Catena Alta Cabernet Sauvignon

Catena Alta Cabernet Sauvignon bottle image

Wine Description

In the mid-nineties, in an effort to produce a super-premium wine, the winemaking team of Catena began an in-depth investigation into the yields from specially selected, high altitude vineyards, idedntifying the individual rows that produce the best fruit. Catena Alta is an assemblage of these historic rows within the Catena family’s estate vineyards. The blend of these rows, like the blend of musical notes that compose a symphony, creates a wine that is layered and complex, concentrated yet nuanced.

Before the world recognized Argentina as “Malbec Country,” Bodega Catena Zapata was known for its old world style Cabernet Sauvignon born in the clay soils of Agrelo. The family cherishes its historic Cabernet Sauvignon vineyards in Agrelo and Tupungato particularly for the ageability and classic varietal characteristics of the wines produced from their grapes.

Catena Alta Cabernet Sauvignon is sourced from Block 3 of the La Pirámide Vineyard in the Agrelo district of Luján de Cuyo, Block 2 of the Domingo Vineyard in the Villa Bastías district of Tupungato, and Block 2 of the Nicasia Vineyard in the Altamira district of San Carlos in the southern end of the Uco Valley.

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
“Shows blacker fruits on the nose than the 2012 Cabernet, along with complicating notes of bitter chocolate, spices and dried flowers. Then broad, dense and light on its feet, with flavors of plum, redcurrant, mocha, minerals and dried flowers given additional depth by a saline element. This firmly structured wine finishes with dusty, horizontal tannins that call for a few years of patience.”
— Stephen Tanzer, Feb 2015
“Built on a solid platform of tannins and concentrated fruit, this wine needs air to reveal its complexity, allowing the acidity and layered fruit to shine. Full bodied and firm.”
— Wine & Spirits, Feb 2015
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Vineyard & Production Info
Vineyard name
The La Pirámide, Domingo, and Nicasia vineyards
Soil composition
Sandy-Loam
Training method
VSP
Elevation:
3,117-3,675 feet
Yield/acre:
1.2 tons
Exposure:
Northwestern
Harvest time:
Mid-April
First vintage of this wine:
1994
Bottles produced of this wine:
60,000
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Winemaking & Aging
Maceration length:
30 days
Varietal composition:
88% Cabernet Sauvignon and 12% Cabernet Franc
Fermentation container:
Barriques and Barrels
Length of alcoholic fermentation:
16-35 days
Maceration technique:
Punchdown
Malolactic fermentation:
Yes
Type of aging container:
Barriques
Size of aging container:
225 L
Type of oak:
French
Length of aging before bottling:
18 months
Age of Aging Container:
New-Two years
Length of bottle aging:
24 months
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Analytical Data
pH level:
3.7
Acidity:
5.5 g/L
Alcohol:
14% %
Residual sugar:
2 g/L