Cabernet Sauvignon
⏳ Drinking Window
2023 - 2029
🍽️ Food & Wine Pairings
Grilled ribeye steak, roasted lamb chops with rosemary, braised beef short ribs
✨ Technical Specifications
While Argentina is globally synonymous with Malbec, the Catena family's pursuit of world-class winemaking actually began with a deep obsession with Cabernet Sauvignon. In the 1980s, Nicolás Catena Zapata sought to challenge the dominance of Bordeaux by planting Cabernet Sauvignon in the high-altitude, cool-climate terroirs of Mendoza, particularly in Agrelo. This wine represents the realization of that vision. Grown in soils of clay and gravel at elevations exceeding 3,000 feet, the intense mountain sunlight thickens the grape skins, yielding deep color and robust tannins, while the dramatic diurnal temperature shifts preserve a vibrant, balancing acidity. Fermented in stainless steel and aged in a selection of French oak barrels, this Cabernet Sauvignon beautifully marries the grape's traditional structure, cassis, and eucalyptus notes with the rich, ripe dark fruit character unique to Mendoza's high-altitude desert.
🍾 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 Sauvignon