Winemaker Interview Series – Zuccardi with Martin DiStefano – September 2024

On Wednesday, September 24, 2025, we had the opportunity to again interview viticulturist and terroir rock-star Martin DiStefano from the Zuccardi winery in Argentina. We covered a 2023 Semillon, a 2021 Chardonnay, three 2020 Malbecs, two 2021 Malbecs, and one 2022 Malbec. We last visited with Martin in September 2024. You can learn more about him and the winery in that post. In this post you will learn what is new with Martin, what is new at Zuccardi, and all about these terrific wines.

Before we get to the wines, I thought I would share some tidbits Martin shared.

• We started with a deep dive into Argentina’s most recent vintages.
  • 2020 was a warm vintage. Covid struck in the middle of harvest. They finished 1 week after the lockdown.
  • 2021 like 2019 was one of the coldest vintages ever. They have higher acidity. The wines have more structure, but less concentration.
  • 2022 was a cool vintage with a little more rain and humidity. These wines had more complexity and layers.
  • 2023 was warm at harvest. These wines show lower acidity, more concentration, and less structure.
  • 2024 is warm similar to 2023 but better. The whites are very fresh. They were picked earlier than usual.
  • 2025 was a crazy vintage. Started as a warm vintage and very fast ripening. Then cold in April. So, the whites reflect a warm vintage and the reds are like they are from a cool one.
• I put Martin on the spot and asked him to name his favorite wine from each vintage?
  • 2020 – Every wine from San Pablo.
  • 2021 – Finca Piedra Infinita.
  • 2022 – Botánico.
  • 2023 – Fosil & Aluvional San Pablo.
  • 2024 – Too new to rate.
• I asked what was new at the winery?
  • They have a new vineyard of white grapes. It is a total of 60 acres.
    • It has Chardonnay, Semillon, Riesling, & Torrontes.
  • They also have a new single vineyard Malbec to be released for the 2022 vintage.
    • It is called Finca Agua de la Jarilla.
  • Other Tidbits
    • Melting snow from the Andes Mountains feeds their water sources. Snowfall has been less. So, they will eventually have less water.
    • Stony vineyards will ripen their grapes faster than other soils.
    • Argentina is too dry for Merlot. The grapes raisin here.
    • Typical order of harvest for reds in Argentina
      • 1) Malbec 2) Cabernet Franc 3) Cabernet Sauvignon 4) Bonarda
    • Semillon likes warm temperatures.
    • Botánico Chardonnay comes from Gualtallary which is warmer.
      • Botánico is Fosil’s little brother. It is made in the same way.
      • The vineyard was named because it is close to nature. Surrounded by a forest, flowers, and butterflies. It was planted in 2016.
    • Malbec
      • Malbec will grow in all soil types.
      • Malbec is sensitive to cold temperature in the early part of the growing season. It affects tonnage.
      • Malbec – Not really made in Bordeaux anymore. Instead, it is made in the commune of Cahors, France. Cahors has more rocky soils and less humidity.
    • 2022 “Concreto” Malbec now says “Uco Valley.” They had to add Gualtallary to meet demand.
    • “Jose Zuccardi” is a serious wine in honor of his father.
      • It is a traditional Argentinian wine. It is riper and fruiter.
      • It is from less stonier vineyards and grapes are picked about a week later.
      • The wine is aged in barrel for 2 years.
    • Aluvional wines emphasize places. They are aged in concrete.
      • Paraje Altamira – Granite covered calcareous soils
      • Gualtallary – Calcareous soils with clay.
    • Finca Wines are single vineyard wines.
      • Different Parcels are used each time depending on the vintage.
      • 12-15 different parcels are used each vintage to make the wine.

1. Zuccardi 2023 Semillon “Poligonos Tupungato” $35 (KWGTP 92.5)
2. Zuccardi 2021 Chardonnay “Botánico” (Gualtallary) $80 (KWGTP 95.5)
3. Zuccardi 2022 Malbec “Concreto” (Uco Valley) $42 (KWGTP 93)
4. Zuccardi 2021 Malbec “Jose Zuccardi” (Uco Valley) $65 (KWGTP 95)
5. Zuccardi 2020 Malbec “Aluvional Paraje Altamira” $93 (KWGTP 96)
6. Zuccardi 2020 Malbec “Aluvional Gualtallary” $93 (KWGTP 96)
7. Zuccardi 2020 Malbec “Finca Piedra Infinita” (Paraje Altamira) $175 (KWGTP 96)
8. Zuccardi 2021 Malbec “Finca Piedra Infinita” (Paraje Altamira) $175 (KWGTP 98.5)

Other Zucccardi Wines Covered In Tastings, Post Interview:

9) Zuccardi 2023 Malbec “Q” (Uco Valley) $22 (KWGTP 89.5)
10) Zuccardi 2023 Cabernet Franc “Polígonos San Pablo” $35 (KWGTP 93)
11) Zuccardi 2024 Malbec “Serie A” (Uco Valley) $17 (KWGTP 91)

You can find reviews of past and future Zuccardi wines that we cover on the Zuccardi KWG winery page on our website. We hope you enjoy these terrific wines as much as we did. Cheers! Ken