Winemaker Notes
The 2023 vintage was warm and very dry, which gave excellent health and quality in the grapes. It is a year that is also characterized by lower yields, due to the frost in the spring of 2022. Knowing the particularities of each place in the vineyards allowed Zuccardi to define the harvest time for each area very precisely, always in search of freshness, the expression of place and avoiding overripeness. The wines show great purity and transparency, with vibrant acidity and an enormous complexity of aromas.
Sémillon has the power to create wines with considerable structure, depth and length that will improve for several decades. It is the perfect partner to the vivdly aromatic Sauvignon Blanc. Sémillon especially shines in the Bordeaux region of Sauternes, which produces some of the world’s greatest sweet wines. Somm Secret—Sémillon was so common in South Africa in the 1820s, covering 93% of the country’s vineyard area, it was simply referred to as Wyndruif, or “wine grape.”
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.