Catena, Vista Flores Malbec 2021

We have always been huge fans of the wines of Catena, but have often wondered what it is that makes them so great.

This is the answer!

This is the "Appellation" series that Catena have launched to show the very specific sets of ingredients that go into the much-loved blends. The several individual sites are vinified seperately and are then asssessed to establish whether they go into the blend or if they make the grade for the Appellation wines: when they do make these specific bottlings, we are given microscopic insight into the Catena philosophy as well as simply delicious, single-site wine. It's fanatical and extremely generous winemaking!

Vista Flores is the name of a village about a hundred kilometres south of Mendoza and is surrounded by vineyards. This wine is made from Catena's holdings that date back to the 1950s, grown on soils of loam, gravel and clay. The wine is dark and structured, which is the key element that it brings to the blend; with its fine tannins and black, forest fruit flavours, it is a really pure and elemental expression of Malbec and has proven to be one of the most popular of the Appellation series thus far.

With a winemaking history that very few old world wineries possess, let alone in the new world, Catena have achieved international recognition through their pioneering winemaking and vineyard management. With a special relationship to the study of vines at high altitude, they are able to boast a vast range of single vineyard and single site wines across at least four different grape varieties. Their quest for the best from their land isn't a trivial or trendy fad to attract attention and critical acclaim; it really comes from a genuine belief and desire to find the latent properties that this set of terroirs can yield through the lens of each grape that is planted.