CATENA ZAPATA Malbec 'River' Adrianna Vineyard - Gualtallary, Uco Valley, Mendoza 2020 Bottle (los)

Description

Catena Adrianna Vineyard River Malbec 2020 is a remarkable wine from Mendoza, Argentina, where the Catena family has cultivated vines for over four generations. Situated at nearly 5,000 feet in the Gualtallary sub-district, this Malbec showcases grapes grown in stony soil, enhancing its aromatic and luxurious profile. The wine has received exceptional acclaim, earning 98 points from James Suckling and 97 points from both The Wine Advocate and Vinous. Suckling highlights wild blackberries, spices, and firm tannins, while the Wine Advocate describes its juicy texture with earthy notes. Vinous praises its creamy and flavorful palate. With excellent aging potential, this Malbec is perfect for enjoying now or cellaring for years to come, promising an extraordinary experience.

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For over four generations, the Catena family has grown vines in the foothills of the Andes Mountains in Mendoza, Argentina. In his pursuit to make wines that stand with the best in the world, Nicolás Catena identified the best lots and rows, in the Catena family’s estate vineyards.

The Adrianna vineyard is located at almost 5,000’ elevation in the Gualtallary sub-district of the Tupungato region.

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 Malbecs tend to be extremely aromatic, rich and luxurious, just like the River Malbec from Adrianna. This wine can be enjoyed young or aged for decades.

At this extreme high altitude, the nights are cool, only a few degrees above freezing even in the summer. The night-day temperature difference is between 15 and 20 degrees. And the sunlight is more intense because of the altitude.

JAMES SUCKLING 98 Points
Wild blackberries, pine cones, bark, chili chocolate, cracked pepper, cloves, iodine and crushed stones on the nose. Full-bodied with firm, creamy tannins. Lovely coolness and minerality to the dark fruit. Powerful, too. Try in 2026.

THE WINE ADVOCATE 97+ points
Drink Date: 2024 - 2032
The 2019 was a hard act to follow, but the 2020 Adrianna Vineyard River kept its poise, though it showed a little riper and with grainier tannins that gave it some faint rusticity and earthiness. This is one of three Malbecs from the Adrianna Vineyard in Gualtallary, from a stony part of the vineyard, hence its name. The wine matured in large oak foudres, and the oak is still perceptible and might need a little more time to get integrated. This tends to be the most austere of the three bottlings, even in the warmer years like 2020, and it shows a little more fruit. It's juicy but beautifully textured with a spicy twist of curry that reminded me of some bottlings from El Enemigo in El Cepillo. It 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. 5,700 bottles were filled in December 2021. - Luis Gutiérrez

VINOUS 97 points
Drinking Window 2022 - 2038
From: Argentina: Making It Work with Resilience and Stylistic Ingenuity (Nov 2022)
The 2020 Malbec Catena Zapata Adrianna Vineyard River was 50% fermented in whole bunches and spent 18 months in new and used barrels. Purple in the glass. The nose delivers notes of ripe fruit such as plum and sour cherry with herbs and a whiff of raspberry. The palate is both creamy and juicy with a delicate but forthright expression and a flow that delivers plenty of flavor; the texture is sheer chalk. Accomplished and saline, the finish lasts long. It’s interesting how this wine flirts with a skeletal structure before flexing its muscles, which is the kind of thing you get from a cool region in a warm year. - By Joaquín Hidalgo on September 2022

WINE ENTHUSIAST 95 points
This vintage exhibits a ripe character, but preserves its elegant attributes. A peppery nose shows light aromas of berries and herbs in the background. After a few minutes in the glass, savory notes give way to fruity flavors of sour cherry, red plum and cranberry. Oak spices softly mark the finish of this velvety Malbec. Drink now through 2035. — Jesica Vargas