2021 Catena Alta Malbec Historic Rows Mendoza 750 ml

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate called Catena Zapata arguably “the most important winery in Argentina.” 

The century-old pioneering producer—the first Argentine winery to earn a perfect score from Wine Advocate—has been named New World Winery of the Year by Wine Enthusiast, as well as Winery of the Year by Wine & Spirits Magazine. 

Their Catena Alta Historic Rows Malbec is a masterclass practically on par with their luxurious high-end wines, a blend of top vineyards that’s carefully crafted based on the conditions of the vintage. This might be the prime example of “piecing together terroirs to enhance complexity” in Mendoza, according to Vinous, who highlighted this as one of their favorites in Catena’s ‘21 lineup.

Under the direction of 100-point winemaker Alejandro Vigil, Catena Zapata continues to push the boundaries of what Argentine wine can achieve. Vigil's meticulous attention to vineyard selection and his understanding of high-altitude viticulture have earned him recognition as one of South America's most talented winemakers, bringing both precision and passion to every bottling.

There is a revealing anecdote with him from a recent Wine Spectator Q&A. In that exchange, Vigil tells a story about accompanying a few fellow Argentine winemakers in 2003 on a visit to a barrel maker, and the cooper tells the group they can grab any bottle they want from the cellar.

Given Argentina’s Malbec-focused kinship with Bordeaux, most of the group heads for the Cheval Blanc, Lafite, and Pétrus. But Vigil and a friend sniff out a bottle of 1984 La Tâche. After the rest of the team expresses little interest in it, they sneak out to the porch to finish off the stunning DRC relic.

The 2021 Catena Alta draws from five meticulously selected lots across Catena's most prized high-altitude sites—ranging from 3,018 to 4,757 feet elevation—where extreme diurnal temperature swings and intense UV exposure concentrate flavors while preserving remarkable freshness. Each lot is farmed and vinified separately before blending, with drastically reduced yields of just 1.2 tons per acre ensuring exceptional concentration.