Catena Zapata Adrianna Vineyard estate spotlight
Laura Catena explains why Adrianna has become a benchmark for high-altitude vineyard research and site-driven Argentine wine.
SelectionWine Enthusiast
99-Point Adrianna Vineyard River Stones Malbec — $150
A 2.6-hectare ancient riverbed parcel, shaped by calcium-coated white stones at 4,482 feet.
The 2022 River Stones is 100% Malbec from Adrianna Vineyard’s austere River parcel. James Suckling highlights white flowers, chalk, freshness and poise; Wine Enthusiast finds herbs, cassis, dark fruit, silky tannins and invigorating acidity. At $150 per bottle, this six-bottle allocation is $64 below the supplied Wine-Searcher average and $100 below the supplied winery price.
vs. supplied winery price
River Stones is a place before it is a wine
The parcel, altitude, calcium-coated stones and exact-vintage acclaim give this Malbec an identity far beyond varietal richness alone.
An ancient riverbed underfoot
Oval white stones coated with calcium carbonate mark the River parcel. The alluvial soils drain freely and sharpen the site’s austere mineral identity.
Altitude creates tension
At 4,482 feet in Gualtallary, intense mountain sunlight meets cold nights. The result is power carried by freshness rather than weight.
Four critics confirm the stature
The exact 2022 vintage earned 99, 98, 98 and 97 points, led by James Suckling and reinforced by a Wine Enthusiast Cellar Selection.
Built for now and later
Wine Enthusiast recommends drinking or holding through 2037, while the winery describes River as enjoyable young or capable of ageing for decades.
99 points leads a four-critic sweep
Every displayed score belongs to the exact 2022 vintage. The lead review emphasizes chalky restraint and freshness; the supporting critics confirm exceptional pedigree.
Six-Bottle Value Comparison
The same six-bottle quantity ranges from $900 here to $1,500 at the supplied winery price.
The supplied $214 Wine-Searcher average converts to $1,284 for six bottles. The supplied $250 winery price converts to $1,500. ShopWineSlash is $900 for the identical six-bottle quantity.
Review the Wine-Searcher reference (opens in a new tab). Catena’s official 2022 page (opens in a new tab) documents the wine and technical details; the $250 winery-price figure was supplied for this promotion.
The practical advantage is $384 to $600 kept in the cellar budget while securing the same six bottles.
Six-bottle savings versus the supplied winery price—$100 saved on every bottle.
Add any six more ShopWineSlash bottles to reach 12 and ship free.
Secure Your AllocationWhite flowers, cassis, blackberry and chalk
The 2022 is poised rather than heavy: floral lift, bright dark fruit, herbal spice and mineral tension over long, smooth tannins.
Catena calls 2022 exceptional for quality. The winery reported optimal acidity, strong concentration, ripe polyphenols and restrained alcohol, with Uco Valley yields roughly 10–20% below normal after spring frost. Explore the official harvest report (opens in a new tab).
Cassis, blackberry and vivid plum deliver concentration without obscuring the wine’s cooler, high-altitude shape.
White flowers and the winery’s exuberant floral descriptor give the austere mineral frame an aromatic counterpoint.
Full-bodied yet refined, with long, smooth and silky tannins rather than a coarse or heavy finish.
Chalk, white stones and a metallic edge express the calcium-coated ancient riverbed beneath the vines.
Herbs and pepper sharpen the dark fruit, adding savory definition and energy across the palate.
Pour at 60–64°F in a generous red-wine stem and allow ample air before serving.
Old foudres frame the stones, not the oak
High whole-cluster use, wild yeasts, cool extraction and ten-plus-year-old French oak preserve the River parcel’s florals, freshness and chalky austerity.
Whole-cluster foundation: The 2022 River received a five- to ten-day cold maceration below 50°F with 60–80% whole clusters, building fragrance and structural detail.
Measured fermentation: Wild-yeast fermentation ran approximately 12–22 days, with total maceration around 10–15 days.
Patient élevage: The wine aged 18–21 months in 2,200-litre French-oak foudres more than ten years old—a neutral frame for perfume, mineral tension and fine tannins.
From one Malbec vineyard in 1902 to Adrianna at the edge of possibility
Four generations of Catena ambition culminate in a vineyard once considered too high and too cold for serious winegrowing.
Nicola Catena planted his first Malbec vineyard in Mendoza in 1902. Each generation pushed the family’s belief in Argentine wine further, but the decisive leap came when Nicolás Catena planted Adrianna in Gualtallary in 1992.
The site sat at the cool-climate limit of vine cultivation. Many doubted grapes would ripen there; an early winter storm even buried the young vineyard under snow. The vines endured, and altitude became a source of balance, fragrance and longevity.
Today Catena’s research program studies Adrianna parcel by parcel—its stones, plants, climate and microbial life. River is the delicious result of that long curiosity: one small ancient riverbed translated into a wine with its own voice.
Fire, herbs and savory richness
The winery recommends grilled meats. These two recipes give the wine char, richness and aromatic lift without overwhelming its chalky detail.
Keep the seasoning direct and let browned meat, fresh herbs and the wine’s own savory tension build the meal together.
Serve at 60–64°F and give the wine generous air in a broad decanter. Its floral lift, chalky restraint and smooth tannins are built to become more expressive across a long meal.
Grilled Skirt Steak with Chimichurri
Charred beef gives this Malbec enough richness to lean against, while chimichurri adds the fresh herb and vinegar lift that keeps every bite lively.
Why it works: Beef fat rounds the tannins; smoke meets the dark fruit; parsley and garlic draw out the wine’s floral and herbal sides.
View Recipe for Grilled Skirt Steak with Chimichurri (opens in a new tab)
Rosemary-Garlic Lamb Chops
Lamb has the depth for River Stones without hiding its perfume. A hard sear adds char while rosemary and garlic keep the pairing aromatic and savory.
Why it works: Lamb softens the tannin line, rosemary echoes the herbal spice, and roasted garlic meets the wine’s stony finish.
View Recipe for Rosemary-Garlic Lamb Chops (opens in a new tab)99 Points. Ancient Riverbed Malbec. $150.
The 2022 River Stones joins floral precision, mountain freshness, chalky structure and serious cellar reach in one of Catena’s most critically complete releases.
Decant generously and pour with grilled steak or lamb as white flowers, cassis, herbs and chalk unfold.
Wine Enthusiast recommends drinking or holding through 2037; the winery says River can age for decades.
Open one for a serious dinner and keep several bottles for the wine’s long, high-altitude evolution.
Six bottles • $900. The supplied six-bottle reference points are $1,284 and $1,500, putting the allocation savings at $384–$600.
