Catena Zapata Adrianna Vineyard River

Catena Zapata Adrianna Vineyard River Stones Malbec bottle image

Wine Description

The River Stones sector of Adrianna is planted in the path of a dried river filled with white stones covered with lime - limestone.  These stones make for optimal drainage and extreme temperatures because the stones absorb the heat and moderate the nights but also function like ice cubes after a very cold night.  Stony soil Malbecs tend to be extremely aromatic, rich and luxurious, just like the River Stones Malbec from Adrianna. 

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
“One of three Malbecs from the Adrianna vineyard in Gualtallary, the 2017 Adrianna Vineyard River Stones was surprisingly fresh for the conditions of the year. They discarded a small plot that was a little too ripe. The wine fermented with full clusters and finished fermenting without skins or stems (like a white), and this was done with 100% of the volume, because in previous years, it was done for maybe 70% of the wine. This helps with the texture and the minerality, a mouthfeel rather than a flavor, reminiscent of the stony soils covered with limestone. This tends to be the most austere of the three bottlings, but it shows a little more fruit; and there is a lot of acidity, but it's nicely coated by the fruit. The result is a beautifully textured Malbec that seems to open up slowly in the glass—the violet and berry aromas get complicated by some spice (curry?), and the palate feels more layered. This is a superb expression of the austere wildness of Gualtallary.”
— Wine Advocate, Oct 2019
“Showing a very different character from the Mundus Bacillus Terrae, this is a more guttural wine with an overt but brooding nose. Forward aromas of black currants and potting soil fill the palate on first sip. The full body, dense concentration and lavish intensity show a wine that will benefit from aeration - or better yet, oxygenation. Effusive and bold with excellent structure, this is a stunning wine that delivers nicely now but will show even better with time. Seamless and suave, this is beautifully integrated with solid lift molding the generous black plum and boysenberry fruit laced with minerally undertones.”
— ChristyCanterbury.com, Aug 2021
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Vineyard & Production Info
Production area/appellation:
Gualtallary
Vineyard name
Adrianna Vineyard
Vineyard size
288 acres
Soil composition
Calcareous and Silty-Loam
Training method
VSP
Elevation:
4,500 feet
Vines/acre:
1800
Exposure:
Northwestern
Year vineyard planted:
1992
Harvest time:
Third week of April
First vintage of this wine:
2011
Average Vine Age:
22
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Winemaking & Aging
Prefermentation Technique:
Cold maceration
Time on its skins:
8 days
Varietal composition:
100% Malbec
Fermentation container:
Barrels
Length of alcoholic fermentation:
17 days
Maceration technique:
Punchdown
Malolactic fermentation:
Full
Type of aging container:
Barriques and Barrels
Size of aging container:
500 L
Type of oak:
French
Length of aging before bottling:
2 years
Length of bottle aging:
2 years
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Analytical Data
pH level:
3.65
Acidity:
6.7 g/L
Alcohol:
14.1 %
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Wine Production

This cuvée takes its name from a small parcel of the Adrianna Vineyard that is completely covered with oval white stones and was the site of an ancient riverbed. The abundant stones provide optimal drainage and extreme temperatures. They absorb heat and moderate the nights, but also function like ice cubes after a very cold night. Stony soil Malbec's tend to be extremely aromatic, rich and luxurious, just like the River Stones Malbec from Adrianna. This wine can be enjoyed young or aged for decades.
 

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About the Vineyard

Over the years, Nicolás Catena Zapata discovered the influence altitude has on fruit quality. As one climbs the altitudes of the Andes the average temperature decreases and the amplitude between day and night temperatures increases.  Named after Nicolás Catena Zapata’s youngest daughter, the Adrianna Vineyard is located at almost 5,000 feet elevation in Mendoza. The soils in this 1.4 hectare parcel are filled with scattered limestone and marine deposits that covered the region millions of years ago.