed color and tannin to blends. A French agronomist, who saw great potential for the variety in Mendoza’s hot, high-altitude landscape, brought Malbec to Argentina in 1868. Somm Secret—If you’re trying to please a crowd, Malbec is generally a safe bet with its combination of dense fruit and soft tannins.
With a winning combination of cool weather, high elevation and well-draining alluvial soils, it is no surprise that Mendoza’s Uco Valley is one of the most exciting up-and-coming wine regions in Argentina. Healthy, easy-to-manage vines produce low yields of high-quality fruit, which in turn create flavorful, full-bodied wines with generous acidity.
This is the source of some of the best Malbec in Mendoza, which can range from value-priced to ultra-premium. Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Chardonnay also perform well here.