Catena Zapata Adrianna Vineyard River

Catena Zapata Adrianna Vineyard River Stones Malbec bottle image

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
“The 2014 Adrianna Vineyard River Stones is the second vintage of the Malbec from the stonier part of the Adrianna Vineyard in Gualtallary that is next to a dry river bed (the vineyard has 110 hectares that were planted in 1994). It fermented in open-top 500-liter oak barrels with full clusters. It was pressed before the end of fermentation, and it then finished fermenting without skins (like a white) and matured in 1,800-liter oak foudre for 18 months. It's a compact, super serious Malbec with concentration and power, great balance, abundant tannins, strong minerality, firm texture, great austerity and no concessions for sweetness whatsoever. It has all that it takes to develop for a long time in bottle."
— Wine Advocate, Jun 2018
BEST MALBEC: “Sourced, as its name suggests, from alluvial soils on the site of an old river bed, this is a fresh, focused, beautifully balanced Malbec showing refined oak, smooth tannins and top notes of violet and cracked pepper. Sappy, fresh and very long on the palate.”
— Tim Atkin, MW, May 2017
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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
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:
6.5 g/L
Alcohol:
13.5 %
Dry extract:
35 g/L
Residual sugar:
1.8 g/L
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Wine Production

Descriptors: floral, exuberant, lengthy smooth tannins, metallic.  

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About the Vineyard

Over the years, Nicolás Catena Zapata discovered the influence altitude has on fruit quality. As one climbs the altitudes of the Andes the average temperature decreases and the amplitude between day and night temperatures increases.  Named after Nicolás Catena Zapata’s youngest daughter, the Adrianna Vineyard is located at almost 5,000 feet elevation in Mendoza. The soils in this 1.4 hectare parcel are filled with scattered limestone and marine deposits that covered the region millions of years ago.