2014 - Finca Piedra Infinita Paraje Altamira, Familia Zuccardi, Uco Valley

Bright medium ruby. Superripe aromas of black cherry, cassis, strawberry and crushed stone, plus a hint of tobacco leaf. A juicy, lively midweight with lovely lift to its black raspberry, espresso, spice and stone flavors. This very intense but still-tight wine conveys an impression of firm, mineral-driven acidity. A bit more dusty and herbal than the Paraje Altamira and Gualta Tupungato Alto '14s; perhaps a tad sweeter than the Paraje Altamira but without quite the richness of the Gualta. The substantial but well-buffered tannins dust the front teeth.

3,000 bottles. Selection from a single vineyard. 30-60 cm of soil over stones, hence the name. Needs soil for balance in this wine. built from very specific parcels. Fermented in concrete, 70% aged in concrete and 30% in used 500-litre barrels.Black with purple rim. Complex aroma that is both fragrant and dusty. Herbs and reductive smoky darkness. Dry finesse but rounded and keeping the tension. Silky dry finish. Very long and super-precise and so mouth-wateringly drinkable. I want to sleep with this wine. Seductive, elegant, refined and perfect harmony. Cool and fragrant. Firm but the potential for slub silk. Endlessly long. The Zuccardi wines are gaining in finesse with every vintage, especially in the cool run of 2014-16.