Catena Zapata Adrianna Vineyard Mundus Bacillus Terrae

Catena Zapata Adrianna Vineyard Mundus Bacillus Terrae Malbec bottle image

Wine Description

Mundus Bacillus Adrianna Malbec is named in honor of the bacteria that live in the soil in Adrianna Vineyard and help our vines survive the stressful high altitude, low nutrient conditions.  There are 10 times less nutrients in Adrianna than in places such as Bordeaux, France.  Recent studies have shown that rhyzobacteria which live in symbiosis with the vines' roots and help the vines absorb nutrients and minerals.  These bacteria may be the key to why vines are able to survive in such extreme conditions as those found in this limestone sector of our arid and cold Adrianna Vineyard.  We are studying the bacteria in this parcel of Adrianna and have found the bacteria here to be different from those in other parts of the world.  Much research in humans has shown that bacteria which live inside and outside our bodies help us combat cancer and autoimmune disease.  In a similar way, we think the bacteria that live within the plants' roots are playing an important role in the Malbec we make from this small lot.  Mundus Bacillus means elegant bacteria in Latin, and we think this name is a good fit for the wine because both the bacteria and the wine are indeed elegant.

Remington-Mendoza
Laura Catena sits at a table with a glass of wine
Malbec Grapes
Alejandro Vigil (Chief Winemaker) and Laura Catena Tasting
Malbec Clone in La Piramide Vineyard
Nicolás Catena
Bodega Catena Zapata
Bodega Catena Zapata
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Acclaim
“I tasted three consecutive vintages of the reds from Adrianna Vineyard, including the luxury cuvée, starting with the 2014 Adrianna Vineyard Mundus Bacillus Terrae. It is from the coolest year since 2001 (but cooler will come in 2016), and it has 13.5% alcohol and very high acidity—7.5 grams measured in tartaric acid. What that all means is it's moderately ripe and very fresh, with integrated oak after fermenting in 225- and 500-liter oak barrels and an élevage of 24 months in oak.”
— Wine Advocate, Jun 2018
“Very aromatic and vivid. Cherry and plum. Hints mushroom and tea. Full body, tight and beautiful. Focused and sexy. Layered and dense. A fantastic red. Made from organically grown grapes. Drink or hold.”
— James Suckling, Jun 2017
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Vineyard & Production Info
Vineyard name
Adrianna Vineyard
Soil composition
Calcareous and Silty-Loam
Training method
VSP
Elevation:
4,900 feet
Vines/acre:
1800
Exposure:
Northwestern
Year vineyard planted:
1992
Harvest time:
First week of April
First vintage of this wine:
2011
Bottles produced of this wine:
4,200
Average Vine Age:
22
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Winemaking & Aging
Prefermentation Technique:
Cold maceration
Maceration length:
8-13
Varietal composition:
100% Malbec
Fermentation container:
Barrels
Length of alcoholic fermentation:
16 days
Fermentation temperature:
77-86 °F
Maceration technique:
Pumpovers
Malolactic fermentation:
Full
Type of aging container:
Barriques and Barrels
Size of aging container:
225 L - 500 L - 2200 L
Type of oak:
French
Length of aging before bottling:
24 months
Age of Aging Container:
Two years
Length of bottle aging:
24 months
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Analytical Data
pH level:
3.5
Acidity:
7.5 g/L
Alcohol:
13.5 %
Residual sugar:
1.8 g/L
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Wine Production

Prefermentation    
Do you use any prefermentation techniques? Yes
If yes, what type? cold maceration
For how long?  Hours?  6 days
Prefermentation container: oak barrels
Prefermentation temperature: less than 10 ºC

Alcoholic Fermentation    
Fermentation container:    Vertical 225 liter open oak barrels and 500 liter french oak roll-fermentors 
Length of alcoholic fermentation: 16 days
Fermentation temperature: 25-30ºC
Maceration technique: Rolling - Manual punch downs
Length of maceration: 8-13 days
Is malolactic fermentation carried out?    Yes
If yes, partial or full?    Full

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About the Vineyard

2 feet topsoil (alluvial & eolic) Calcareous deposits of marine fossils (alluvial) Rocks covered with calcareous (alluvial)