ZUCCARDI'S VISION

SEBASTIÁN ZUCCARDI LEADS THE NEXT GENERATION

- Aaron Romano

"Malbec in Argentina : is like Pinot Noir in Burgundy," says Sebastián Zuccardi. "It's very transparent with styles that change from village to village."

Zuccardi, 42, is a third-generation Argentinian winemaker. His grandfather, Alberto, first planted vines in 1963 in the Maipú region, southeast of the city of Mendoza. In the late 1980s and early '90s, Zuccardi's father, José, began exporting wines and guiding the winery onto the international stage. José made great strides in expanding the family's vineyards and focusing on higher quality sites. Zuccardi took things a step further, but only after opting to travel the world, working in vineyards in Portugal, Spain, Italy and California. When he returned in 2008, with greater knowledge and a global perspective, he formed a research and development branch of the winery and encouraged his family to evolve.

"Place is more important than the vinification process," Zuccardi says. "My generation had an opportunity to travel and see other wine regions. When I joined [the family business], we were cultivating in low-elevation areas, such as Maipú, and I pushed to start buying grapes from Uco Valley. Then we started buying vineyards."

Familia Zuccardi owns more than 740 acres, split between six vineyards in the Paraje Altamira, Gualtallary and San Pablo regions. The payoff from the family's investment is taking shape, as Zuccardi is making some of the most exciting wines in Argentina.