Bodega Catena Zapata, Mendoza, Argentina

History of Bodega Catena Zapata

The story of Bodega Catena Zapata is a tale that travels from 19th-century Italy to the limestone soils of Mendoza, Argentina.

Nicola Catena, Nicolas Catena Zapata’s grandfather, sailed from Italy to Argentina in 1898, leaving behind his famine-stricken European homeland for a land of plenty and opportunity.

In 1902, he planted his first Malbec vineyard in Mendoza. Although Malbec had been a blending grape in Bordeaux, Nicola suspected it would find its hidden splendour in the Argentine Andes. It was a hunch that would not fully flower till nearly a century later.

Great wines begin in the vineyard. Our vision is to make rich and unforgettable wines that are true to the special place they come from. The story of Catena is the story of Argentine wine.

Founded in 1902, Argentina’s Bodega Catena Zapata is known for its pioneering role in resurrecting Malbec and in discovering extreme high altitude terroirs in the Andean foothills of Mendoza.

Catena Zapata are dedicated to unlocking the secrets of our land to bring Mendoza’s wines to the rest of the world and today, the wines of Bodega Catena Zapata are sourced from six historic estate vineyards: Angélica, La Pirámide, Nicasia, Domingo, Adrianna and Angélica Sur.

Nowadays, it’s impossible to talk about Argentinean wine for more than a few minutes without someone mentioning either Nicolas Catena or one of his wines. No-one has done more to put Mendoza on the map, or to raise the profile of Malbec from Bordeaux reject to one of the world’s most fashionable grape varieties.

His journey to the top hasn’t been easy, however, and plenty of people were sceptical when Nicolas started planting Malbec at ever higher altitudes in the Andes. Eventually the results of his experiments spoke for themselves and others quickly followed in his footsteps. The family’s commitment to research and development continues apace with Nicolas’ daughter, Laura, now at the helm.

Laura, a biologist who graduated with honours from Harvard University, decided to instil in the winery team the method of research and study, what she calls “the science of understanding nature”. They created the Catena Institute of Wine, enabling the team to conduct research aimed at getting a better understanding of 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 Birth of Nicolás Catena Zapata

1997 was a phenomenal Cabernet Sauvignon vintage, and Nicolás Catena Zapata started plans to make another top cuvée, a wine that would fulfill those dreams that had started in the early 1980s. The wine, named Nicolás Catena Zapata by Nicolás’s daughter, Laura, in honor of her father (Zapata is Nicolás mother’s maiden name), was a blend of 95% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Malbec. It was released in 2001 through a series of blind tastings held in the USA and Europe where it was compared blind to Château Latour, Haut Brion, Solaia, Caymus and Opus One. The Nicolás Catena Zapata 1997 came in either first or second in every tasting.

Voted the World’s Number 1 Most Admired Wine Brand 2020

Argentina’s Catena Zapata has topped this year’s list of The World’s Most Admired Wine Brands, conducted in association with market research specialists at Wine Intelligence.

The brands were chosen by Drinks International’s academy of global drinks buyers and wine experts, including professionals from 48 different countries.

Drinks International editor Martin Green said: “There are thousands of wineries vying for attention on a global basis, but just 50 elite brands have made the cut. To win a place on this prestigious list is a tremendous achievement, as there are a number of fantastic producers that missed out.” See the Article here

Consistently Rated 90+ by the World’s Top Wine Critics

Catena Zapata wines consistently achieve 90+ points from the World’s Top Wine Critics and the CATENA ZAPATA CHARDONNAY MENDOZA ADRIANNA VINEYARD WHITE BONES 2018 was voted 10th Best Wine in the World 2020 by James Suckling with a 100 point rating.