Catena Zapata Adrianna Vineyard River

Catena Zapata Adrianna Vineyard River

Wine Description

The River Stones sector of Adrianna is planted in the path of a dried river filled with white stones covered with lime - limestone.  These stones make for optimal drainage and extreme temperatures because the stones absorb the heat and moderate the nights but also function like ice cubes after a very cold night.  Stony soil Malbecs tend to be extremely aromatic, rich and luxurious, just like the River Stones Malbec from Adrianna. 

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
“This vintage exhibits a ripe character, but preserves its elegant attributes. A peppery nose shows light aromas of berries and herbs in the background. After a few minutes in the glass, savory notes give way to fruity flavors of sour cherry, red plum and cranberry. Oak spices softly mark the finish of this velvety Malbec.” – (Editors’ Choice) — Wine Enthusiast, Apr 2024
“The 2019 was a hard act to follow, but the 2020 Adrianna Vineyard River kept its poise, though it showed a little riper and with grainier tannins that gave it some faint rusticity and earthiness. This is one of three Malbecs from the Adrianna Vineyard in Gualtallary, from a stony part of the vineyard, hence its name. The wine matured in large oak foudres, and the oak is still perceptible and might need a little more time to get integrated. This tends to be the most austere of the three bottlings, even in the warmer years like 2020, and it shows a little more fruit. It's juicy but beautifully textured with a spicy twist of curry that reminded me of some bottlings from El Enemigo in El Cepillo. It seems to open up slowly in the glass—the violet and berry aromas get complicated by some spice (curry?)—and the palate feels more layered. This is a superb expression of the austere wildness of Gualtallary.”
— Wine Advocate, Nov 2022
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Vineyard & Production Info
Vineyard name
Adrianna Vineyard
Vineyard size
288 acres
Soil composition
Calcareous and Silty-Loam
Training method
VSP
Elevation:
4,500 feet
Vines/acre:
1800
Exposure:
Northwestern
Year vineyard planted:
1992
Harvest time:
Third week of April
First vintage of this wine:
2011
Bottles produced of this wine:
4,800
Average Vine Age:
22
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Winemaking & Aging
Prefermentation Technique:
Cold maceration
Time on its skins:
8 days
Varietal composition:
100% Malbec
Fermentation container:
Barrels
Length of alcoholic fermentation:
17 days
Maceration technique:
Punchdown
Malolactic fermentation:
Full
Type of aging container:
Barriques and Barrels
Size of aging container:
500 L
Type of oak:
French
Length of aging before bottling:
2 years
Length of bottle aging:
2 years
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Analytical Data
pH level:
3.6
Acidity:
6.9 g/L
Alcohol:
14 %