Leah Spooner discusses a lifetime of milestones and achievements with the internationally renowned Argentine wine legend
In 2016, José Alberto Zuccardi was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award by the International Wine Challenge. Since then, he has only continued his remarkable and ascending success by consistently reaching several new and significant milestones along his journey. These achievements include Zuccardi Valle de Uco being named “World’s Best Vineyard” from 2019-2021; New World Winery of the Year in 2022; and José being named Winemaking Legend by Tim Atkin MW in 2023.
I sat down with the incredibly warm and inspirational José Alberto to discuss the growth of his extraordinary career that now transpires in collaboration with his two children, Sebastian and Julia.
How does it feel to be awarded a lifetime achievement award in 2016, and then continue on over the next decade to reach major milestones and achieve significant awards?
I am very happy because we have a lot of recognitions. We don’t work for the recognitions, but if they come, we are very happy about it. We continue to be active in doing new things. Now, we are doing a winery based on natural wines and based on materials only from that specific place (just like our winery). We enjoy what we do, and I think the recognitions show we are on the right path. When people say we are doing good, okay great! But then we move on to the next step. Always go for more, never stop.
A stairway to success
José Alberto Zuccardi with son Sebastian.
“My father was a founder; he was a civil engineer. In 1950 he started doing irrigation systems working with underground concrete pipes. The vineyard acted as a showroom for the irrigation system, but what happened was he fell in love with the vineyard,” recalls Zuccardi.
“We have wines in honour of my mother and father, Emma and Alberto. Bonarda is soft but very determined, and Emma was like this. Tito is a co-ferment of malbec and cabernet franc, a wine just like him, that has no limits.”
Do you think your father’s innovative nature contributed to your success and drive for the winery?
I worked with my father for a long time, but we are not doing the same thing. He was about cultural innovation; the knowledge that helps us a lot with quality and production. I put the winery on the market, and I always tried to be innovative within the market. Now, my children are doing different things. It’s like stairs – every generation can move a step up. It is the beauty with working generation by generation. It makes me happy to see what my children are doing, because it’s far better than what we were doing before. It makes me so happy and proves we are evolving.
Was it their own idea to have a career in wine?
I said, “I’d love to work with you, but it’s your decision. You have to follow your vocation, and if you don’t follow that, your life will not be as good than if you do what you like. Then, each of them ended up joining the company with a project.
Sebastian started doing sparkling wine when he was in school for Agriculture and Oenolgy. I supported his projects. He would tell me “We have to go work there (in places of Argentina to get higher acidity in the grapes)”. I said, “We don’t have time. You finish your schooling and then you go and do that.
Sebastian eventually came back to work at the winery in the Uco Valley and in 2009 founded the Research and Development to further the studies of the region’s diverse soils and their impact on the wines. A decade later, Sebastian Zuccardi was voted one of South America’s most exciting winemakers.
Is it difficult to find a functional dynamic to work with your children?
We believe in the teamwork, and we make decisions together. No two against one. We like to have a total consensus, and that’s how we do things.
Zuccardi Valle de Uco: A tribute to the mountain
Zuccardi Valle de Uco has been named World’s Best Winery multiple times.
“Our winery is made with materials from the region, because we wanted it to be part of the mountain, not compete with it,” José explains. “Even the front gardens are all local species. The concept of this is to produce wine that talks about the vineyards, where they come from, not the vinification method.”
“The valley used to be glaciers that has created dozens of subsoils. We have uniqueness with volcanic rock and limestone. Many places have one or the other, but the combination of both is quite unique. After billions of years the topsoil has been made to look all the same, but the depth is very different. We do lots of studies on this with Sebastian running the research department. It’s a lot of work, I always joke with him that he spends more time underground than on the surface.”
“We research the soils, but we also research what type of vats we need for fermentation. What we find is that the concrete eggs, conic concrete vats are best for gentle extraction.”
Canadians love Argentine wine. What do you think makes you stand out from the rest of the wines from Argentina in our market?
In Ontario we are number one. We are supplying wines in every category in the Canadian market. We have Santa Julia, organic wines, natural wines, Reserva wines, varietal wines, etc. and they all show great value. I have a lot of confidence in what we are doing for the future.
Zuccardi 2022 ‘Concreto’ Malbec
A malbec cultivated from chalky soils at 1100m above sea level in the Paraje Altamira region of Argentina. The aromas bring an immediate smile to my face. Cherry, blackberry, with flowery and spice aromas are extra exuberant partially thanks to the whole cluster fermentation process. A smooth palate with fine, elegant tannins, blackberry, juicy acidity and bright blackberry fruit, sage and chocolate paprika notes. Well-defined, fresh, and expressive. A prominent example of why I’m so enamoured by this special high-altitude region. ($44.95)
José Zuccardi 2020 Malbec
A high-altitude wine that consists of 95% malbec and 5% cabernet sauvignon from heights of 1050m-1500m above sea level in the Paraje Altamira and Gualtallary regions. Fermented in concrete tanks and then aged in 500L foudres for two years. The label was painted by a local artist that caught the eye of Jose for their interpretation of the Andes.
A fresh and vibrant wine that opens with captivating aromas of cherries, violets, and vanilla. Blackberry, ripe cherry and purple plum add layers on a full-bodied palate with plush, velvety tannins. Powerful, yet refined, with lots of life in it. Drink now thru 2035. ($46.95)
