Catena Malbec

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Catena Malbec

Catena Malbec is composed of 100% varietal wines blended from vineyards of different altitudes. Each vineyard is specifically farmed in preparation for its role in the final blend.  The combination of different vineyard components results in a wine with heightened complexities. 80-year-old vines in lLunlunta (Maipù) lend soft, sweet texture and Catena cuttings in Agrelo (Luján de Cuyo) provide spicy character. Cold nights in Altamira(San Carlos) lend bright, crisp acidity and the intense sunshine in Gualtallary (Tupungato) give explosive floral aromatics and concentrated structure. 

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Tasting Notes

The 2017 Catena Malbec shows a deep violet color with purple reflections. The nose offers concentrated aromas of ripe red and dark fruits with delicate floral notes like violets and lavander, and traces of vanilla and moca. The mouthfeel is rich and concentrated, with blueberries and blackberries notes and a touch of leather and cinamon. The finish presents well integrated-tannins with bright acidity and a flinty minerality that gives the wine exceptional length.

Food Pairing

Pair with roast turkey, grilled steak, salmon, and pasta with red sauce.

Catena Malbec is composed of 100% varietal wines blended from vineyards of different altitudes. Each vineyard is specifically farmed in preparation for its role in the final blend.  The combination of different vineyard components results in a wine with heightened complexities. 80-year-old vines in lLunlunta (Maipù) lend soft, sweet texture and Catena cuttings in Agrelo (Luján de Cuyo) provide spicy character. Cold nights in Altamira(San Carlos) lend bright, crisp acidity and the intense sunshine in Gualtallary (Tupungato) give explosive floral aromatics and concentrated structure. 

All Products →

Tasting Notes

The 2017 Catena Malbec shows a deep violet color with purple reflections. The nose offers concentrated aromas of ripe red and dark fruits with delicate floral notes like violets and lavander, and traces of vanilla and moca. The mouthfeel is rich and concentrated, with blueberries and blackberries notes and a touch of leather and cinamon. The finish presents well integrated-tannins with bright acidity and a flinty minerality that gives the wine exceptional length.

Food Pairing

Pair with roast turkey, grilled steak, salmon, and pasta with red sauce.

