Adrianna Vineyard River Stones Malbec
⏳ Drinking Window
2022 - 2032
🍽️ Food & Wine Pairings
Grilled ribeye steak, roasted rack of lamb, wild boar stew
✨ Technical Specifications
Hailing from the legendary Adrianna Vineyard in Gualtallary, situated at an extreme altitude of nearly 4,500 feet in the Uco Valley, the River Stones Malbec represents the pinnacle of parcel-specific viticulture. The wine takes its name from a specific parcel that occupies an ancient, dry riverbed covered with smooth, oval white stones. These stones act as thermal regulators, absorbing the intense high-altitude Andean sunshine during the day and radiating heat to the vines during the cold mountain nights, while also providing exceptional drainage. This unique micro-terroir yields a Malbec of extraordinary complexity, characterized by deep black fruit, striking mineral tension, and an elegant, violet-perfumed nose. It is a testament to the Catena family's pioneering quest to prove that Argentina's high-altitude soils can produce wines of world-class stature and profound longevity.
🍾 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%