Introduction: Familia Zuccardi is one of Argentina's most influential wine dynasties, and Sebastián Zuccardi — the third generation — has become something of an evangelist for site-specific expression in the Uco Valley, earning a spot on Decanter's list of South America's Top 10 winemakers and overseeing a winery CNN designated a "World's Best Vineyard" in 2019. The Concreto is the wine that changed Sebastián's philosophy of winemaking — the first wine produced in the modern Zuccardi winery, and an ongoing declaration that the best terroirs in Argentina require no embellishment. No oak, no additives beyond native yeasts, no fining or filtration — only whole-cluster fermented Malbec from the most stony and calcareous parcels of Paraje Altamira and Gualtallary, raised entirely in concrete vats without epoxy lining. The 2023 scored 96 points from Jeb Dunnuck and ranked No. 36 on his Top 100 of the year.

Terroir: Paraje Altamira sits at 3,608 feet above sea level on the alluvial fan of the Tunuyán River in the Uco Valley — one of Argentina's most celebrated high-altitude Malbec subzones, where calcareous soils dense with calcium carbonate, rolled stones, and gravel create conditions more reminiscent of limestone France than anyone imagined Argentine wine country could deliver. The Concreto draws specifically from the most stony and calcareous parcels of the Finca Piedra Infinita and selected blocks in Gualtallary — shallow soils where the vines are stressed, concentrated, and highly sensitive to heat, producing fruit of extraordinary mineral density. The 2023 was a warm vintage in Mendoza, delivering richness that is balanced by the site's natural tension, chalky texture, and the vine's deep root engagement with the calcareous subsoil.

Appearance: Deep, brooding purple with violet highlights — dense and ink-tinged in the glass, with exceptional color depth for a wine raised entirely without oak.

Nose: Simmering and contained rather than immediately expressive — black and blue fruits, purple flowers, and desert herbs open the bouquet, with violet, blackberry, cassis, lilac, cocoa powder, and a suggestion of petrichor (wet stone after rain) layering in as the wine breathes. The absence of oak is unmistakable: what emerges is purely vineyard — stony, mineral, and faintly herbal, with none of the vanilla, coconut, or toast that characterizes most premium Argentine Malbec.

Palate: Dense, oily, and tensile — Damson plum, raspberry, and black fruit flow across a palate of remarkable structure and mineral precision. The whole-cluster fermentation adds a subtle tannin grip and a savory, herbal quality, while the concrete aging amplifies the soil's chalky texture directly into the wine's mouthfeel. Vibrant acidity keeps the wine's considerable concentration lively and focused, and the finish extends with focused minerality and streaks of salinity that are the definitive signature of high-altitude Paraje Altamira.

Finish: Intense, inky, and persistently mineral — salted licorice, cocoa, and stony chalky texture sustaining an elegantly long close. The finish is the wine's most compelling attribute, lingering well past what the mid-palate concentration suggests.

Food Pairings:
🥩 Meat: Grilled skirt steak with chimichurri, roasted leg of lamb with garlic and rosemary, or asado-style bone-in short ribs
🥦 Vegetarian: Roasted portobello mushrooms with herbs, lentil stew with smoked paprika, or a Provençal vegetable gratin
🧀 Charcuterie Board: Aged Manchego, aged Gouda, salami, Marcona almonds, and dried black mission figs

Overall Impression: The 2023 Zuccardi Concreto is a genuinely transformative Argentine Malbec — a wine that argues persuasively, bottle after bottle, that Argentina's finest terroirs are capable of producing wines of Burgundian intellectual interest without any of Burgundy's price tag. Sebastián Zuccardi's concrete-only philosophy strips everything away and lets the Paraje Altamira speak for itself, and what it says is compelling. Drink now through 2038. Serve at 61–64°F with at least 30 minutes of decanting.

Alcohol by Volume (ABV %): 14%
Farming Practices: Organic farming; no herbicides, synthetic pesticides, or fertilizers; solar energy and gravity-flow winery; biodiversity focus; sustainable water management; community investment programs; native yeast fermentation; no fining or filtration
Producer Name: Familia Zuccardi (Sebastián Zuccardi)
Old World / New World: New World
Country of Origin: Argentina
Region: Paraje Altamira, San Carlos, Uco Valley, Mendoza — Finca Piedra Infinita and Gualtallary sources
Grape Varietals: Malbec 100%
Vintage: 2023
Wine Style: Dry Red — Medium-to-full-bodied, mineral-driven, and tensile, with a concentrated yet fresh high-altitude Malbec profile shaped by calcareous stony Paraje Altamira terroir and concrete-only aging. No oak. Built for medium-to-long-term cellaring. 
Winemaking Techniques: Whole-cluster fermentation; foot trodden to prevent full carbonic maceration; native yeast fermentation in concrete vats without epoxy lining; 20-day maceration; malolactic fermentation in concrete; aged approximately 11 months in concrete tanks; bottled after one winter in concrete with no oak contact; no fining; no filtration; 3,608 feet above sea level
Pack Size: 750ml
Container Style: Glass bottle
Closure Style: Cork

Check out the press!

96 points, Jeb Dunnuck:
"Fermented 100% whole-cluster, then fermented and aged one year in concrete, the 2023 Malbec Concreto was the first wine made in the modern-day Zuccardi winery, a wine that changed winemaker Sebastian Zuccardi's philosophy of winemaking. Forgoing oak and sweet fruit, he seeks first and foremost to express freshness in his wines, finding a strong sense of place through stony minerality and a touch of wild herb. Thick and richly concentrated, it is a testament to his dedication to concrete fermentation and aging, the 100% varietal wine fermenting entirely in concrete amphorae before spending 11 months in 100% concrete tank. The wine is duly-textured, complex, and lively, retaining freshness amidst a plush structure with plenty of length. Drink now through 2038."

95 points, James Suckling:
"Such a naked, floral malbec. Stripped down, with fresh blackberries, blueberries, violets, stone, iodine, and graphite. Full-bodied and tight with fresh, succulent fruit in a deep set. Intense, flavorful, and very composed. Tannins are firm, tight, and gritty. Drink or hold."

94 points, Wine Advocate:
"As ever, the 2023 Concreto Malbec represents the Zuccardi style and philosophy as efficiently as possible at an aggressively reasonable price point. A blend of fruit from calcareous soils in Altamira and Gualtallary, it leads with a simmering, contained bouquet of black and blue fruits, purple flowers, and desert herbs, followed by a dense, oily, and tensile palate. It concludes with an intense, inky yet elegant finish lifted by focused minerality and streaks of salinity."

Order the 2023 Zuccardi Concreto Malbec now through Monday, February 2nd, at 4 PM. Orders will be ready for pickup on Wednesday, February 4th, after 4 PM.

CHEERS!
ABV: 14%