Zuccardi Fósil 2020

Familia Zuccardi

Located in Mendoza, the Zuccardi estate is reputed as an estate which produces great wines in Argentina. Sebastián Zuccardi represents the third generation of winegrowers on this family estate, whose history began in 1963 when his grandfather planted the first hectares of vines in Maipú. Since January 2000, Sebastián Zuccardi has been at the head of a vineyard covering more than 200 hectares at the foot of the Andes Mountains, which wines reflect the richness of the terroirs in the Uco Valley wine region.

Carrying on the legacy of a visionary and future-facing family, in 2008, Sebastián Zuccardi introduced a Research & Development department, dedicated to improving vineyard practices. In 2016, he inaugurated a new cellar, outfitted with vats and amphorae of different shapes and sizes. The latter were introduced after many long years of research aimed at determining ways to limit human intervention, to preserve and amplify the unique natural characteristics of each vineyard. Reputed as one of the best winegrowers in South America, Sebastián Zuccardi produces wines that are adored by connoisseurs and highly praised by critics. The Zuccardi family estate was voted as the "Best Vineyard in South America" in 2019 and 2020, as well as "World’s Best Vineyard" in 2020.

The grapes used to produce this Fosil Chardonnay 2020 by the Zuccardi family are made in the viticultural area of San Pablo. Planted at just 300 metres away from the Andes, this white wine’s terroir of origin brings together a cold climate, limstone soils and breezes which come from one of the highest zones in the Uco Valley.

The 2020 vintage is marked by limited yields, as well as quick and particularly early berry ripening. The harvested berries are of an excellent quality, giving rise to indulgent and structured wines and unveiling a beautiful aromatic complexity. The harvested grapes are subject to a rigorous selection before gravity-fed vatting. Alcoholic fermentation with indigenous yeasts. No malolactic fermentation. 70% of the wines are exclusively aged in vats and 30% are aged in French oak barrels. Fosil Chardonnay 2020 by Zuccardi is 100% Chardonnay.

Delivery
Items are expected to be delivered within 4 weeks
Producer
Familia Zuccardi
Variety
Chardonnay
Alcohol-abv
13.5%
Reviews

Vinous 95 Points, James Suckling 94 Points

Bottle Format: 75cl

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Case of 6
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£254.70
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£196.23
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Ratings

95 Points Vinous

“The 2020 Chardonnay Zuccardi Fosil comes from San Pablo, Uco Valley and was harvested across four sectors, each with a different soil type, before being mostly fermented in concrete, except for one-third that went into 500-liter used barrels. Light yellow with green flecks in the glass. The complex, detailed nose presents green apple, hazelnut, herbs, lees, lemon zest, ginger and a whiff of gunpowder. In the mouth the flavors are intense with a creamy texture that stays nimble thanks to the good malic acidity. ”

94 Points James Suckling

“A rich, layered chardonnay with cooked apple, lemon rind, and some toasted oak and cream. Medium to full body with a round texture and a fresh, crisp finish. Real minerality. Oyster shell. Drink now. ”

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Argentina

Argentina is one of the most important wine-producing countries in the New World, and the largest producer of wine in South America. The high-altitude deserts of the eastern Andes have given rise to a high-quality wine industry, and the terroir here is well suited to Argentina's adopted grape variety, the ubiquitous Malbec. Originally from Bordeaux, this is now responsible for some of Argentina's most famous wines, which are characteristically bright and intense, with floral notes and flavors of dark fruit.

Covering just over one million square miles (2.8 million sq km), Argentina is the second-largest country in South America and stretches from the southern border of Bolivia in the north to the southern tip of the continent. It is home to a vast array of landscapes, from the rocky peaks of the Andes in the west to the fertile Pampas lowlands in the east.

Most viticulture in Argentina takes place in the foothills of the Andes, and most famously in Mendoza, where desert landscapes and high altitudes combine to make a terroir that gives rise to aromatic, intensely flavored red wines. Vineyards in Mendoza reach as high as 5000ft (1500m) above sea level. Here, increased levels of solar radiation and a high diurnal temperature variation make for a long, slow ripening period, leading to balanced sugars and acidity in the grapes. Nearly three-quarters of Argentinian wine production takes place in Mendoza, and in addition to Malbec, there are significant plantings of Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay and Bonarda. Mendoza's position in the rain shadow of the Andes means that there is little rainfall, and irrigation is supplied by Andean meltwater.

Further north, the regions of Salta and Catamarca are even higher, and a world-topping vineyard owned by Bodega Colome in Molinos sits at 9900ft (3000m). Low latitudes in this corner of Argentina – which at 22°N to 28°N is considerably closer to the Equator than any European wine region – are tempered by the high altitude and cold mountain air. Here, Argentina's signature white grape, Torrontes, is grown, making an aromatic, floral white wine.

There are also some wine-producing regions in Argentina closer to the Atlantic coast than to the lofty peaks of the Andes. Patagonia in the south is now home to two regions, Rio Negro and Neuquen, the cooler conditions of which are suited to creating wines made from Pinot Noir.