Familia Zuccardi

Familia Zuccardi began in 1963 when the patriarch, Alberto Zuccardi planted the first hectares of grapevines in Maipú, Mendoza. Since then, they have not stopped growing and developing to become a leader in Argentine wine production. Alberto’s son José inherited the determination and desire to constantly strive for excellence and passed that on to his son Sebastian.

Today, he continues the family tradition of strong vision and innovative spirit by leading a young team of agricultural engineers and enologists in charge of producing the highest quality wines in the Uco Valley. The goal, in Sebastián’s own words, is “not to strive for perfect wines, but wines that express the place, the region.”

On his initiative, the winery has had a research and development area since 2008, dedicated to studying the terroir and the diverse variables that affect wine quality. He also oversaw the design and construction of a new winery, begun in 2013 and inaugurated in 2016. The building, which incorporates round, white, chalky stones and other natural materials from the surrounding land, is a tribute to the mountains which define the region’s climate and soils. 

Cement is featured, outside to in, from the stone walls to the epoxy-free cement tanks where the wines are made. Those tanks and other vessels are the result of years of experimentation in pursuit of the ideal shape and size, resulting in the tapered neck, the element that makes it possible to work more naturally with the grape juices and wines.

The Uco Valley, at the foot of the Andes in Mendoza, is the highest elevation cultivated in the region. In this privileged location, grapes benefit from a cool, dry climate and a wide temperature range. The combination of multiple microclimates, altitudes, and soil types creates multiple terroirs. Zuccardi’s challenge is to faithfully interpret them and express their identities in the wine.