Mendoza is where the barbeque reaches perhaps its highest expression, where the sun shines all year long, and where the red grape Malbec has become nearly synonymous in these high, dry vineyards watered by Andean snowmelt. This is red wine country. And yet, the same sun that brings so much depth and weight to Malbec gives just as much clarity and poise to Chardonnay. The same soil that nourishes those heavy reds offers a delightful dusty minerality to Chardonnay, and that same clear sun brings out the most playful side of Chardonnay’s personality. The wine shows yellow apples and lemons, marmalade and lemondrop and peaches and tangerines in abundance, with a touch of creme brulee. Texturally, a few extra days of skin contact makes the El Zorrito juicy and intense and energetic. In short, simply irresistible. Julia Zuccardi may be scion of one of Argentina’s great Malbec makers, but with her Santa Julia label, she wanted to show a different face of Mendoza. Drawing from vineyards in Maipu, Santa Rosa, and the Valle de Uco, Santa Julia wines are organically tended, naturally vinified, bright and fresh and surprisingly complex. This is your wine if you’re pulling chicken or shrimp off a skewer, or if you’re having a picnic that one week in February when Portland’s weather gets warm.