The Catena family has been making wine in Mendoza for more than a century, but it was Nicolás Catena Zapata who, starting in the 1990s, proved that Argentina's high-altitude vineyards could produce world-class Malbec — conviction and research that sparked what's now known as Argentina's Malbec revolution. Decades earlier, in the 1950s, his father Domingo Catena had already singled out the old vineyards of Vista Flores in the Uco Valley, drawn to the dark color and firm tannins the site gave its Malbec. That instinct holds up: Vista Flores remains one of the family's most prized sources today.
The vineyard sits at 1,100 meters in the Uco Valley, its alluvial soil built from sand, clay and silt over a bed of rounded stones — poor, well-draining ground that pushes the vines to work for every cluster. After a cold soak and a slow fermentation with extended maceration, the wine spends a year in barrel, part new French and American oak, adding structure without burying the fruit. The result is deep and expressive: blackberry, dark cherry and a touch of lavender up front, with graphite, mocha and dried herbs layered underneath. The palate is full and silky, framed by firm, well-integrated tannins and bright acidity that carries through the finish. A natural partner for a grilled steak, braised short rib, or anything off the barbecue.
