Zapata, Cantena
Summary
Founded in 1898, Catena Zapata is Argentina's leading family-owned winery, producing Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay from high-altitude Mendoza vineyards, including the limestone-rich Adrianna Vineyard at 4,757 feet. The estate combines traditional winemaking with modern techniques while advancing Argentine viticulture through the Catena Institute of Wine's extensive research into high-altitude growing and preservation of pre-phylloxera Malbec selections.
Heritage & Leadership
Niccolò Catena established Bodega Catena Zapata in 1898, planting his first Malbec vineyard in Mendoza. The family business passed to his son Domingo, who expanded the vineyard holdings throughout the 1960s. Third-generation Nicolás Catena Zapata initiated a transformation in 1980, introducing high-altitude viticulture and modern winemaking techniques. Today, fourth-generation Laura Catena serves as Managing Director, working alongside Chief Winemaker Alejandro Vigil. Laura Catena combines her role at the winery with her work as a physician and researcher, establishing the Catena Institute of Wine in 1995 to advance the study of high-altitude viticulture.
Vineyards & Wines
Catena Zapata's vineyards span key sites across Mendoza's high-altitude zones. The flagship Adrianna Vineyard, situated at 4,757 feet (1,450 meters) in Gualtallary, contains limestone-rich soils and 15 distinct parcels. The Angélica vineyard in Maipú, planted in 1930, provides historic Malbec plantings. Additional vineyard holdings include the Nicasia site in Altamira and Domingo in Tupungato. The estate focuses primarily on Malbec and Cabernet Sauvignon, with smaller plantings of Chardonnay. Each vineyard is subdivided into micro-parcels based on soil composition and exposure, with detailed mapping of calcium carbonate levels and drainage patterns.
Philosophy & Practice
The Catena Institute of Wine drives the estate's research-based approach, conducting ongoing studies of high-altitude vine adaptation and soil composition. Vineyard practices include detailed parcel-specific irrigation protocols and canopy management tailored to elevation levels. The winemaking program utilizes concrete eggs for fermentation of specific parcels, with aging carried out in French oak barrels. The estate maintains a germplasm bank of pre-phylloxera Malbec selections, preserving genetic diversity through documented clone development. Temperature monitoring systems track diurnal shifts across elevation gradients, informing harvest timing decisions.