Cabernet Franc Appellation San Carlos
⏳ Drinking Window
2024 - 2032
🍽️ Food & Wine Pairings
roasted lamb, grilled ribeye steak, roasted duck
✨ Technical Specifications
Hailing from the cold, high-altitude terroir of San Carlos in the southern Uco Valley, Catena Zapata's Appellation San Carlos Cabernet Franc is a testament to the family's pioneering spirit in exploring Mendoza's diverse microclimates. San Carlos, situated at over 1,000 meters above sea level, is defined by its dramatic diurnal temperature shifts and sandy loam soils layered with calcium carbonate. This extreme climate slows ripening, allowing the Cabernet Franc grape to develop intense aromatic complexity—marked by fresh red currants, eucalyptus, and black pepper—while maintaining a vibrant, crisp acidity. The Catena family, who revolutionized Argentine viticulture, treats this wine with the same meticulous care as their flagship bottlings, utilizing wild yeasts and aging in French oak to craft a refined, mineral-driven expression of Cabernet Franc that challenges the traditional dominance of Malbec in the region.
🍾 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
Cabernet Franc
🍷 Alcohol By Volume (ABV)
13.5-14%