WINE OF THE WEEK - 2016 Zuccardi Q Cabernet Sauvignon

Hi Friends! It’s time for another Wine Wednesday pick, Wineitupanotch style!

This week’s wine feature was influenced by my Instagram Live discussion with @fosterfeasts. Though we both live relatively close to one another, the distance is great enough that we had to go to our own liquor stores to pick up the wines we tried together and the inventory at our respective locations wasn’t the same, what with me being in Toronto and Steph being outside of the city. So, the objective in selecting the wine of the week this week was to find something good that we both could get our hands on. I also wanted to ensure that the wines we tried were well priced and would match nicely with grilled and smoked red meat, and charcuterie, because Steph does a lot of great things in this realm.

We tried two wines last night - I’m featuring one below and I’ll do a separate post about the second one. We had an epic discussion too - if you missed it, you can still catch the taped recording of our IG Live.

So, it wasn’t a usual week this week by any means but it was a great one! After all, there is nothing better than sharing good wine with great company, am I right?

(By the way, if you are new to this blog and want to know more about my weekly Wine Wednesday feature, be sure to read this blog post where I outline my approach to my weekly Wine Wednesday picks.)

And with that, let’s get into this week’s pick!

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2016 Zuccardi Q Cabernet Sauvignon

Cabernet Sauvignon from Argentina? Hunh, what? Have I lost my mind? Nope! :)

While Argentina is widely known as the land of Malbec, Malbec and more Malbec, there are a lot of other exciting varietals also available in this beautiful land. While Argentina may not necessarily be known worldwide for outstanding Cabernet Sauvignon, this week’s wine is definitely worth having on your radar. Read on to learn more!

What does this wine cost?

$19.99. This is a great value in my opinion.

Where does this wine come from?

This wine comes from the the Uco Valley, which is essentially in the foothills of the Andes Mountains, high up in the sky. Sourced from two vineyards, the fruit in this wine is grown at altitudes of over 1000 metres, which is much higher than most popular wine regions around the world. What’s the big deal? Well, higher altitudes usually equal more sun exposure for the grapes, which gives them better colour and tannins, the latter in turn helps with ageability. Higher altitude wines are also known for being lower alcohol and fresher due to the cool conditions that the grapes are exposed to - so you get a fresher, lighter wine. This is particularly good for a grape variety like Cabernet Sauvignon, which can sometimes be a bit over the top when grown in warmer climates.

Check out this article if you’re interested in delving deeper on the impact of high altitude on wine!

Who makes this wine?

This wine is produced by Zuccardi, one of the leading wine families in Argentina. Started by an engineer who developed an irrigation system that he wanted to put to use and test out, and now run by the third generation of the family, Zuccardi is synonymous in Argentina (and around the world) with quality and innovation. The team at Zuccardi puts a lot of time and attention into understanding the terroir and micro-regions of their vineyards, and then trying to express this in their wines. You most definitely taste the passion and quality in the glass.

If ever you are able to visit Argentina, the Zuccardi estate in the Uco Valley is a must-visit site. Named the World’s Best Vineyard in 2019 and 2020, the winery is an architectural marvel and an artistic masterpiece! Check out my detailed blog post about Zuccardi to learn more about this fabulous producer!

A few Wine Geek “essential facts” about the wine (feel free to skip this if you don’t care about detailed wine-making information!):

Variety - 100% Cabernet Sauvignon

Soil type - alluvial; sand cover with large limestone covered stones underneath

Vinification - malolactic fermentation and aging occurs in oak barrels

ABV - 14.5%

Residual Sugar - 2.2 g/L

My tasting notes:

A lovely purplish-red in the glass, this wine has intense and inviting aromas of red and black fruit, tobacco, white flowers and pine trees. On the palate, this wine is dry but also deceptively light and smooth, with plenty of black fruit, blueberry, coffee and cassis notes alongside a nice herbal aspect. This is a full bodied, rich, complex wine with a very nice structure and an equally nice long finish.

Aging potential:

I think this wine could easily be aged for another 2-3 years.

Recommendations to Wineitupanotch:

If you’re going to try this wine, I’d definitely recommend pairing it with steak, ribs or duck breast.

Wineitupanotch Wine Score: 91 points

An absolutely solid Cabernet Sauvignon at a fantastic price point. It is not too heavy, nor too strained or intense but does possess all the beauty and complexity that wine lovers look for in a good red wine, especially a Cabernet Sauvignon!

If you’re located in Ontario, and wish to purchase this wine, you can find it at the LCBO under Product #140855.

FINAL VERDICT:

Look, clearly I’m a fan of Zuccardi. Having been to the winery and seen first hand the excellence that is Zuccardi, I’m convinced that you should never go past Zuccardi wine and not try it! This wine is particularly compelling because it is not a Malbec, which is the variety that most of us associate with greatness coming from Argentina. This is a solid, well-made, interesting wine at a fantastic price point. You can’t go wrong!

If you’ve tried this wine already, or decide to pick it up and try it after reading this post, I’d love to hear from you and hear what you think of it! Please do drop me a line.

Until next time, wishing you love, light and of course - good wine! :)

Cheers!

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