Wines of Lujan de Cuyo: Catena Zapata

Barrel room at Catena Zapata

Just twelve miles south of the Mendoza city center, Lujan de Cuyo is home to some of the most successful wine-growing districts in the country.  As Argentina's first official wine appellation, earning this status in 1993, the region now boasts a high concentration of vineyards and wineries of all sizes and styles. 

From the large production wineries with towering estates and impressive architecture, to tiny family owned bodegas, to organic and biodynamic vineyards, the Lujan is a great place to explore the variety that Mendoza has to offer. The soil here is sand and stone above a layer of clay, the vineyards located at about 1,000 meters above sea level (about 3,000 feet) with the Rio Mendoza running straight through the region.  All of these factors come together to make a great place to grow Malbec, Cabernet, and Syrah, with several other varietals showing potential as well.

Vineyards at Catena

While recently touring the Lujan, our first stop was appropriately at one of the largest and most successful wineries in Argentina- Catena Zapata.  First to introduce ultra-modern winemaking techniques and specialized vineyard practices, Nicolas Catena is responsible for gaining international recognition for Argentine wines, spearheading the future of Malbec in Argentina. With the first Malbec vineyard planted in 1902, the Catena family has been in the wine-making business for over 100 years. 

After studying in California in the 1980's, Nicolas Catena returned to Argentina to experiment with different grape clones and vineyards planted at varying altitudes. His efforts resulted in high-caliber Malbec and Cabernet that would change the image of Argentine wine forever. Catena's wines were the first out of the country to compete on an international level with top wines from France, the U.S., and Italy, winning or coming in second place in blind tastings against the likes of highly-regarded Haut-Brion, Chateau Latour, and Opus One.

Catena has always focused on the power of assemblage- blending grapes from vineyards in different altitudes and microclimates to produce wines of depth, complexity, and balance.  With vineyards in Agrelo, La Consulta, Tupungato, and Lunlunta, Catena can better control the character of the wines by choosing how much from which vineyards go into the blends.  For instance, while Malbec from the Angelica vineyard in Lunlunta produces flavors of plum and red fruit with soft tannin, Malbec from the Altamira vineyard in La Consulta contributes black cherry and floral notes.  

Since the 2001 launch of the winery's flagship wine, Nicolas Catena Zapata, Catena and the winery have achieved an amazing amount of international recognition. Nicolas Catena was named Decanter Man of the Year in 2009 and just this week in Catena Zapata was named New World Winery of the Year for 2010 by Wine Enthusiast Magazine in a ceremony in New York. 

Nicolas Catena's daughter and winemaker, Laura Catena, also operates her own winery, Luca Wines, in the Uco Valley. She has gained a great deal of fame as a super-star female winemaker and recently authored Vino Argentino, a complete guide to Argentine wine.

Bodega Catena Zapata. And me, looking minuscule.

Resembling a something like a fortress from a 1960's sci-fi film, Catena is one of the most visually interesting buildings to tour in the Lujan.  Built in the shape of a pyramid, everything is made of stone and glass, the Andes mountains reflecting off of windows and doors. Follow the golden staircase in the center of the building to the roof where you can overlook miles of vineyards laid down before a mountain vista.  

The tour concludes with a tasting of the 2007 Catena Malbec.  It's super easy-drinking, with ripe cherry and raspberry fruits, a generous dose of oak and spice to finish. It's friendly, but surprisingly simplistic. At about $17 a bottle, it's not the best deal in this price range, the higher-end wines from Catena being a better value for the price.

Catena Zapata Lines

Argento and Malambo. Entry-level easy drinking, good quality for the price.

Los Alamos. International style, single-varietal wines. Everything from Malbec to Pinot Noir to Bubbly. 

Saint Felicien. Catena's oldest line, a step up from Los Alamos. The first 100% single-varietal wine produced in Argentina.

DV Catena. Here's where the wines really start to impress. Single-varietals and blends assembled from vineyards at different altitudes and microclimates.

