Nose
The nose is focused with concentrated spice Cabernet fragances from La Pirámide vineyard, and ripe blackberry Malbec flavours from Angélica, in Lunlunta. Barrel aging adds subtle notes of vainilla, tobacco and liqueur, making this wine particularly complex and elegant.
Palate
Starts sweet and fruity followed by complex spice and oak and a long lingering finish of round, soft tannins.
Growing Conditions
Angelica Vineyard: aluvial origin. Loamy clay in the topsoil with rounded rocks on the bottom.
La Piramide Vineyard: aluvial origin. Clay topsoil with rounded rocks on the bottom.
Harvest
Low yields due to moderate frosts in the UCO Valley, an early harvest, and perfect balance. Laura Catena’s favorite vintage since 1995. After Harvest 2016, the smallest and coldest in three decades thanks to El Niño, Mendoza's wine producers were mourning their empty wineries and hoping for a big crop.
But only Mother Nature gets to decide, and in 2017 we had another year of small yields—especially in the UCO Valley where most of our family’s vineyards are located. Spring frosts brought on by dryer and slightly cooler weather resulted in lower yields, and the UCO Valley Malbec was down 55%.
Winemaking
Selected yeast. Max. Fermentation for 17 days. 25 days maceration.
Aging
12-16 months in French oak barrels (35% new)
Appearance
A deep red colour with light violet hues.
Food Pairing
A perfect match with beef, game and sophisticated dishes.
