Our View:.
A top class Uco Valley Malbec from the well regarded Zuccardi family. Complex fruit, floral and herbal flavours with plenty of structure combine to produce a powerful wine with finesse.
Drinking well now and capable of developing over the next 10 years.
The Wine:
Soils originated in the alluvial fan of the Tunuyán river, in its upper zone. Very heterogeneous. Sandy loam surface horizon with medium and large gravels at variable depths, with abundant coverage of calcareous material. Altitude: 1100 meters – 3600 ft
This vintage was characterized by showing low yields and exceptional health and quality. The warm summer brought forward the start of the harvest and we worked to harvest each plot at its optimum point and avoid over-ripening. The wines present a very good balance and a profile in which the fruit predominates.
Gravity movement of the grapes, fermentation in concrete vessels with native yeasts. Aged in 500-liter unroasted barrels and concrete tanks. Bottled without filtering.
Thanks to climatic conditions, more similar to a normal year in Mendoza, we achieved wines with great equilibrium. The 2017 harvest, beyond having below average yields, was characterized by perfect grape health and a good quality in each region. Each area shows different expressions, with an array of different aromas, always connected to the decision, taken along with a team of agricultural engineers, of when the correct harvest date will be. A harvest to remember and one that will produce wines with great potential for ageing.
Tasting Note:
Complex fruit character with notes of strawberry, cherry, and plum, complemented by fresh herbal and floral notes. Silky with a lively acidity, structured tannins, and a long finish.
The Facts:
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Wine
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Aluvional Altamira Malbec
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Vintage
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2017
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Style
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Dry Red Wine, full bodied
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Grape Variety
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100% Malbec
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Alcohol Content
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14.5%
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Closure
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Natural Cork
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Bottle Size
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750ml
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What the critics say:
Robert Parker 95 points
"The 2017 Aluvional Paraje Altamira comes from the south, in a newly planted part of Altamira, with more slopes and more heterogeneous soils and more stones. The wines have a big structure, the backbone is more austere, the wine less juicy; and there is more limestone and the soils are shallow. The wine has less concentration and less sweetness than the ones from the more traditional, flatter and deeper part of Altamira. There is a combination of power and finesse here. In 2017, they harvested very early, and the wine is just below 14% alcohol. 10,700 bottles produced. It was bottled in August 2018."
