2018

DV Catena Tinto Historico

Argentina

Release Price

Drink Window

13.6

ABV

3.8

pH

5.6

TA

RS

From The Winemaker

The Catena wines are a special assemblage of High
Mountain Estate Vineyards made by fourth
generation vintner, Laura Catena and chief
winemaker, Alejandro Vigil. Although we have found
that most of the Catena wines are consumed shortly
after release, we are pleased to see that they age
beautifully for ten to twenty years.
Through decades of study and exploration within
Mendoza's high altitude mountain terroirs, the
Catena family has identified special locations for its
Estate vineyards. From the marriage of these historic
vineyards merges a wine of unique character that has
natural balance, concentration and a distinct varietal
identity.

Growing Conditions

A Blend of Four Vineyards - vineyards are divided into lots that are harvested at different times:

Lunlunta 3,116 ft (920 m): aluvial origin. Loamy clay in the topsoil with rounded rocks on the bottom.
Gualtallary 4,757 ft (1,450 m): alluvial origin. Gravel and limestone. Rounded rocks in the bottom.
Eugenio Bustos 3,593 ft (1,090 m) elevation: Loam-sandy soil with thick calcareous layers and rounded rocks on the bottom.
El Mirador 2460.63 ft (750 m): Aeolian and alluvial silt loam soil.

“El Año Mendocino,” the Mendoza Year we call it. After a small cool vintage 2017, which we call “El Año Bordelés” (the Bordeaux Year) and a small, very cool and rainy year in 2016 “El Año Bourguignon” (the Burgundian year), we finally got a vintage that is classically Mendozan: dry, cool, sunny and with moderate yields in every region from the lowest to the highest altitudes.

The summer of 2017 started out warm but then cooled off during the 2018 harvest months of February, March and April. This, in addition to the lower rainfall, gave rise to optimal balance in the fruit, with beautiful natural acidity, regional aromatic expression and smooth tannins.

There was a decrease of about 100 mm (4 inches), about 30% less rain in every region.

Aging

Elevage: 12-14 months in barrel. Barrel selection varies depending on vineyard and vintage -First, second and third use barrels used.

Harvest

A warm summer followed by the cooling effect of the Pacific over the Andes during the months of February, March and April gave rise to a slightly earlier (by two weeks) harvest in 2018.

Past Vintages