Catena Zapata

Catena Zapata is Argentina's most internationally acclaimed winery, recognized as a pioneer of high-altitude viticulture in Mendoza. Founded in 1902 by Italian immigrant Nicola Catena, the winery has been instrumental in establishing Argentine Malbec as a world-class varietal. The portfolio spans multiple tiers including Catena, DV Catena, Nicolas Catena Zapata, and the prestigious Adrianna Vineyard single-vineyard wines. Catena Zapata's vineyards reach altitudes above 1,500 meters in the Uco Valley, producing wines of remarkable concentration and complexity.

The Catena Zapata story begins in 1902 when Nicola Catena, an Italian immigrant from the Marche region, planted his first vineyard in Mendoza. Three generations later, Dr. Nicolas Catena Zapata revolutionized Argentine winemaking by championing high-altitude plantings in areas previously considered too extreme for viticulture. His experiments in the 1990s with Malbec at elevations above 1,000 meters demonstrated that altitude could produce wines of extraordinary depth, color, and aromatic complexity. Today, Catena Zapata operates vineyards across the most prestigious terroirs of Mendoza, from the historic Lunlunta district to the high-altitude Adrianna Vineyard at 1,450 meters in Gualtallary. The winery's Mayan-pyramid-inspired facility in Agrelo has become an architectural landmark. The family's commitment to research through the Catena Institute of Wine has produced groundbreaking studies on Malbec clonal diversity and the effects of UV radiation at altitude on grape phenolics.