Adrianna River Stones Malbec
⏳ Drinking Window
2026 - 2040
🍽️ Food & Wine Pairings
Grilled ribeye steak, roasted lamb chops, slow-braised beef short ribs
✨ Technical Specifications
The Adrianna Vineyard 'River Stones' Malbec represents the pinnacle of high-altitude viticulture in Mendoza's Gualtallary district, situated at an astonishing 1,450 meters above sea level. Named after a specific parcel covered in oval, white stones from an ancient, dried-up riverbed, this terroir is unique. These calcium carbonate-rich stones absorb the intense mountain sun during the day and radiate heat to the vines at night, protecting them from extreme cold while ensuring optimal drainage. This extreme environment forces the vines to dig deep, yielding a remarkably mineral-driven, structured, and aromatic Malbec. It stands as a testament to Nicolás Catena's legendary gamble in the early 1990s when he planted vines in Gualtallary, a region then dismissed by locals as too cold for grape growing.
🍾 About the Producer
Founded in 1902 by Italian immigrant Nicola Catena, Bodega Catena Zapata is the preeminent pioneer of modern Argentine viticulture. In the 1980s and 1990s, third-generation visionary Nicolás Catena Zapata revolutionized the domestic industry by venturing into extreme high-altitude Andean terroirs, most notably planting the famed Adrianna Vineyard in Gualtallary at nearly 1,500 meters above sea level. Today directed by Dr. Laura Catena and celebrated winemaking director Alejandro Vigil, the estate pairs rigorous micro-terroir research through the Catena Institute of Wine with precision viticulture across alluvial, limestone-laced gravel soils. Fermentations frequently incorporate whole clusters and indigenous yeasts, vinified in concrete, oak foudres, and French barriques to preserve freshness, structural nuance, and site-specific tension. Benchmark bottlings such as the flagship Nicolás Catena Zapata, Adrianna Vineyard Mundus Bacillus Terrae Malbec, and Adrianna Vineyard White Stones Chardonnay stand as global archetypes of high-elevation South American fine wine.
🍇 Grapes
Malbec
🍷 ABV
13.5-14%