Santa Julia Cabrito Cabernet Sauvignon 2023

blackberries and blueberries, rose petals and pipe tobacco.

This is one of the most exciting wines I have tasted from Argentina in some time and of course it comes from the winemaking juggernaut that is Sebastian Zuccardi. Blessed with a passion for experimentation, nearly unlimited resources and mastery of the art of winemaking each project we taste from him always exceeds my high expectations. While most of his recent efforts have been in the ultra-premium category, with this wine he stomps into the world of “natural wines” and shows they can be clean, not funky and still low intervention.

There are several wines in this series and in April we will be hosting a tasting to show the entire line, but this week we whet your appetite with the excellent Cabernet Sauvignon. This wine is produced from certified organic grapes, is fermented with indigenous yeasts then aged in tanks for a few months before bottling without filtration, fining or sulfur.

Give this wine a splash in the decanter and chill slightly before serving. Minimal handling means this wine is made in a “bistro style” so it is juicy and fresh. It oozes blackberries and blueberries, rose petals and pipe tobacco. On the palate there is no mistaking this is Cab, with a big punch of fruit framed with moderate tannins. Drink this wine with a bacon cheeseburger, baby back ribs or even mushroom ramen.