Malbec Nicasia
⏳ Drinking Window
Typically best enjoyed 5–20 years from the vintage release.
🍽️ Food & Wine Pairings
Grilled ribeye steak, roasted lamb chops, slow-braised beef short ribs
✨ Technical Specifications
The Nicasia Vineyard Malbec is a profound tribute to Nicasia Catena, the beloved grandmother of Nicolás Catena Zapata, who helped establish the family's winemaking legacy in Mendoza. Situated in the southern reaches of the Uco Valley within the prestigious Paraje Altamira district, this vineyard sits at an extreme altitude of nearly 1,100 meters above sea level. Here, the vines dig deep into very poor, shallow soils composed of large gravels mixed with calcareous limestone. The combination of intense high-altitude sunlight and cool mountain nights slows ripening, allowing the Malbec grapes to develop remarkably thick skins, deep concentration, and vibrant natural acidity. Micro-vinified in French oak barrels and aged meticulously, this single-vineyard bottling is celebrated for its complex aromatic profile of dark berries, violets, and graphite, supported by a finely chiseled, mineral-driven structure that defines the pinnacle of Argentine terroir.
🍾 About the Producer
Founded in 1902 by Italian immigrant Nicola Catena, Bodega Catena Zapata is the preeminent pioneer of modern Argentine viticulture. In the 1980s and 1990s, third-generation visionary Nicolás Catena Zapata revolutionized the domestic industry by venturing into extreme high-altitude Andean terroirs, most notably planting the famed Adrianna Vineyard in Gualtallary at nearly 1,500 meters above sea level. Today directed by Dr. Laura Catena and celebrated winemaking director Alejandro Vigil, the estate pairs rigorous micro-terroir research through the Catena Institute of Wine with precision viticulture across alluvial, limestone-laced gravel soils. Fermentations frequently incorporate whole clusters and indigenous yeasts, vinified in concrete, oak foudres, and French barriques to preserve freshness, structural nuance, and site-specific tension. Benchmark bottlings such as the flagship Nicolás Catena Zapata, Adrianna Vineyard Mundus Bacillus Terrae Malbec, and Adrianna Vineyard White Stones Chardonnay stand as global archetypes of high-elevation South American fine wine.
🍇 Grapes
Malbec
🍷 ABV
13.5-14.5%