August Wine Of the Month: Santa Julia 2023 "La Vaquita", Mendoza, Argentina
Santa Julia 2023 "La Vaquita", Mendoza, Argentina
The La Vaquita Claret is a blend of Malbec and Torrontes. Claret means that these two varieties were fermented together, in this case for 10 days. A blend of 80% Malbec, giving bright tart red fruit, and 20% Torrontes, which gives a beautiful floral character. Natural acidity in this wine is screaming for a bit of a chill on the bottle, making it perfect for our warmer months here in Southern California. A minimal intervention wine, “natural” if you need the buzzword, just means that this wine is a pure expression of the two grape varieties in the bottle. The natural winemaking process ensures no external agents are added. The red and white grapes are cofermented for 10 days and give fresh and fruity aromas reminiscent of fresh strawberries, raspberries, cherries, and soft white flowers. The little cow on the label is Olivia. Olivia was a gift to Julia’s niece, Helena, on her birthday. The calf lives on the farm of small animals on their estate in Maipu.
Santa Julia is a producer that comes from the world of Zuccardi wines. The Zuccardi family planted their first vineyards in Mendoza in the Uco Valley in 1963. Alberto, affectionately known as “Tito,” planted this vineyard to showcase the new irrigation system he invented to counter the desert conditions of Mendoza. With this mission, he fell in love with viticulture and paved the way for generations to come. The Uco Valley is in Mendoza, which is considered a desert; the only place they can grow grapes is near rivers. The Uco Valley is 62 miles southwest of Mendoza and is the closest to the mountains, which turns it into an altitude desert between 2950 and 5580 feet above sea level, resulting in cooler temperatures than lower altitude areas. The Tunuyán River is responsible for supplying the irrigation systems from the Andes mountains.
In 1985, Jose, Tito’s son, took over, and in 1999 the next generation took the reins. Sebastian took over Zuccardi, and Julia took charge of their second label, Santa Julia, where our August Wine of the Month was produced.
Julia, of Santa Julia, is the name of Jose Zuccardi’s daughter. Santa Julia focuses on preserving their environment and upholding superior quality standards by way of sustainable practices. In 1999, their first vineyard was certified organic, and in 2020 they introduced their line of natural wines, which reflects the core values they have had since Tito planted their first vineyards in 1963.