Familia Zuccardi restaurant scoops top award

Familia Zuccardi is celebrating after its restaurant Casa del Visitante was named Best Winery Restaurant by the Great Wine Capitals Committee of Mendoza.

The restaurant will now go on to represent Mendoza in the international final of the Great Wine Capitals competition.

The Great Wine Capitals consist of eight cities around the world, each of which is renowned for its local wine region. Mendoza will therefore be competing for the title against Bordeaux, Cape Town, Florence, Mainz, Porto, Bilbao and San Francisco.

Casa del Visitante opened in 2004 and has previous form in this competition, receiving the same accolade back in 2006. Head chef Matías Aldasoro offers guests a choice of two menus: a traditional menu featuring empanadas, a barbeque selection and salads, or the tasting menu, which offers a gourmet option of regional, seasonal dishes.

Both menus have been designed to showcase the range of wines and olive oils produced by the Familia Zuccardi estate.

José Alberto Zuccardi, director of Familia Zuccardi, expressed his delight at its success, saying: “Our restaurant is situated amid the beautiful natural scenery in Maipú, beside our winery and surrounded by our own vineyards and olive trees. We feel this is the perfect setting in which to enjoy a delicious taste of Argentine cooking and wines.”

Gabriel Savage, 20.10.09