The Zuccardi family is well-known in Argentina for having produced excellent and very drinkable wines for a few generations, but it is since Sebastián Zuccardi took the reins that things have got really exciting. Like Finca Piedra Infinita, this incredible Argentinian project aims to capture the magnificent, high-altitude terroir of a very special vineyard in the Uco Valley, and this time the focus is on Chardonnay. Joaquín Hidalgo observes that the "complex, detailed nose presents green apple, hazelnut, herbs, lees, lemon zest, ginger, and a whiff of gunpowder", much like a great Chassagne or Puligny, and "the year has brought greater clarity to the aromas and flavors" than noted in previous vintages (which he has compared to white Burgundy). For Suckling this shares more in common with Meursault, and he effuses over "a rich, layered chardonnay with cooked apple, lemon rind and some toasted oak and cream", though there is "real minerality" at its core. Whilst comparisons to Burgundy are helpful (if you like the whites of the Cote d'Or, you will really like this superstar!), as with Zuccardi's other single vineyard wines, these really are in a league of their own and present something altogether new which will delight lovers of great whites in general!
95 points, Joaquín Hidalgo, Vinous
"The 2020 Chardonnay Zuccardi Fosil comes from San Pablo, Uco Valley and was harvested across four sectors, each with a different soil type, before being mostly fermented in concrete except for one-third that went into 500litre used barrels. Light yellow with green flecks in the glass. The complex, detailed nose presents green apple, hazelnut, herbs, lees, lemon zest, ginger, and a whiff of gunpowder. In the mouth the flavors are intense with a creamy texture that stays nimble thanks to the good malic acidity. The compact, saline palate throws up an entirely new flavor profile at the end that lingers at length, but once it's gone, all that's left is a dry sensation. Not as compact as other vintages, the year has brought greater clarity to the aromas and flavors."
94 points, James Suckling
"A rich, layered chardonnay with cooked apple, lemon rind and some toasted oak and cream. Medium to full body with a round texture and a fresh, crisp finish. Real minerality. Oyster shell. Drink now.""