Iconic Concierge Winter 2022/23

aromas and flavours. Nicolás set out to
develop his own selection of Argentine
Malbec cuttings, planting 135 cuttings,
one per row, in the La Pirámide vineyard.
He then selected the best five and began
to plant them in different terroirs and
altitudes in the Uco Valley. To this day, the
Catena cuttings, as this original selection
is called, are an important part of the
flavour profile, elegance and typicity of
the Catena family’s Malbecs.
The label of Catena Zapata’s Malbec Argentino pays
tribute to the variety’s history in France and its rise in
Argentina. On it, four female figures symbolize the
different landmarks in the history of the grape:
Eleanor of Aquitaine represents the birth of Malbec.
She is a strong, Old World presence, lingering at the
bridge in Cahors, where Malbec came into its own.
The Immigrant symbolizes the process that
brought Europeans and vines to the Americas.
The third figure is Phylloxera who personifies the
transition of Malbec from death in the Old World to
rebirth in the new.
Finally, Bodega Catena Zapata depicts birth,
earth, and motherhood, sharing the riches of the New
World.
The “Parcelas” and the Catena Institute
of Wine
Dr. Laura Catena, Nicolás’ daughter, is
a biologist who graduated with honours
from Harvard and Standford University
and received the Woman of the year award
in 2022 by Drinks Business Magazine –
the same year that her father became
the first South American to receive the
lifetime achievement award from Wine
Enthusiast. When the Catenas made the
startling discovery that the
alluvial soils from Mendoza
are not homogenous but
show both physical and
chemical soil differences
with unique characteristics,
they realized that each
vineyard lot would give
origin to its own unique
wine with very specific
flavours and aromas. Laura
decided it was time to instill
in the winery team the
method of research and
study, what she calls “the
science of understanding
nature.”
With the help of
Catena’s Head Winemaker Alejandro
Vigil, Fernando Buscema, Catena Institute
of Wine Director, and Vineyard Manager
Luis Reginato, she established the Catena
Institute of Wine to better understand the
Argentine terroir, the characteristics of
Mendoza, and to study every aspect of
their vineyards with the ultimate goal of
making Argentine wines that can stand
with the best of the world. The Catena’s
first successful project using research as
a guide was with Chardonnay, creating
the “White Stones” and “White Bones”,
sourced from nearby lots within the
Adrianna Vineyard, perhaps the most
studied vineyard in the world. The names
were picked after analyzing the physical
soil composition of the two lots.
All the hard work, passion and devotion
of Laura and her team paid off and
got international recognition when the
World’s Most Admired Wine Brands 2020
was released, and Bodega Catena Zapata
was named number one, topping the list
of mega-brands from the Old World and
the New. It was the first time a producer
from South America had made the top 10,
let alone come in first.
More than just Malbec!
Yes, it is the flagship variety of Argentina,
but Catena Zapata truly represents the full
potential of what Argentine wines have to
offer. From the mentioned White Stones
and White Bones series of Chardonnays
to amazing Cabernet blends such as
the Nicolas Catena Zapata 2015, the DV
Catena Pinot Noir and the magnificent
Angélica Zapata Cabernet Franc Alta, we
had the pleasure of sampling some of
the finest wines that Catena Zapata and
the Mendoza area has to offer – and we
would like to encourage you to do the
same! You will find most of the Catena
Zapata wines in BC but, obviously, there is
nothing better than to enjoy the wines of
Mendoza in ... Mendoza!
“In 1997, I felt my country’s calling. Our
Argentine wines were unknown around the
World. I learned about the 500-year-old
history of Argentine wine and realized that in
my country there was everything to discover.
I set out to challenge and break rules to make
Argentine wines that could shine. In 1999, I
made the first vintage of my Luca Wines.
Choosing the name was easy; it was my
newborn son’s.”
Luca Winery was the first Argentinean winery to bottle old vine Malbec and organically
farmed high-altitude Pinot Noir and Chardonnay in the Uco Valley. It also offers the oldest
massal Syrah selection in Argentina, brought from the Rhone Valley in 1955 and was
listed three times in the Wine Spectator’s Top 100 List (2008, 2014 and 2021) and twice in
the Wine Enthusiast Top 100 List (2018 and 2020).
48 ICONIC CONCIERGE