Catena Malbec

Catena Malbec bottle image

Wine Description

The Catena Malbec is sourced and blended from the family´s high-altitude vineyards in Maipú, Luján de Cuyo, Tupungato and San Carlos. Each vineyard is divided into lots that are harvested at different times and are specifically farmed in preparation for their role in the final blend. The old vines in the Angélica Vineyard in the Lunlunta district in Maipú produce grapes that lend soft, sweet texture. The lauded Catena cuttings in the La Pirámide Vineyard in the Agrelo district of Luján de Cuyo add spicy notes to the wine. The cold nights in the Altamira district of San Carlos, where Catena’s Nicasia Vineyard is located, help to grow grapes with bright, crisp acidity and the intense sunshine in the Adrianna Vineyard in the Gualtallary district of Tupungato, give the grapes explosive floral aromatics and firm but silky soft tannins. This combination of different vineyard components results in a wine with heightened complexities and unique character that is full-bodied yet balanced, concentrated and complex while retaining true varietal character.

Remington-Mendoza
Laura Catena sits at a table with a glass of wine
Malbec Grapes
Alejandro Vigil (Chief Winemaker) and Laura Catena Tasting
Malbec Clone in La Piramide Vineyard
Nicolás Catena
Bodega Catena Zapata
Bodega Catena Zapata
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Acclaim
Smart Buy. A rich red, with ripe flavors of linzer torte, plum pudding and fig paste backed by layers of mesquite, olive paste and grilled herbs, as grippy tannins add weight to the long, vibrant finish. Drink now through 2013.
— Wine Spectator, Oct 2011
Balsam wood, earthy minerals, spice box, lavender, and black cherry aromas compose the wine’s inviting bouquet. Spicy and savory in the glass, with ample black cherry and black raspberry flavors, this nicely proportioned Malbec is an outstanding value meant for drinking over the next 4-5 years.
— Wine Advocate, Dec 2011
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Vineyard & Production Info
Vineyard name
The Angélica, La Pirámide, Nicasia and Adrianna vineyards
Soil composition
Depending on site - clay, sand and limestone, calcareous deposits and surface stones
Training method
VSP
Elevation:
2,850 - 4,856 feet
Vines/acre:
2200
Yield/acre:
2 - 2.8 tons tons
Exposure:
Northwestern
Year vineyard planted:
Various
Harvest time:
March - April
First vintage of this wine:
1994
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Winemaking & Aging
Varietal composition:
100% Malbec
Fermentation container:
Stainless Steel Tanks
Length of alcoholic fermentation:
32 days
Fermentation temperature:
75 - 80 °F
Maceration technique:
Pump over, Punch down, Delestage
Malolactic fermentation:
Yes
Type of aging container:
Barriques
Size of aging container:
225 L
Type of oak:
French and American oak
Length of aging before bottling:
14 months
Age of Aging Container:
35% New
Length of bottle aging:
10 months
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Analytical Data
pH level:
3.7
Acidity:
5.5 g/L
Alcohol:
14 %