Adrianna Vineyard Mundus Bacillus Terrae Malbec
⏳ Drinking Window
2026 - 2042
🍽️ Food & Wine Pairings
Grilled ribeye steak, roasted rack of lamb, rich mushroom risotto
✨ Technical Specifications
Hailing from a specific parcel within the legendary Adrianna Vineyard in Gualtallary, situated at an extreme altitude of almost 1,450 meters in the Uco Valley, Mundus Bacillus Terrae is a testament to the groundbreaking terroir research led by Laura Catena and the Catena Institute of Wine. The name, translating to 'elegant microbes of the earth,' pays homage to the complex network of rhizosphere bacteria that thrive in the vineyard's shallow, limestone-rich soils. These micro-organisms assist the vine roots in absorbing nutrients under high-altitude stress, resulting in a wine of extraordinary minerality, structural tension, and vibrant natural acidity. Fermented with native yeasts in concrete or oak foudres and aged in French oak, this single-parcel Malbec represents a paradigm shift in Argentine winemaking, showcasing a refined, intellectual style defined by floral aromatics, dark fruit, and chalky, fine-grained tannins.
🍾 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%