Angelica Zapata. Crafted with grapes sourced from high-altitude vineyards (3200-3900 ft a.s.l.), greater complexity of flavor and concentration in these wines. The Alta Malbec is particularly impressive.

Catena Zapata. Top of the line, limited production, highly acclaimed and consistently highly-rated wines. A collection of single-vineyard Malbecs. The best of Catena.

Nicolas Catena Zapata. The wine that changed the way the world thinks about Argentine wines. Only made in the best years.

Also check out Bodegas Caro, a partnership between Nicolas Catena and Lafite Rothschild of Bordeaux.

Wine Review: 2009 Punto Final Sauvignon Blanc

I recently had the opportunity to taste through the wines of Bodega Renacer during a Winemaker's Night at Vines of Mendoza. Already familiar with the Punto Final Malbec (easy to find in U.S. restaurants and wine shops), I was interested to taste the rest of the line. 


A bit about the winery- Renacer means "rebirth" in Spanish, a reference to a new beginning for this Chilean family who only recently began producing wines in 2003.  The production is supervised by two winemaking masters- Hector Durigutti, one of the biggest rising stars of the Argentine wine industry, and Roberto Antonini, responsible for the world-famous Allegrini wines of Tuscany.


The 2009 Punto Final Sauvignon Blanc was an excellent start to the tasting.  Bright straw yellow in color with greenish tints, the wine displays aromas of fresh cut grass, ripe grapefruit, lime, white flowers and wet stone.  Lively acidity and moderate alcohol at 12.5. It is refreshing, aromatic, and elegant. 


It's everything I love out of the grape, reminding me of a rounder version of a New Zealand Sauv Blanc.  Only thing is, it's not fully Argentine. Though the wine is made in Renacer's winery in the Lujan de Cuyo, the grapes come from the Casablanca Valley in Chile, a region of coastal hills that receive cool Pacific winds, a perfect climate for creating that wonderful acidity that one finds in this wine. 


Pairing suggestions, anyone? How about Chilean Sea Bass with orange and lime salsa? Or summer spinach salad with goat cheese and grapefruit. Or a hot, sunny day and a shady patio.


The white is exciting, but Renacer also produces some interesting reds worth noting. The 2007 Punto Final Reserve Malbec is inky purple with flavors of cassis, black cherry and cedar and this wine recently received 92 points from Wine Spectator. More compelling was the 2007 En Amore, a blend of Malbec, Cabernet, Cab Franc, Bonarda, and Syrah made in the style of the Italian Amarone (En Amore is an anagram for Amarone). This means that the grapes were picked and then laid out on mats to dry in the sun for three weeks. Though completely different from the traditional Amarone, En Amore is elegant and surprising, with aromas of dried cherry and strawberry with a hint of violet, spice, and raisin. 

Pruebalo!!

Did you know that of the 1,500 wineries in Argentina, Mendoza is home to 1,300 of these? One can spend a year tasting wines and visiting bodegas in this region and still not try everything. And so my task to know Mendoza inside and out is a large one. Good thing the work is fun. The best way to learn about a wine region? Try the wines!!

Bodega Mendel

After two weeks in Mendoza I can already tell this is going to be a tough place to leave. A city with the tagline "Wine and Sun", Mendoza is quite literally an oasis in the desert, snuggled up against the base of the Andes mountains.  Dozens of wine tour companies dot the city, offering full day excursions including amazing asado lunches, guided tours of wineries, and lots and lots of tasting. Tourists abound and more show up each day as we draw closer to the high season.

The locals are warm, friendly, and best of all, they really know their grapes. Granted, this does not stop them from downing giant bottles of Quilmes (the local form of Budweiser) or tall glasses of Fernet and Cola while hanging out at bars and cafes at night. They recognize a good value when they see one, and besides the 90 degree summer nights are a less than perfect pairing for a big, rich glass of Malbec.  Regardless, ask any Mendocino about the grapes and wine regions of the area, and expect a surprisingly detailed synopsis of the bustling wine industry here.  From cabbies to waiters to corner shop clerks, these people know their stuff. 


Delightful. That's how you know you're in the center of it.