CATENA ZAPATA - Alamos Torrontes 2018
Bodega Catena Zapata is one of the foremost wine estates in Mendoza, Argentina. Founded in 1902 and still in family hands, it is particularly known for its rich, full-bodied red wines, usually made from Malbec, and also for its barrel-fermented Chardonnay sourced from high-altitude sites, which combine ripeness with fresh acidity. Owner Nicolás Catena was Decanter Magazine man of the year in 2009.
The estate is made up of six vineyards in the Luján de Cuyo, Tupungato and San Carlos sub-regions of Mendoza, at altitudes ranging from 920-1450m above sea level. The winery, with its striking, Mayan-influenced pyramid shape, is located in Agrelo, in Luján de Cuyo.
Catena make a wide range of wines under several different labels. The top tier is the Catena Zapata line, which includes four single vineyard wines from two different vineyards, Nicasia and Arianna, and the Malbec Argentino, which is produced from grapes selected from the best rows of each. The Catena and Catena Alta lines are more for everyday drinking, and both feature varietal wines made from Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay.
Catena also owns several other brands in Argentina. This includes the Alamos range, made from a mix of young-vine estate grapes and bought-in fruit from Luján de Cuyo and Valle de Uco, and Pasarisa, made from grapes from the Salta region.
Grape Variety: Torrontès