Wine Culture Magazine
Wine Culture Magazine
Sebastian Zuccardi stomps grapes at his Mendoza, Argentina winery. Familia Zuccardi photo
From a cardiovascular standpoint, grape stomping is a similar workout to the Stairmaster. In 90 minutes, Sebastian Zuccardi can stomp 3,000 kilograms of grapes, which, it is said, is equivalent to 2,800 bottles of wine. That’s a lot of wine—and a workout most wine fans would relish.
Sebastian & Jose Zuccardi work together to establish their winery’s identity and longevity. Familia Zuccardi photo
Sebastian is the viticulturist of Familia Zuccardi from Mendoza, Argentina. A third-generation winemaker, he was nominated as 2018 Innovator of the Year by Wine Enthusiast magazine. He, his father José and grandfather Alberto make decisions about their business as a family. Their path isn’t determined by market trends; instead, their goal is to establish longevity and identity.
Identity of place is their primary focus. Their goal is to create wines that tell a story about where the grapes grew. From alluvial soils to altitude variances and microclimates, each bottle of wine is created to expose the character of the grapes.
Sebastian recently visited Vancouver to share a selection of his wines in advance of Zuccardi’s participation in the 2019 Vancouver International Wine Festival. (José Zuccardi will be the winery’s representative at VIWF.) He applauded the efforts made by B.C. producers to also create wines of place. Soil, climate and altitude are equally important factors in wines from Argentina’s Uco Valley as they are from B.C.’s Okanagan. It’s not a trend; it’s a movement across the industry.
Nicole is writer and consultant based in Vancouver, BC and holds her WSET Level 3 Certification. Her passion for writing has been life-long while her passion for wine started the summer of 2004 while working in the tasting room at Quail’s Gate Winery. She currently runs her own company, www.socialsips.ca, which includes everything from facilitating wine tasting parties, to consulting for import agents, to managing private wine cellars. She can be contacted at socialsips@outlook.com.
Nicole is writer and consultant based in Vancouver, BC and holds her WSET Level 3 Certification. Her passion for writing has been life-long while her passion for wine started the summer of 2004 while working in the tasting room at Quail’s Gate Winery. She currently runs her own company, www.socialsips.ca, which includes everything from facilitating wine tasting parties, to consulting for import agents, to managing private wine cellars. She can be contacted at socialsips@outlook.com.
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