Winemaker Notes
Deep red in color, the Zuccardi Finca Piedra Infinita Altamira expresses great fruity character with notes of red fruit. Grand structure and acidity on the palate with mineral with notes of wet stone and graphite and a long finish.
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Originating from a selection of parcels planted in alluvial, sandy, granite soils with calcareous content, the 2021 Finca Piedra Infinita was vinified in concrete with whole clusters and aged for 12 months. It opens with a commanding, complex and ceaselessly evolving nose initially dominated by dusty, savory, spice-driven aromas, then blossoming with the classic purple flower notes characteristic of Paraje Altamira. The palate perfectly balances a seductive, sumptuous texture with remarkable richness and discernible finesse, culminating in a quietly explosive, long, intensely vibrant finish. This wine showed exceptional dynamism in the glass, constantly melding luscious black fruits, refined minerality and immaculately polished tannins in a punchy yet weightless, all-encompassing and captivating package. It is a simply magnificent example of contemporary Argentine Malbec.
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Jeb Dunnuck
Textured and powerful, but not overpowering, the 2021 Malbec Finca Piedra Infinita is lovely in its balance of savory mountain sage and dusty tannin. Fermentation and aging took place entirely in concrete vessels and tanks, with 15 months of aging. Layered and complex, it's an age-worthy, collectible-level wine, with 15-20 years more to evolve, grown at 3,609-feet elevation in shallow alluvial soils with large granite, calcareous-covered stones.
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James Suckling
Blackberries, terra cotta, sandalwood, wood bark and graphite. Full-bodied with a very tight tannin structure that gives this wine tension and power, but it's more electric that muscular. Lightly salty with hints of cherries. Flavorful and true.
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Wine Spectator
Abundant dried floral, mountain herb and spicy licorice details meld with guava and berry flavors in this exuberant version. A wave of mineral acidity lends some tension to the otherwise polished frame, and the core flavors circle back on the finish. Drink now through 2040.
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.