Catena Alta Historic Rows Malbec 2023

Catena Alta is an assemblage of historic rows within the Catena family Estate vineyards. The blend of these historic rows, like the marriage of sounds that create a symphony, yields a highly aromatic and elegant wine that speaks for the earth and the vines that have been tended by the Catenas for four generations. The Catena Alta wines can usually be drunk starting at three years after harvest and into the following one to two decades.

Cassis, violets, blackcurrant, and blackberries are interwoven with licorice, vanilla, leather, and black pepper. Its silky finish is marked by a wonderful minerality, fine tannins, and lively acidity.

Blend: 100% Malbec

96pt Vinous
The 2023 Malbec Alta blends grapes from Luján de Cuyo and the Uco Valley. Harvested in one of the most challenging vintages for Luján de Cuyo, marked by late frost that reduces yields and a hot summer that accelerates ripening, it opens with plum, a balsamic edge, subtle background oak and a delicate floral lift. The palate is juicy and lightly grippy, with the slightly angular contour shared by several 2023 reds, yet it carries notable energy and forward drive. Crucially, there is no greenness here; instead, the wine feels alive and dynamic, pulsing with freshness and momentum despite the year’s difficulties.

94pt James Suckling
A fresh, bright and floral nose, showing fine herbs and a touch of peppery spices to the red and blue fruit. Textured and medium- to full-bodied with sleek but tense tannins and a long yet inconspicuous finish. Drink or hold.