Adrianna Vineyard Malbec
⏳ Drinking Window
2024 - 2036
🍽️ Food & Wine Pairings
Grilled ribeye steak, roasted rosemary lamb chops, earthy wild mushroom risotto
✨ Technical Specifications
Hailing from a select 2.6-hectare parcel within the legendary high-altitude Adrianna Vineyard in Gualtallary, the 2020 River Stones Malbec is defined by its unique terroir. This parcel is situated on an ancient dry riverbed covered with smooth, calcium carbonate-coated stones. These white stones absorb heat during the sunny Andean days and radiate it back to the vines at night, protecting them from extreme mountain frosts while ensuring optimal ripening. The 2020 vintage was remarkably warm and dry, prompting an exceptionally early harvest that captured the grapes at peak acidity and structural tension. Fermented with wild yeasts in concrete and oak foudres, and aged for 20 months in French oak, this 100% Malbec delivers an intense, mineral-driven profile characterized by black fruit, violet notes, and a distinct gunflint minerality.
🍾 About the Producer
Founded in 1902 by Italian immigrant Nicola Catena, Bodega Catena Zapata is celebrated as the pioneer that revolutionized modern Argentine winemaking and propelled Malbec onto the international stage. Located in Mendoza, the estate was transformed in the 1980s by third-generation vintner Nicolás Catena Zapata, who boldly advanced high-altitude viticulture along the Andean foothills, highlighted by the iconic Adrianna Vineyard in Gualtallary. Today, under the stewardship of Nicolás and his daughter Dr. Laura Catena, the winery unites traditional winemaking with groundbreaking soil and climate research via the Catena Institute of Wine. The estate is globally revered for its profound, terroir-driven expressions, exemplified by flagship cuvées such as Nicolás Catena Zapata, Malbec Argentino, and the acclaimed Adrianna Vineyard parcel-specific bottlings.
🍇 Grape Varieties
Malbec 100%
🍷 Alcohol By Volume (ABV)
13.5%