Legacy of Catena Zapata Private

Nicolás Catena Zapata is the name of the Argentine wine and the great precursor of placing the country on the world wine map and among the best wine labels. With determination, he worked for decades in the vineyards and winery, researching and implementing new techniques. The result is demonstrated in his extraordinary wines, with great personality, that surprise specialized press around the world. Perhaps one of his main theories is that nowadays the era for innovation through technology has ended and everyone has access to it. The secret for innovation today is the discovery and understanding of the most diverse terroirs.

In the mid-90s, Laura Catena, his daughter, helped him forge an Argentine identity in Catena's wines. Vineyards were planted at different altitudes to produce a wide range of wines, including Nicolás Catena Zapata, where Cabernet Sauvignon takes the lead over Malbec.

Laura Catena, a biologist and fourth generation of the family, is the current director of Catena Zapata and also owner of the prestigious wineries Luca and La Posta, having been honored by Wine Spectator magazine as a "Wine Star" during the annual Wine Experience event. Her daily routine is split between California and Mendoza, where she takes care of the wineries and the Catena Institute of Wine.

Alejandro Vigil was a great acquisition made by the family in the early 2000s, and with his youth, knowledge, and creativity, he helped catapult the family's wines to an even higher level in a project of expansion and exploration of high-altitude regions. At Catena, he began developing the research institute.

During those times, there was an Australian consultant, the great John Duval creator of the mythical Penfolds Grange, making the blend of Nicolas Catena Zapata 2001. 

That partnership went further and Alejandro in partnership with Adrianna Catena (the youngest in the family) set up a new project called Aleanna which is now better known as El Enemigo and Gran Enemigo, names given to their highly awarded wines.

In the family there is still Ernesto Catena who has a more focused footprint on organic and biodynamic wines with various labels including Animal line and Siesta which has its Bio Cabernet Franc.

Lastly, we have Caro winery's wines that brought together two of today's biggest names in wine - Domaines Barons de Rothschild (Lafite) and the Catena family - partnered in 1999 to create this unique project here in Mendoza. The idea was to create synergies between both producers' experience to launch Argentine wines with a French accent from Malbec and Cabernet Sauvignon grapes.