Angelica Cabernet Franc Alta
⏳ wine.drinking_window
Typically best enjoyed 5–15 years from vintage release
🍽️ wine.food_pairings
Roasted lamb chops, grilled ribeye steak, roasted duck
✨ wine.spec_sheet
Named in honor of Angélica Zapata, the matriarch of the Catena family who championed education and excellence, this wine showcases the remarkable potential of Cabernet Franc in Mendoza's high-altitude terroirs. Sourced primarily from the historic La Pirámide vineyard in Agrelo and the Nicasia vineyard in San Carlos, the grapes benefit from intense mountain sunlight and cool alpine nights. This unique climate yields a Cabernet Franc of exceptional concentration and elegance, far removed from its cooler European counterparts. The wine is aged in French oak barrels for up to 18 months, resulting in a complex profile of ripe red fruits, subtle eucalyptus, and sweet spice, balanced by fine-grained tannins and a distinct mineral backbone.
🍾 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.