Catena Alta Cabernet Sauvignon
⏳ wine.drinking_window
Typically best enjoyed 5–15 years from vintage release.
🍽️ wine.food_pairings
Grilled ribeye steak, roasted lamb chops, rich venison stew
✨ wine.spec_sheet
Catena Alta Cabernet Sauvignon represents a landmark in Argentine viticulture, born from Nicolás Catena's pioneering vision in the 1990s to prove that Mendoza's high-altitude terroirs could produce world-class Cabernet Sauvignon capable of rivaling the finest of Bordeaux and Napa. The name 'Alta' refers to the historic, high-altitude rows within the family's estate vineyards—primarily the La Pir amide Vineyard in Luj an de Cuyo and the Nicasia and El Cepillo vineyards in the Uco Valley. Grown at elevations where intense mountain sunlight thickens the grape skins and cool Andean nights preserve vibrant acidity, this wine undergoes meticulous lot selection. It is aged in French oak barrels, resulting in a Cabernet of remarkable complexity, characterized by dark fruit, subtle mineral notes of graphite, and a refined, ageworthy structure that honors the family's multi-generational heritage.
🍾 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.