Adrianna River Stones Malbec
⏳ wine.drinking_window
Typically best enjoyed 5–20 years from the vintage release, with the structure and acidity to cellar beautifully for up to 25 years.
🍽️ wine.food_pairings
Grilled ribeye steak, roasted lamb chops, slow-braised beef short ribs
✨ wine.spec_sheet
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.
🍾 wine.about_producer
Founded in 1902 by Italian immigrant Nicola Catena, the historic Catena Zapata estate is located in Luján de Cuyo, Mendoza, Argentina, and remains family-owned under the visionary leadership of Nicolás Catena Zapata and his daughter Laura. Renowned for pioneering high-altitude viticulture in the Andean foothills, the winery revolutionized Argentine winemaking by proving that world-class, age-worthy wines could be produced from extreme mountain terroirs. Their production philosophy focuses on meticulous parcel selection and soil-specific micro-vinifications, particularly within the acclaimed Adrianna Vineyard. Catena Zapata is celebrated globally for its profound, structured red wines, most notably its flagship Bordeaux-style blend, Nicolás Catena Zapata, and the highly expressive, mineral-driven Adrianna Vineyard River Stones Malbec.