In Bond Fine Wine. 2012 Catena Zapata Adrianna Vineyard Malbec, Adrianna Vineyard, Uco Valley, Argentina. Red argentina in 3x75cl. Top critic score: 95/100 (LG). Sold in bond by Albany Vintners, independent fine wine merchants.
Founded in Mendoza in 1902, Catena Zapata is one of the defining names in modern Argentine wine. It was Nicolas Catena's belief in the potential of extreme high-altitude vineyards that transformed the family's fortunes and helped change international perceptions of Argentine fine wine. The Adrianna Vineyard, planted high in Gualtallary in the foothills of the Andes, was initially considered an audacious experiment. Today it is the source of Catena's most celebrated wines. Under Laura Catena and winemaker Alejandro Vigil, detailed research into altitude, soils and individual vineyard parcels has taken this work even further. Wines such as White Stones and White Bones are the result: tiny-production, site-specific wines that have established Adrianna as one of the world's most exciting vineyards.
Luis Gutiérrez (LG) — 95/100 · Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com, 28/08/2015 · Drink 2015-2022
The 2012 Malbec Catena Zapata Adrianna Vineyard is Malbec from the eponymous vineyard in Gualtallary close to 1,500 meters altitude. It fermented with some Viognier exclusively from the plots where the soil is rich in calcium carbonate. The vineyard is planted at high density, 12,000 plants per hectares. The fruit is riper than in 2011 (always relatively speaking!) with aromas of peach, red and b…