Zuccardi Fósil 2023

Zuccardi Fosil comes from the San Pablo district of Argentina's Valle de Uco, one of the highest and coolest corners of Mendoza. The name refers to the fossil-rich, calcareous soils here, and altitude is central to the style, with strong sunlight ripening the fruit while cold mountain nights preserve the acidity that lower, warmer sites in Mendoza tend to lose. Sebastian Zuccardi built the estate around expressing these specific soils. The wine is fermented and aged in concrete rather than oak, a vessel that allows a slow, gentle oxygen exchange to build texture while leaving no wood flavour, so the calcareous character of the site comes through cleanly. Sustainable farming keeps the high-desert vineyard in balance. The colour is pale, bright gold. The nose is fresh and precise, with lemon, white peach, green apple and a distinct chalky, flinty minerality. The palate is taut and linear, driven by firm acidity and a saline, stony finish rather than obvious fruit weight. This is Chardonnay in a mineral, restrained register. Serve at 10 to 12 degrees.