Brand Materials

Tech Sheet Download Bottle Shot Download Acclaim Linkout
94
POINTS
“Velvety and luscious with substantial depth; balanced and bright with fresh, elegant style.”
The Tasting Panel
93
POINTS
“This is a dense and refined red with a minerality underneath. Full body, firm and silky with pretty blue fruit and light salt undertones. Shows tension and structure.”
James Suckling
93
POINTS
“This is a dense and refined red with a minerality underneath. Full body, firm and silky with pretty blue fruit and light salt undertones. Shows tension and structure.”
James Suckling
91
POINTS
“I compared the 2016 with the 2017 Catena Malbec, one of their most popular bottlings. Even though the vintage was not as cool as 2016, the wine keeps great freshness and elegance and is very harmonious, with integrated oak and focused flavors. 1.2 million bottles produced and bottled in three different lots.”
Wine Advocate
91
POINTS
“A pan-regional Malbec that combines fruit from the Uco Valley and Maipú, this is a plush, ripe, textured red that uses French and American oak to good effect with notes of ginger spice, blackberry and liquorice and a supple finish.”
Tim Atkin, MW
91
POINTS
“I compared the 2016 with the 2017 Catena Malbec, one of their most popular bottlings. Even though the vintage was not as cool as 2016, the wine keeps great freshness and elegance and is very harmonious, with integrated oak and focused flavors.”
Wine Advocate
90
POINTS
“Marked by herbal notes and violet aromas, this has the stamp of Uco Valley in its fresh flavors of black cherries. Its acidity is tense, balanced by the ripe flavors in an enchanting finish, lasting on the scent of flowers.”
Wine & Spirits
90
POINTS
“Bright ruby-red. Expressive aromas of dark raspberry, blackberry, blueberry, licorice, violet, tobacco and herbs, plus a whiff of leather. The palate delivers lovely pure dark fruit flavors at moderate alcohol, with hints of peppery herbs and minerals giving the wine very good cut and lift. Finishes classically dry and long. A lot of wine for the price.”
Vinous
90
POINTS
“Bright ruby-red. Expressive aromas of dark raspberry, blackberry, blueberry, licorice, violet, tobacco and herbs, plus a whiff of leather. The palate delivers lovely pure dark fruit flavors at moderate alcohol, with hints of peppery herbs and minerals giving the wine very good cut and lift. Finishes classically dry and long. A lot of wine for the price.”
Vinous
90
POINTS
“Marked by herbal notes and violet aromas, this has the stamp of Uco Valley in its fresh flavors of black cherries and tense acidity, the wine lasting on the scent of flowers.”
Wine & Spirits
90
POINTS
"Maked by herbal notes and violet aromas, this has the stamp of Uco Valley in its fresh flavors of black cherries. Balanced by the ripe flavors in an enchanting finish, lasting on the scent of flowers."
Wine & Spirits
“Made of 100 percent malbec grapes, this purplish-red wine is busy with aromas of red and blackberries and fresh florals like lavender and violet while the palate is juicy with black and blueberry notes. A hit of cinnamon and nutmeg on the back end gives the wine a kick that gets rounded out with flinty minerality and fleshy tannins – the naturally occurring polyphenol found in fruit skins and seeds that inform a wine’s astringency – in the exceptionally long finish.”
Uproxx
“Based on the WSET criteria, I conclude that this wine is very good to outstanding and is certainly capable of aging further. I believe that as the wine ages, it will get deeper into those smokey, gamey flavors, develop more of those luxurious tobacco and mocha notes, and turn some of those fruits in that fruit basket into decadent fruit leather. However, there is a high enough level of acidity here that I expect that a sense of freshness and vivacity will continue to hold it all together as time goes on.”
Briscoe Bites
“I compared the 2016 with the 2017 Catena Malbec, one of their most popular bottlings. Even though the vintage was not as cool as 2016, the wine keeps great freshness and elegance and is very harmonious, with integrated oak and focused flavors. 1.2 million bottles produced and bottled in three different lots.”
Wally's

Vineyard & Production Info

Vineyard name:
The Lulnlunta, Agrelo, Altamira en La Consulta, and Gualtallary wineyards
Soil composition:
Depending on site - clay, sand and limestone, calcareous deposits and surface stones
Training method:
VSP
Elevation:
2,822, 3,084, 3,871, 4,921 feet
Vines/acre:
2,200
Exposure:
Northwestern
Year vineyard planted:
Various
First vintage of this wine:
1994

Winemaking & Aging

Maceration length:
22
Varietal composition:
100% Malbec
Fermentation container:
Barriques
Length of alcoholic fermentation:
12 days
Fermentation temperature:
75 - 80 °F
Maceration technique:
Racking, Punchdown, and Pumpovers
Malolactic fermentation:
Yes
Type of aging container:
Barriques
Size of aging container:
225 L
Type of oak:
French
Length of aging before bottling:
12 months
Age of Aging Container:
35% New
Length of bottle aging:
10 months

Analytical Data

pH level:
3.7
Alcohol:
13.5 %

About the Vineyard

This Catena Malbec is sourced and blended from the family´s high-altitude vineyards in Maipú, Lujan de Cuyo, Tupungato and San Carlos. Each vineyard is specifically farmed in preparation for its role in the final blend. 80-year-old vines in Lunlunta (Maipù) Vineyard lend soft, sweet texture and the lauded Catena cuttings in Agrelo (Luján de Cuyo) Vineyard add notes of spice. The cold nights in Altamira (San Carlos) Vineyard lend bright, crisp acidity and the intense sunshine in Gualtallary (Tupungato) Vineyard give explosive floral aromatics and concentrated structure. This combination of different vineyard components results in a wine with heightened complexities and unique character that has natural balance, concentration and a distinct varietal identity.

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