Catena Appellation Paraje Altamira Malbec

Catena Appellation Paraje Altamira Malbec

In Burgundy, the Vins de Village are wines from grapes grown in the territory of certain villages that give their name to the appellation, such as Volnay, Pommard, Meursault, or Vosne-Romanée. The Village vineyards are small and often owned by siblings and cousins within the same family. This is due to the Napoleonic Code, which establishes that at a person's death, their land is divided equally among their heirs.

As a Latin country, Argentina shares the Napoleonic Code, and over half of the vineyards in Mendoza are less than four hectares in size and owned by multiple family members. Each village has its own culture with favorite foods, winemaking traditions, and distinctive flavors. Catena’s Appellation wines express the diversity of terroir and the historic farming customs of these local families. 

Tasting Notes

Catena Appellation Paraje Altamira has red and black fresh fruit flavors and a velvety texture. 

In Burgundy, the Vins de Village are wines from grapes grown in the territory of certain villages that give their name to the appellation, such as Volnay, Pommard, Meursault, or Vosne-Romanée. The Village vineyards are small and often owned by siblings and cousins within the same family. This is due to the Napoleonic Code, which establishes that at a person's death, their land is divided equally among their heirs.

As a Latin country, Argentina shares the Napoleonic Code, and over half of the vineyards in Mendoza are less than four hectares in size and owned by multiple family members. Each village has its own culture with favorite foods, winemaking traditions, and distinctive flavors. Catena’s Appellation wines express the diversity of terroir and the historic farming customs of these local families. 

Tasting Notes

Catena Appellation Paraje Altamira has red and black fresh fruit flavors and a velvety texture. 

Vineyard & Production Info

Production area/appellation:
Paraje Altamira
Vineyard size:
75 acres
Soil composition:
Clay-Loam, Silty-Loam, and Sandy-Loam
Training method:
VSP
Elevation:
3,613 feet
Vines/acre:
1800
Yield/acre:
2.8 tons
Exposure:
Northwestern
Year vineyard planted:
1996
Harvest time:
March 18-April 20
First vintage of this wine:
2006
Average Vine Age:
21

Winemaking & Aging

Prefermentation Technique:
Cold maceration
Maceration length:
10
Varietal composition:
100% Malbec
Fermentation container:
Stainless steel tanks
Length of alcoholic fermentation:
16 days
Fermentation temperature:
80 °F
Maceration technique:
Pumpovers
Malolactic fermentation:
Yes
Type of aging container:
Barrels
Size of aging container:
225
Type of oak:
French
Length of aging before bottling:
12 months
Age of Aging Container:
New
Length of bottle aging:
10 months

Analytical Data

pH level:
3.5
Acidity:
6.15 g/L
Alcohol:
13.4 %
Residual sugar:
<2 g/L

About the Vineyard

In the 1950s, Don Domingo Catena began sourcing Malbec from the vineyards of Altamira in the Uco Valley. The combination of intense sunlight and cool nights yields an elegant, mineral, slightly spicy Malbec with a deep texture and flavors. The vineyard is full of giant white stones that allow for optimal drainage and balanced vines with naturally low yields. The Catena Institute of Wine played a key role in establishing Paraje Altamira as an official Appellation in Argentina.