Familia Zuccardi, Finca Piedra Infinita 'Gravascal', 2022
Familia Zuccardi, Finca Piedra Infinita 'Gravascal', 2022
- 75cl
- 14%
- Red Still
- Malbec
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Optimal drinking window: 2027 - 2042
Est. delivery in Winter, 2027
Planted at 1,100 meters in the highest stretch of the Tunuyán River’s alluvial fan, the Finca Piedra vineyard captures the essence of Paraje Altamira. Its soils are packed with stones and huge granite rocks coated in calcareous material - a rare complexity only found in the shadow of the Andes.
Within every vineyard there are small pockets with such a distinctive character that they set themselves apart. The Gravascal comes from one such plot: just 0.73 hectares in the northeast corner of the estate. Here, Malbec vines sink their roots into soils where massive gravels and granite rocks emerge only half a meter below the surface, creating a wine that is both unique and unrepeatable.
Zuccardi’s story began in the 1960s, when Alberto “Tito” Zuccardi planted vines not to make wine but to demonstrate an irrigation system he had devised. From that practical start, the family has built one of the Southern Hemisphere’s most admired and terroir-driven projects. Today, under Sebastián Zuccardi, the focus is entirely on place—expressing altitude, soil, and climate with honesty and clarity.
As Sebastián puts it: “We are not seeking to make the world’s best wines, but the deepest and purest expression of our place.” These are wines that can stand alongside the finest anywhere, yet they also act as a lens into the stunning, brutal, and breathtaking landscapes of the Uco Valley.
What the critics say:
"Sitting at the apex of the Zuccardi range alongside its counterpart from the Supercal parcel, the 2022 Finca Piedra Infinita Gravascal offers a more dramatic and engaging rendition of the portfolio's core vineyard. Whereas the Supercal is an ethereal, fine-boned expression of the site, the Gravascal takes the exact opposite tack, with a darkly floral, enveloping, mouth-filling profile that retains the weightlessness that defines Paraje Altamira while delivering sophistication and gravitas second to none. As I find it consistent with the most memorable and complex wines, it exhibits a paradoxical nature from front to back, equal parts simple and sophisticated, complex yet straight to the point. Despite the grandiosity of the palate and the relentlessness of the finish, the wine exhibits a sense of control and containment that feels naturally attained rather than the product of winemaking. As with the entire range of 2022s from Zuccardi, this is certainly best left in bottle until closer to its 10th birthday, and I imagine I will see a full two decades of evolution."
"As exceptional as the Supercal, the 2022 Malbec Finca Piedra Infinita Gravascal is from stony soils with no topsoil, the Malbec fermented and aged in concrete only. All about the rockiness of the 3,609-foot site, it’s herbal in tomato leaf and tobacco, with an energetic midpalate of tension and grip. There’s so much going on here, a feral quality to the iron and flint with just a touch of juicy acidity and medium-bodied fruit. The aromas of wild jumilla jump from the glass, this is so, so good, spicy and structured to keep going another 20 years. Hold and drink 2028-2042."
"This has layers waiting to unfold beneath its austere exterior. Aromas of fresh blueberries with a hint of sage, and after time in the glass clementine peel begins to emerge. The palate is tight and incisive, driven by a stony texture, with discreet fruit that gently reveals itself behind a saline, savory core. Intense and absorbing—a profound, quietly compelling wine. Sourced from a parcel at 1,100 meters altitude. Fermented and aged in concrete without epoxy. Great now, but it will gain complexity with some bottle age. Better in 2027."
Finca Piedra Infinita sits in the Paraje Altamira area of the Uco Valley at around 1,050 to 1,100 metres above sea level, where the nights are cold enough to preserve remarkable acidity even in ripe years. The soils are the real story: stony, calcium carbonate-rich, and well-draining, with very low organic matter. 'Gravascal' specifically comes from the most gravel-dominant sections of the estate, which restrict vigour and concentrate flavour while lending a distinctive mineral, iron-threaded quality to the wine. The combination of altitude, calcareous bedrock, and diurnal temperature swings of 15 to 20 degrees Celsius is what separates this from the valley floor.
The Uco Valley is a high-altitude sub-region of Mendoza, stretching south and west of the city towards the Andes, and it has become Argentina's most exciting fine wine address over the past fifteen years. Unlike the warmer, lower-lying areas around Luján de Cuyo, the Uco Valley's elevation delivers wines with genuine freshness and structural definition — particularly from districts like Altamira, Gualtallary, and Los Árboles. There is no strict appellation system in the way Bordeaux or Burgundy works, but Argentine producers have increasingly adopted Geographical Indication (IG) labelling to communicate sub-district identity, and Altamira in particular is recognised as producing some of the most mineral-driven Malbec in the country.
The 2022 growing season in Mendoza delivered exactly what the region's winemakers pray for: a long, steady ripening period without the dramatic weather swings that can make or break a vintage. After a relatively cool summer, harvest stretched well into April for many producers, giving grapes the luxury of time to develop flavour whilst retaining the natural acidity that keeps Mendoza's reds from becoming jammy fruit bombs. We find this patience shows in the wines themselves, which carry more tension and less obvious power than some of the region's blockbuster years.
What emerged from the cellars feels like Mendoza at its most refined rather than its most muscular. The Malbecs show deep colour and concentrated dark fruit, but there's a freshness running through them that makes them approachable young whilst promising excellent ageing potential. Cabernet Sauvignon particularly shines, with structured tannins that feel polished rather than austere, and the high-altitude Chardonnays display crystalline precision. Most 2022s are drinking beautifully now and should develop gracefully until 2035, though the best Malbecs will reward patience well beyond that.
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