2016 Zuccardi Finca Piedra Infinita Valle de Uco Mendoza Argentina 750 ml

The pinnacle. The top. Not just of Malbec, not just of Argentina, not just of South America. The top of everything. That’s where the 2016 Zuccardi Finca Piedra Infinita holds court. From its perch over 3,500 feet up in the foothills of the Andes, the 100-point Piedra Infinita has reached, as Parker put it, “a stratospheric level of precision, symmetry and elegance.” 

The closest thing we can compare this to is a top-tier Right Bank Bordeaux—Chateau Pavie for example (100pts, $449)—but even that doesn’t cover all the bases. The Zuccardi’s “liquid chalk” texture and unparalleled mineral cut are direct translations of Piedra Inifita, the extraordinary site named “World’s Best Vineyard,” by CNN in 2019. As Vinous’ Antonio Galloni added, the 2016 Piedra Infinita “boasts incredible density and depth of sappy black fruit and mineral flavors, with brilliant precision and energy, not to mention a powerful impression of site character.” 

Besides its singular origins, the “electric” 2016 has distinguished itself from other 100-pointers in another all-important category: price. The razor sharp $150 (and lower) price tag is an indicator of what can only be described as a golden window for buyers of Argentine wines. While the greatest bottles have now matched the world’s best in terms of quality, they have not yet caught up in price. Our small allocation of the 100-point Piedra Infinita is the first to reach the States and does so in perfect provenance, with orders of three bottles shipped with their original wooden cases. In other words, it’s a good time to stock up. 

Sebastián Zuccardi’s mad-scientist-level passion for Mendoza terroir pushed him to stardom over the past decade, leading Robert Parker to name the estate “clearly among the top wineries of the country,” and most recently granting him a spot on Decanter's list of South America’s Top 10 winemakers. After years of jostling for a visit with one of the most sought-after names on the continent, we were thrilled to score a meeting and struck by his fervor. 

Instead of explaining what he attributes to the special texture of his wines, Sebastián encouraged us to “try a stone.” The perceptible chalky flavor of the vineyard rocks was indeed reflected as polished minerality in his finished Piedra Infinita. It’s the reason Zuccardi has famously switched to concrete tanks for aging his wines. “Why would I want to cover all that magic with oak?” he asked us. Glasses in hand, staring out at the snow-capped Andes in the distance, we couldn’t think of a single reason. 

Since 2012, Sebastián Zuccardi’s Piedra Infinita has been awarded top scores in every single vintage by Robert Parker. The 2016 is the culmination, not just of the last few years, but of decades of dedication, dating to 1963 when the Zuccardi family first began planting vines in Mendoza. More than the 100-point review, what’s in the bottle is the true reward, an extraordinary achievement, not just amongst Malbecs, not just in Argentina, not just in South America, but the world over.