Catena Malbec Paraje Altamira
⏳ Drinking Window
2024 - 2034
🍽️ Food & Wine Pairings
Grilled ribeye steak, roasted lamb chops, portobello mushroom burgers
✨ Technical Specifications
Part of Catena Zapata's pioneering Appellation series, this wine celebrates the distinct microclimate and ancient soils of Paraje Altamira, located in the southern Uco Valley of Mendoza at an elevation of over 3,500 feet. The region is defined by its extreme diurnal temperature swings and unique soil profile, rich in calcium carbonate-coated gravels. This terroir imparts a striking mineral tension and elegant structure to the Malbec grape, contrasting with the riper, more opulent styles found in lower elevations. Under the guidance of Laura Catena and head winemaker Alejandro Vigil, this bottling showcases how the family's decades of soil study have redefined Argentine Malbec, yielding a wine of intense violet aromatics, dark fruit, and a chalky, textured finish.
🍾 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
Malbec
🍷 Alcohol By Volume (ABV)
13.5%