Familia Zuccardi

     Thursday March 21, 2019

Reservations Closed
Course Pairing / Description Wine
Hors D’oeuvres Empanadas and Chicken Coconut
The Zuccardi Serie A ("Argentina Series") reveals the richness of the soils and microclimates of Argentina, through outstanding wines that express each grape variety. Argentina is the essence and identity of this wine. Recognizable varietals of the country which are expressed in the best terroirs include Malbec in Uco Valley, Torrontés in Salta and Bonarda in Santa Rosa. The 2017 Serie A Torrontés from Salta was cropped from a dry year that was slightly cooler than 2016. The grapes come from vines planted at 1,800 to 2,000 meters in altitude. The juice, partly from direct pressing and with five hours of maceration, was fermented at low temperature with selected yeasts and the wine was bottled unoaked. This wine is intensely yellow with silver sparkles. It is floral, delicate, full of white and citrus fruits, orange peel and an herbal touch of oregano. It is well-structured, fresh and balanced, with a dry finish. This is one for the dining table. In 2018, this wine received a rating of 91 points from Robert Parker. 		Familia Zuccardi Torrontes Serie A 2017
Seafood Course South American Ceviche (Shrimp, Octopus, Scallops, Heirloom Tomatoes)
The range name Zuccardi Q stems from the practice of marking with a "Q", for Quality, the oldest and most uniform plots of each vineyard, which are worked with special attention to achieve grapes of exceptional quality. Today, the grapes used to produce Zuccardi Q come from recognized micro-regions in the Uco Valley and selected old vineyards. Three red varietals: Malbec, Tempranillo and Cabernet Sauvignon as well as Chardonnay, make this line with a delicate wood component and emphasis on fruit expression. The full clusters of the grapes were pressed and the cloudy must fermented 50/50 in concrete vats and well-seasoned 500-liter oak barrels. They started changing the style and fermentation vessels in 2013 and had fully implemented it all in 2015 and haven't made any big changes since. 2017 was a warmer vintage than 2016 and 2015, but this wine has only 13.5% alcohol and seven grams of acidity. The Zuccardi team kept the wine with the full lees in the same fermentation vessels. It is straw yellow with green hues, varietal and fresh, with smoky and spicy aromas from the fermentation and the lees, but it has a light and refreshing palate, not heavy at all, with acidity that cleanses the palate. The Q Chardonnay has notes of white fruits like pears and white peaches and a mineral finish, well-integrated with the aromas of aging, white flowers and toast. It is fresh on entry, has mineral and fruity character, with excellent development in the middle of mouth, good balance between wood and fruit and good volume. It has a long, lingering aftertaste. It was bottled in December 2017, a little earlier than before, trying to keep the freshness and capturing the subtleness rather than the exuberance. In 2018, this wine received a rating of 91 points from Robert Parker. 		Familia Zuccardi Q Chardonnay 2017
Salad Course Baby Greens with Jicama Slaw, Grape Tomatoes, English Cucumbers, Pickled Ginger Drizzle with Mango Vinaigrette
The aromatic expression of the 2017 Concreto, a 100% Malbec from the calcareous soils of Paraje Altamira, Valle de Uco, is completely different from the 2016 vintage. The 2017 vintage is a lot more open, floral and gentle, with a more polished and sleek palate with more integrated acidity. The Concreto is a wine of tremendous energy. It was fermented in concrete vats without epoxy, with indigenous yeast and macerated for 20 days. This wine was kept in concrete all its life (hence the name) until it was bottled. 25,000 bottles were filled in December 2018, just before the next harvest. This wine received a rating of 94 points from Robert Parker. 		Familia Zuccardi Malbec Concreto 2017
Beef Course Braised Ancho Chili Short Beef Ribs with Peruvian Purple Potatoes and Sweet Plantains
The range name Zuccardi Q stems from the practice of marking with a "Q", for Quality, the oldest and most uniform plots of each vineyard, which are worked with special attention to achieve grapes of exceptional quality. Today, the grapes used to produce Zuccardi Q come from recognized micro-regions in the Uco Valley and selected old vineyards. Three red varietals: Malbec, Tempranillo and Cabernet Sauvignon as well as Chardonnay, make this line with a delicate wood component and emphasis on fruit expression. The Q Cabernet Sauvignon is intensely purple. It is intensely aromatic with notes of ripe red and black fruits such as blueberries and cassis. The barrel aging process added a spicy intense to this wine and it is very complex. The mouthfeel has very good body, with firm ripe tannins. It lingers with a nice long finish. 		Familia Zuccardi Q Cabernet Sauvignon 2015
Dessert Course Dulce de leche Cake with Fresh Berries
The Zuccardi Tito is a wine that has no limits. This unique blend of 90% Malbec, 6% Cabernet Sauvignon and 4% Ancellota, from the Zuccardi estate vineyards in Paraje Altamira in the Uco Valley, has been developed in honor of Alberto Zuccardi, known to all as "Tito" - a great visionary who planted the first vineyards of the family. Tito is a very special wine, created by Sebastian Zuccardi in honor of his grandfather, who started the family in the winemaking tradition. Tito was fermented in concrete vats and only 40% of the volume matured in used 500-liter oak barrels, while the rest remained in the concrete vats. This wine is always from Altamira even though the percentages and even the varietals can change from vintage to vintage. The Zuccardi team used some full clusters to give this wine a bit more backbone. There are plenty of tannins here to develop in the bottle. Vinification changed in 2014 when Sebastian moved away from the very powerful, concentrated and oaky style of the past and in 2015 it is even purer, fresher and more defined, with more bone and less fat. This wine received a rating of 92+ points from Robert Parker. 		Familia Zuccardi Tito Red 2015