Catena Zapata Adrianna River Stones

The Adrianna River Stones comes from one of the highest and most idiosyncratic vineyard sites in the world – a former riverbed on the Adrianna vineyard in Gualtallary, Mendoza, at an altitude of around 1,500 meters.

Catena Zapata has been farming this vineyard since the 1990s. The Adrianna parcels are now considered a benchmark for Argentine high-altitude Malbec. The name "River Stones" describes the geology directly: calcareous soils interspersed with river stones that store heat during the day and release it at night – combined with extreme day-night temperature differences of up to 20 °C. The result is a Malbec with unusual freshness for its depth.

In the glass, it shows dark blackberry, plum, and black cherry, underpinned by graphite, lavender, and a hint of cedarwood. The body is dense, the tannins silky and well-integrated, the acidity lively – typical for high-altitude fruit from Gualtallary. The finish is long, mineral, and warm.

• Food: Pan-seared beef fillet, rack of lamb with a herb crust, aged Manchego
• Temperature: 16–18 °C