About this wine
Catena Alta Malbec is a single-varietal expression drawn from a selection of the family's oldest and most distinguished Malbec rows — Lot 18 of Angélica Vineyard, Lot 4 of La Pirámide, Lot 1 of Nicasia, Lot 6 of Angélica Sur, and Lot 9 of Adrianna — planted between 920 and 1,450 meters above sea level. Each parcel is fermented separately using whole berries and wild yeasts in small vats, preserving the distinct character of each historic vineyard row before final blending.
A step up from everyday Malbec — more concentrated and structured, and a great way to understand what single old-vine parcels bring to the blend.
Sommelier's Note
"Catena Alta shows what happens when Malbec is treated with Grand Cru-level attention — a benchmark for premium Argentine Malbec."
Food Pairings
Pairs beautifully with grilled leg of lamb, braised duck, or roasted beef filet; the ripe tannin and dark fruit also stand up well to blue cheese and other pungent aged cheeses.
When to drink it
Special weekend dinners, gifting to wine enthusiasts, steakhouse pairings
Specs
- Grape Varieties
- Malbec
- Style
- Red
- Alcohol
- 13.8%
- Price Range
- $25-35
Terroir & Winemaking
Whole berries hand-loaded into small fermentation bins and 225-500L barrels; each vineyard lot fermented separately with wild yeasts over 10-20 days, total maceration 10-22 days. Aged up to 18 months in French oak barrels before blending and bottling.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What makes Catena Alta Malbec different from standard Catena Malbec?
- It is sourced only from a selection of the family's oldest, most distinguished single-vineyard rows, fermented lot by lot and aged longer in French oak, giving it greater concentration and structure than the entry-level range.
- What food pairs well with Catena Alta Malbec?
- Grilled leg of lamb, braised duck, roasted beef filet, and pungent aged cheeses like blue cheese are classic matches.
- How long should Catena Alta Malbec be aged before drinking?
- It drinks well on release but can also develop further complexity over 5-8 years in a good cellar.
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Talk to the SommelierMore wines from this producer
カテナ マルベック
Catena Malbec
RedMalbec
Catena Malbec (also labeled 'High Mountain Vines') is the winery's flagship varietal wine, crafted from high-altitude estate vineyards in Mendoza planted up to 1,500 meters in the Andean foothills. Fourth-generation vintner Dr. Laura Catena and chief winemaker Alejandro Vigil built this wine to showcase the freshness and mineral character that high-altitude Malbec is famous for, at an accessible price point that introduces drinkers worldwide to Argentina's signature grape.
カテナ・サパータ アドリアナ・ヴィンヤード ムンドゥス・バチルス・テラエ
Catena Zapata Adrianna Vineyard Mundus Bacillus Terrae
RedMalbec
Mundus Bacillus Terrae is a pinnacle expression of Malbec from the Adrianna Vineyard, located at nearly 1,500 meters in Gualtallary. The name, meaning 'microbes of the earth,' refers to the specific limestone-rich soil parcels where the vines grow. This wine is celebrated for its extraordinary precision, intense floral aromatics, and a distinct mineral backbone. It undergoes fermentation in small concrete vats and aging in French oak, resulting in a wine of profound complexity, silky tannins, and remarkable aging potential. It is widely considered one of the finest Malbecs produced in Argentina, showcasing the unique terroir of the Uco Valley.
カテナ・サパータ アドリアナ・ヴィンヤード ホワイト・ボーンズ
Catena Zapata Adrianna Vineyard White Bones
WhiteChardonnay
Catena Zapata Adrianna Vineyard White Bones is an iconic Chardonnay sourced from a specific parcel within the high-altitude Adrianna Vineyard in Gualtallary, Uco Valley. The soil is rich in limestone and fossilized bones, which gives the wine its distinctive name and mineral-driven profile. It is renowned for its intense acidity, precision, and complex layers of white flowers, citrus, and chalky minerality. This wine represents the pinnacle of Argentine Chardonnay, showcasing elegance and terroir expression that rivals the finest Grand Cru Burgundies.
カテナ・サパータ マルベック・アルヘンティーノ
Catena Zapata Malbec Argentino
RedMalbec
Malbec Argentino is Catena Zapata's most structured single-varietal Malbec, made exclusively from pre-phylloxera massale selections planted in the family's historic Angélica Vineyard (Lunlunta) and Nicasia Vineyard (Paraje Altamira). These century-old genetic material vines yield small, concentrated berries that give the wine exceptional depth, opulence, and remarkable aging potential — critics have noted the wine can develop gracefully for 25 to 40 years.
ニコラス・カテナ・サパータ
Nicolás Catena Zapata
RedCabernet Sauvignon · Malbec · Cabernet Franc
Nicolás Catena Zapata is the winery's flagship icon wine, first released with the 1997 vintage as Dr. Nicolás Catena's answer to the great First Growths of Bordeaux and the top wines of Napa Valley. A Cabernet Sauvignon-led blend with Malbec and Cabernet Franc, it sources fruit from two contrasting high-altitude terroirs — the limestone-rich Adrianna Vineyard in Gualtallary and the alluvial soils of Paraje Altamira, both in the Uco Valley above 1,400 meters. The wine is celebrated for its structure, precision, and ability to age for decades, and is widely regarded as Argentina's most important fine wine.