2015 Zuccardi Aluvional Malbec Paraje Altamira Mendoza 750 ml

We think it’s safe to call Sebastián Zuccardi a true wine revolutionary.

His wines thrust Mendoza’s high-altitude Uco Valley into the spotlight again and again. The latest evidence is this 95-point 2015 Aluvional bottling from Uco’s chilly Altamira district, a richly fruited, violet-scented stunner that packs the complexity we expect in Bordeaux but don’t often see in South American reds… luckily it hasn’t yet risen to the price points of its top estates. This will most certainly change once the wine becomes as much a darling of collectors as critics, which means the time to stock up on this Andean beauty is now.

Zuccardi’s wines have been perennial Wine Access member favorites, but the multi-dimensional 2015 Aluvional might become a member obsession. The nose is distinctive with violet, lavender, and mocha weaving together. The palate overflows with the plush plum and blackberry fruit that are signatures of Malbec, accented with mint and spice. It’s about as close to perfection as Malbec gets.

Obsessed with terroir, Sebastián created the Aluvional label to showcase the impact of the calcium carbonate-rich, alluvial soils of the Uco Valley, and the result is a wine with a fresh mineral cut to complement its generous fruit and spice. With such structure and density of flavor, this is an extraordinarily special Malbec that could mature over a couple of decades.

This preoccupation with terroir and sparing use of new oak has earned Sebastián the rebellious moniker “cement head” among the Mendoza wine trade, but he’ll have the last laugh, especially with Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate calling Zuccardi “clearly among the top wineries of the country—and improving each year.”

With each year of improvement, Zuccardi’s Aluvional expressions of Malbec garner more international acclaim, while their prices inch ever higher. Wine Access is the only place to get the 2015 in the U.S., and our tiny allocation will go fast. This is the rare opportunity to acquire one of Mendoza’s true gems, a bold statement that Argentina is now firmly on the radar screen for those who want elegant complexity and terroir expression that rivals the best of the Old World.