Malbec Nicasia Vineyard Consulta
⏳ wine.drinking_window
Typically best enjoyed 8–20 years from the vintage release.
🍽️ wine.food_pairings
grilled ribeye steak, roasted lamb shoulder, venison stew
✨ wine.spec_sheet
The Nicasia Vineyard, situated in the southern Uco Valley sub-district of La Consulta at an elevation of 1,095 meters, is named in honor of Nicolás Catena Zapata's beloved grandmother. This legendary site is planted with the family's proprietary selection of historic, pre-phylloxera Malbec cuttings, which thrive in the vineyard's poor, gravelly soils. The extreme diurnal temperature variation of La Consulta slows ripening, allowing the grapes to develop thick skins rich in polyphenols. The resulting wine is a masterclass in power and elegance, characterized by intense dark berry fruit, violet aromatics, and a distinct mineral backbone. Fermented in French oak foudres and barrels using native yeasts, and aged for up to 18 months, this single-vineyard bottling represents the pinnacle of high-altitude Argentine Malbec, showcasing exceptional structural complexity and longevity.
🍾 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.