Bottled one month prior to my tasting, the 2012 Zuccardi Serie A Torrontes offers an attractive bouquet with fresh peach, melon and a hint of tangerine. The palate is fresh with a sour lemon twist on the entry. It is taut and expressive, with a simple but vibrant edgy finish that does not quite boast the length of the previous vintage. Drink now-2016. Familia Zuccardi were one of the pioneers in terms of pursuing quality when others were satisfied with quantity and little else. Alberto Zuccardi began planting in Maipu in 1963 and five years later constructed their winery. Their son, Jose, joined in 1976 and under his direction throughout the 1980s and 1990s, they made a strategic decision to focus on high quality wines. They currently own 37 hectares in La Consulta, 55 hectares in Vista Flores, 90 hectares in Altamira, 180 hectares in Maipu and 475 hectares in Santa Rosa. There is an emphasis upon exploring their terroirs at Zuccardi, and Alberto’s eldest son, Sebastian, was happy to leap into a few pits to demonstrate the differences between several soil profiles. The wines themselves are impressive, both in terms of value at the bottom end and quality at the top. As they peel away and separate different terroirs in the future, they should be able to offer an ever more interesting portfolio.Importer: Winesellers, Niles, IL; tel. (847) 647-1100