Sebastian Zuccardi is a third generation winemaker in Mendoza and one of the most respected winemakers of his generation. In this interview, Amanda Barnes asks Sebastian Zuccardi all about the terroir of the Uco Valley and the climatic conditions and soils that make it distinctive. They discuss Altamira and the best Uco Valley wine regions for making Malbec with texture, and explore the changing climate in Mendoza. Read on for highlights from our Sebastian Zuccardi interview, or watch the video interview below.
The climate & weather of Altamira and the Uco Valley
How would you describe the normal weather in Mendoza?
Mendoza is a desert at high altitude, so in general we have a lot of sunlight! The fantastic thing about the Uco Valley, especially in this part of Altamira which is close to the Andes mountains, is that we are very close to the sun. So the sunlight is bright all the time. In general it’s very dry and warm.
Climate change in Mendoza
Your family has been making wine here for three generations. How have you seen climate change over the years, and how has it affected your winemaking?
It’s difficult to say because I don’t know if it is really climate change or just a cycle. But it is true that in the last three years it has been cooler than the years before. But I can’t tell you if this is just the weather or climate change. But recent harvests have been a little bit more humid and cooler. So for our style of wine it seems interesting because we are looking for slow ripening and we are not looking for very high levels of alcohol.
