Catena Zapata's Adrianna Vineyard River Malbec 2023 comes from a single 2.6-hectare block on an ancient riverbed in Gualtallary, one of the most celebrated Malbec sites in Argentina. Floral and exuberant, with a mineral, almost metallic edge and long, smooth tannins, it's built for serious cellaring. A wine for someone who wants Argentina's most decorated single-block Malbec, not just a good bottle of it.
The River block sits on what was once the bed of a mountain river, and the white stones still in the soil there, covered in a thin layer of calcium carbonate, are part of what makes this parcel unlike almost anywhere else Catena Zapata farms. At 1,366 metres in Gualtallary, it's one of the highest, coolest sites in the whole Adrianna Vineyard.
This is Catena Zapata's most awarded single-block Malbec: past vintages of River have been given 100 points by Robert Parker's Wine Advocate and scores in the high 90s from James Suckling and Vinous, among the highest ever recorded for an Argentine wine. It's a bottle for a serious occasion or for someone building a collection of the country's benchmark wines, not an everyday pour.
What it tastes like
Floral and exuberant on the nose, with a mineral, almost metallic edge running underneath the fruit. The palate is rich and layered, carried by long, smooth tannins and real length on the finish. It's a wine of real intensity without ever feeling heavy, closer in feel to a fine Pinot Noir than to a typical full-bodied Malbec, despite its concentration.
Style at a glance
- Body: Full, but with a fine, elegant frame
- Sweetness: Dry
- Tannin: Long, smooth and well-resolved
- Oak: Aged in large, well-used French oak foudres, so the fruit and the site lead rather than the barrel
- Style: Single-block, high-altitude, benchmark Argentine Malbec
Food
A dry-aged ribeye or porterhouse, slow-roasted lamb rack, duck breast with a dark cherry jus, aged hard cheeses like a mature Manchego or Parmigiano-Reggiano, or a rich beef and mushroom pie if you want something a little less formal that can still carry the wine.
Who makes it
Catena Zapata is a fourth-generation family winery in Mendoza, led by Laura Catena, and one of the wineries most responsible for establishing Argentine Malbec as a serious, age-worthy wine on the world stage. Adrianna Vineyard, named for Laura's daughter, was planted from the mid-1990s in Gualtallary as an experiment in just how high Malbec could go and still ripen properly, and it's since become the family's most closely studied and most awarded site. The River block within it, 2.6 hectares of ancient riverbed soil, is fermented with a large proportion of whole clusters and aged in large, well-used French oak foudres to let the vineyard speak for itself.
About the vintage
Mendoza's 2023 season opened with severe spring frosts at the end of October and start of November 2022, which cut yields across the region by an estimated 30 to 50 percent. What followed was one of Argentina's hottest, driest summers in decades, and the highest, coolest sites in the Uco Valley - Gualtallary among them - were best placed to hold onto the acidity and freshness that make wines like this one age.
Alejandro Vigil, Catena Zapata's wine director, described the season across the winery's vineyards as "an early harvest with low yields but with unprecedented balance between the malic acidity, pH and ripeness" - grapes came in two to four weeks earlier than usual, in excellent health, with the reduced crop concentrating flavour rather than diluting it.
Across Mendoza, 2023 is being talked about as a vintage for the cellar: high natural acidity, moderate alcohol and real structure, exactly the profile this site is built to deliver in a good year. It was a difficult, frost-affected season for growers throughout the region, and the wines coming out of it are turning out to be some of the more age-worthy Mendoza has produced in recent years.
When to drink it
This is a wine built for long-term cellaring. Past vintages of River have been recommended to hold for well over a decade, and the 2023 vintage's structure and acidity support the same approach; Catena Zapata hasn't published a specific drinking window for this release yet. It will also reward an hour or two of decanting if you choose to open it younger.
Technical details
| Producer |
Catena Zapata |
| Wine |
Adrianna Vineyard River Malbec |
| Vintage |
2023 |
| Variety |
100% Malbec |
| Vineyard |
River block, Adrianna Vineyard, Gualtallary, Tupungato, Uco Valley (1,366m) |
| Region |
Mendoza |
| Country |
Argentina |
| Oak |
Aged in large-format, well-used French oak foudres |
| Cellaring |
Built for long-term cellaring; past vintages have been recommended to hold for well over a decade, though Catena Zapata hasn't published a specific window for this release |
| Serving temperature |
Best served around 16-18°C, like most full-bodied reds |
Where to buy
The Catena Zapata Adrianna Vineyard River Malbec 2023 is available in store at The Winery's Queenstown and Arrowtown stores, alongside a large range of New Zealand and international wine.
Questions we are often asked
What does Catena Zapata Adrianna Vineyard River Malbec 2023 taste like?
It's floral and exuberant on the nose, with a mineral, almost metallic edge, a rich and layered palate, long smooth tannins and real length on the finish.
What food goes with Adrianna Vineyard River Malbec?
A dry-aged ribeye or porterhouse, slow-roasted lamb rack, duck breast with a dark cherry jus, aged hard cheeses, or a rich beef and mushroom pie.
What makes the River block different from Catena Zapata's other Malbecs?
It's a single 2.6-hectare block within the Adrianna Vineyard in Gualtallary, on soil that was once an ancient riverbed with white stones and a thin covering of calcium carbonate. Past vintages have received some of the highest scores ever given to an Argentine wine, including 100 points from Robert Parker's Wine Advocate.
How long will Catena Zapata Adrianna Vineyard River Malbec 2023 keep?
This is a wine built for long-term cellaring. Past vintages have been recommended to hold for well over a decade, and the 2023 vintage's structure and acidity support the same approach, though Catena Zapata hasn't published a specific window for this release yet.
What was the 2023 vintage like in Mendoza?
Severe spring frosts cut yields significantly, and a hot, dry summer followed. Catena Zapata's Alejandro Vigil described an early harvest with low yields but unprecedented balance between acidity, pH and ripeness, and the region's high-altitude sites, including Gualtallary, were well placed to hold onto their acidity through the heat.
Where can I buy Catena Zapata Adrianna Vineyard River Malbec 2023?
The Winery stocks Catena Zapata Adrianna Vineyard River Malbec 2023 in its Queenstown and Arrowtown stores.
