Adrianna Vineyard

Catena Zapata has long been considered one of the finest producers in the Southern Hemisphere, pioneering the planting of high altitude Malbec in the Andes.  Winemaker Alejandro Vigil has in recent years produced some astonishing wines from the much heralded Adrianna Vineyard – South America’s Grand Cru. 

The Adrianna Vineyard lies at almost 5,000 feet elevation.  The site of a dried river bed, the stony, limestone soils are well drained and the extreme high altitude (5000 feet elevation) provides the ideal amount of bright sunlight and cold at the limit of vine cultivation.  Divided into 11 different parcels according to soil composition, this unique terroir conditions allow for fully ripened tannins in reds, alongside bright flavours and crisp acidity.   

From this spectacular Grand Cru site come two single vineyard Chardonnays, White Stones and White Bones. 

White Bones "inspired by Chablis", with soils layered with limestone & calcareous deposits as well as fossilized animal bones.

White Stones is more austere, citrus, mineral & saline.  The site of old alluvial river bed with oval limestone-covered stones. with flinty, smoky undertones.

Consistently rated as South America's best white wines, with a taut, mineral character that marks them out.

Production for these top bottlings is minuscule with just over 6,000 bottles produced of Stones and Bones. As quantities are so small that they are packed in 3-packs.

 “The wines are phenomenal, true to their place and vintage”
Wine Advocate, Luis Gutierrez

This is an incredible set of wines, offered in limited quantities. 

About the Producer

Founded in 1902, the family-owned Catena Zapata is a hugely significant name in the history of Argentina's winemaking.  Nicolas Catena played a pioneering role, bringing Argentinian wine into the modern era and Malbec onto the world stage, and was the first to plant in high altitude sites.

An academic and third generation winemaker, Nicolas Catena was a visiting professor at UC Berkeley in the early 1980s when he was inspired by wines of being made in Napa Valley at that time, & in particular, by a visit to Robert Mondavi's Oakville winery.  Catena returned to the family winery with a vision to make world-class wine, worthy of export.  They started off by lowering yields, and bringing in new technology and expertise to radically change winemaking practices.

A lover of Bordeaux's elegant wines, Nicolas Catena searched for cooler vineyard sites with high variation in day and nighttime temperatures.  He was the first producer to purchase land in the Uco Valley in the Andean foothills, when others thought he was crazy to even try.  Laura Catena began working with her father from 1995 looking at the potential of Malbec. 

In 1995 Laura Catena joined her father at Catena Zapata.  With a scientific background as a medical doctor and a Harvard & Stanford graduate, Laura started a clonal selection project, planting at different and higher altitudes - including the Nicasia vineyard 1095m (in Altamira) & the extremely high Adrianna vineyard in Gualtallary (1460m).   In this spectacular high elevation setting, sunlight intensity helped the polymerization of tannins bringing concentration & smoothness, and increased the violet-like florality of aromas, whilst preserving natural acidity.

Their top Cabernet bottling named 'Nicolas' was first made in 1997, (with 5% Malbec in the blend).  On release in 2000 it was entered into blind tastings with other 1997 wines such as Chateau Latour, Opus One, Caymus Special Selection & Solaia.  Nicolas Catena Zapata regularly won first or second place.

Resurrecting Malbec
Studying the theory of the effect of altitude and sunlight, Catena took a new approach to the blending of microclimates, thus resurrecting Malbec into a star.  Winemaker Alejandro Vigil made a new top Malbec, Argentino, in 2004, from the best plots from Adrianna & Nicasia, before starting to pick Malbec earlier at higher altitude, and introducing Burgundian techniques such as punching down with whole bunch fermentation and larger oak barrels.  Laura Catena created The Catena Institue of Wine, collaborating with top universities around the world to help Argentinian wines reach their full potential. 

Soil analysis of Adrianna Vineyard resulting in 11 different plots, including two for Chardonnay, White Stones & White Bones. Today the wines of Catena Zapata are sourced from six historic estate vineyards, divided into parcels according to soil composition.

Argentino charts the history of Malbec in Argentina.

Sources: 

Michael Schachner, "Dr. Nicolás Catena Zapata, Lifetime Achievement Award Winner | Wine Enthusiast’s 2021 Wine Star Awards" - Wine Enthusiast
Anthony Rose, "Catena: Argentina's most influential wine estate" World of Fine Wine.com