Zuccardi 2018 Q Tempranillo 750ml

They want to keep the Tempranillo for longer before it's released, so the current vintage from the Q range is the 2018 Q Tempranillo. This comes from Santa Rosa in the traditional part of Mendoza, mentioned on the label, a historical wine here with pergola vines planted some 40 years ago by the grandfather of the current generation. He likes the wine after some time in bottle, a little like the wines from Rioja in Spain, matured in well-seasoned 225-liter French oak barrels. So, it has a slightly different style from the rest of the range, with spiciness from the élevage, notes of tobacco and a sensation of sweetness, ripeness with control, 14% alcohol and a velvety mouthfeel. 50,000 bottles were filled in July 2020. They will release this bottling even later, but gradually, because they feel the 2004 or 2005 is perfect for current drinking. I've tried some bottles from the 1990s, and they are quite impressive.

Score: 91 points -- Luis Gutierrez, The Wine Advocate, 2022