Nicola Catena planted his first Malbec vineyard in Mendoza in 1902. His grandson, Nicolás Catena, is known as the man who revolutionized Argentine wine and introduced high altitude Malbec to the world. The Historic Catena Zapata vineyards are planted with the Catena family’s proprietary selection of malbec plants: the Catena Cuttings. Catena Alta Malbec is sourced from Block 18 of the Angélica vineyard, Block 4 of the La Pirámide vineyard, Block 1 of the Nicasia vineyard, Block 6 of the Angélica Sur vineyard and Block 9 of the Adrianna vineyard.

Weather in 2018 Low rainfall and cool temperatures in the harvest months of February to April gave rise to fruit with ‘optimal ripeness’ according to Laura Catena. The result is apparently a classic year for Mendoza Malbec in particular, producing smooth tannins and fresh natural acid. The drought concentrated flavours but yields have returned to normal after short harvests in 2017 and 2016.

Vineyard lots are harvested at different times to ensure optimal natural acidity and moderate alcohol levels. Whole berries are hand loaded into small format fermentation bins and 225-500 L barrels; lots from each vineyard are treated individually; fermentation and maceration last for 28-30 days; cold maceration. Wild yeasts. Alcoholic and malolactic fermentation in barrel; wine undergoes active battonage to protect it and drastically reduce the amount of SO2 needed. Aged for 18 months in French oak.

Technical Information:
Grape: 100% Malbec
Alcohol: 13.8 %
Total Acidity: 6.2 grams/liter
pH: 3.55
Unfined and unfiltered
Production: 162,000 bottles
Bottled in October 2019

Tasting Note: This full-bodied red wine has a rich mouthfeel and a soft, silky texture. Flavours of cassis and blackcurrant fruit dominate the palate, with hints of chocolate, vanilla and black pepper.

The story of Bodega Catena Zapata is a tale that travels from 19th-century Italy to the limestone soils of Mendoza.

Nicola Catena, Nicolas Catena Zapata’s grandfather, sailed from Italy to Argentina in 1898, leaving behind his famine-stricken European homeland for a land of plenty and opportunity.

In 1902, he planted his first Malbec vineyard in Mendoza. Although Malbec had been a blending grape in Bordeaux, Nicola suspected it would find its hidden splendour in the Argentine Andes. It was a hunch that would not fully flower till nearly a century later.

Nowadays, it’s impossible to talk about Argentinean wine for more than a few minutes without someone mentioning either Nicolas Catena or one of his wines. No-one has done more to put Mendoza on the map, or to raise the profile of Malbec from Bordeaux reject to one of the world’s most fashionable grape varieties.

His journey to the top hasn’t been easy, however, and plenty of people were sceptical when Nicolas started planting Malbec at ever higher altitudes in the Andes. Eventually the results of his experiments spoke for themselves and others quickly followed in his footsteps. The family’s commitment to research and development continues apace with Nicolas’ daughter, Laura, now at the helm.

Laura, a biologist who graduated with honours from Harvard University, decided to instil in the winery team the method of research and study, what she calls “the science of understanding nature”. They created the Catena Institute of Wine, enabling the team to conduct research aimed at getting a better understanding of the Argentine terroir, the characteristics of Mendoza, and to study every aspect of their vineyards with the ultimate goal of making Argentine wines that can stand with the best of the world.