Zuccardi Aluvional Los Chacayes 2018

Aluvional is Familia Zuccardi's parcel-driven Malbec project, each wine drawn from one Uco Valley site and named for it. This bottling comes from Los Chacayes, where the vineyards lie on deep alluvial soils carried down from the Andes and laced with calcareous material. The stony, free-draining ground keeps yields low and gives the wine its mineral backbone, while high altitude and a marked day to night temperature range slow ripening and lock in fresh acidity and dark colour. The wine is fermented and aged in concrete rather than oak. The inert vessel lets the wine settle and soften through slow oxygen exchange without imposing barrel flavour, so the focus stays on site character and varietal fruit. Expect a deep cherry red colour and a nose of plum, dark cherry and crushed stone, with hints of liquorice and black pepper. The palate is full and savoury, built on fine, firm tannins and a long, stony finish that reflects the soil more than the cellar. Serve at 16 to 18 degrees and decant an hour ahead. It is built for grilled and roasted red meats and earthy dishes.