Growing Conditions
Lot 3, La Piramide Vineyard, Agrelo, Luján de Cuyo (950m/3116ft). Aluvial origin. Clay topsoil with rounded rocks on the bottom. Plant selection: Selección Mendoza.
Lot 2, Domingo Vineyard, Villa Bastías, Tupungato, Valle de Uco (1120m/3674ft). Aluvial origin. Silt loamy soil with limestone on the bottom.
Lot 2, Nicasia Vineyard, Altamira, Valle de Uco (1095m/3592ft). Aluvial origin. Loamy soil, with rounded rocks on the bottom.
The wines stand out for their high natural acidity, freshness and concentration. There is perfect balance of acidity and alcohol; we predict an extraordinary ageing potential.
2014 was the coolest harvest year since 2001. It was a year with pronounced regional contrasts. Abundant snowmelt (the Andes could be seen covered in snow throughout most of the harvest season) would have made this a very large harvest, except that everything slowed down with the cool weather in February, March and April, and the severe September frost. The frost affected predominantly Eastern and Northern Mendoza and San Juan, but also some parts of the Uco Valley and Lujan de Cuyo. In the end, the harvest was delayed by one to two weeks and overall the yields were average.
A great achievement for this year was the certification of the Argentina Sustainability Protocol by Bodegas de Argentina. The project started four years ago when Laura Catena came back from California with the idea to apply sustainable practices in the Catena Vineyards. Vineyard manager Luis Reginato teamed up with the Catena Institute of Wine to adapt the California protocol to Mendoza.
Many of the practices were already endemic to our Catena culture of green winegrowing, but having a formal process helped us take advantage of sustainability at all levels of our family winery, from the vineyards to the winery to human resources.
The beneficial effects of using green forage between rows, natural compost and judicious water management convinced us to attempt a certification process for our whole wine region. We brought our protocol to Bodegas de Argentina and worked with the Catena Institute, the Universidad Nacional de Cuyo and the INV (National Viticulture Institute) to provide a certifiable protocol for the region, which was formally approved in November of 2013. The protocol has a strong humanistic approach, encouraging the provision of social benefits for employees and child-care and nutrition for the families of seasonal workers.
Harvest
DOMINGO VINEYARD, Villa Bastías, Tupungato, Uco Valley, Mendoza, 3675 ft elevation
The Domingo Vineyard was also affected by the late September frost and yields were down by about 30%. The combination of lower yields and the well-drained stony/limestone soils allowed the vineyard to withstand the scattered seasonal rains with no rot. The resulting cabernet sauvignon and chardonnay will be very elegant with optimal acidity and dense flavors.
NICASIA VINEYARD, Altamira, Uco Valley, Mendoza, 3593 ft elevation
After two years of in-depth study of the Altamira district, analyzing climate, geology, soils and historical background, we were able to receive formal approval for the use of the Paraje Altamira appellation on labels. This work had to be done because individuals had trademarked the name and were not allowing the area's other rightful vineyard owners to use the Altamira denomination. We are pleased that the INV (our National Viticulture Institute) carefully reviewed the request and granted us and the other growers of Altamira the right to use this historical Appellation. Nicolas Catena is particularly pleased because his father Domingo Catena was very fond of the Altamira Malbec for its dark color and violet aromatics. Our Nicasia Vineyard did not experience any frost or hail damage and the quality was remarkably even throughout the vineyard. We continue to find great potential for both Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon in the shallow, well-drained soils of the Nicasia Vineyard.
LA PIRÁMIDE VINEYARD, Agrelo, Luján de Cuyo, Mendoza, 3117 ft elevation
We did have some frost in this vineyard in September, which reduced yields by about 25%. Like in all cool vintages, the old Cabernet Sauvignon lot which is planted with our old Mendoza selection was a star; it is very old world in style with sharp black fruit and a little earthiness, which bodes well for the 2014 Nicolas Catena Zapata.
Winemaking
Vineyard lots are harvested at different times to ensure optimal natural acidity and moderate alcohol levels. Whole berries are hand loaded into small format fermentation bins and 225-500 L barrels; lots are treated individually; fermentation and maceration last for 16 – 35 days. Wild yeasts. Alcoholic and malolactic fermentation in barrel.
Total Acidity: 5.84 grams/liter
Unfined and unfiltered
Aging
Aged for 18-24 months, depending on the vineyard and harvest time. French oak.
