Zapata Cabernet Sauvignon Catena Alta
⏳ wine.drinking_window
Typically best enjoyed 5–15 years from vintage release.
🍽️ wine.food_pairings
Grilled ribeye steak, roasted leg of lamb, rosemary-infused venison
✨ wine.spec_sheet
In the early 1990s, Nicolás Catena Zapata set out to prove that Mendoza's high-altitude terroirs could produce world-class Cabernet Sauvignon, defying the local skepticism of the era. The 'Catena Alta' designation, meaning 'High Catena', represents a meticulous selection of historic rows from the family's premier high-altitude estate vineyards, most notably the La Pirámide vineyard in Agrelo. This specific terroir, characterized by clay-rich soils and dramatic diurnal temperature shifts, allows the grapes to ripen slowly while preserving vital acidity. The resulting wine is aged in French oak, yielding a sophisticated profile that beautifully marries ripe dark fruit with savory notes of cedar, tobacco, and eucalyptus, standing as a testament to the family's pioneering vision of Andean viticulture.
🍾 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.