Zapata Adrianna Vineyard Fortuna Terrae
2020
At heart, Catena is a story about family. Family who poured their lives, passion, and spirit into transforming scrub-laden desert into some of the most beautiful and unique vineyards in the world. Family that passed their knowledge from generation to generation, blending collective memory with state-of-the-art science from the new world of viticulture. Family who, through risk-taking, faith, and a little luck, transformed their treasured Mendoza terroir into the fountainhead of the...
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Fortuna Terrae means luck of the land in Latin, and indeed, the vines from this parcel of the Adrianna Vineyard are lucky. The deep loamy soils are home to many varieties of native grasses which prevent erosion and attract benefic insects, singing birds and mountain foxes. Because of the freshness imparted by the deep soils and high altitude, the wines of Fortuna Terrae have optimal acidity and delicate flower aromas.
Blackberries with some black tea and perfumes. Full-bodied with fine, dusty tannins and seamless texture. So long and consistent. 60% whole cluster fermentation with 14 months in oak casks. Glorious, tactile wine.
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Blackberries, dark plums, dried earth, tar, paprika, lavender and bark on the nose. Medium-bodied, dark fruited and cool with very fine, velvety tannins. So supple, youthful and perfumed with lovely purity of fruit. Long, silky finish.
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Deep brooding nose with a touch of cocoa powder to the deep, fresh blueberries, chiles and chocolate. Impeccable chalky tannins confer structure and resolve. Full-bodied but super fresh and bright, with a long, long finish. Need two or three years at least to let complexity come through. 100% whole cluster.
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The 2020 Adrianna Vineyard Fortuna Terrae shows exceptionally well. It's still young and juicy with some baby fat that should get rendered with some more time in bottle. It's a little lighter, and the tannins gave it grip and a chalky limestone sensation. But the wine is very expressive, with purity, clean and precise and not showing any signs of coming from a warmer year like 2020. It finishes with the telltale violets from the great Malbec grape coated by chalky minerality. This plot behaves well in warmer years like this one.
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The 2021 Malbec Adrianna Vineyard Fortuna Terrae is sourced from a small plot situated in Gualtallary, featuring a soil profile with a depth of one meter. It underwent a meticulous 16-month aging process in foudres and concrete vats and exhibits a dark purple hue. The nose presents enticing lavender, mint, mountain herbs, orange peel and curry aromas layered over a foundation of dried flowers. The palate offers a compelling combination of dryness and juiciness. The rich and taut mouthfeel imparts a vibrant energy that flows into a compact yet delicately lingering finish. A unique and flavorful Malbec, it marries a primary style with a terroir-driven conceptual approach.
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A 'Burgundian' wine that pulsates with tension and yet has finesse, lifted perfume and effortless elegance. The epitome of Catena Zapata’s quest to unlock the true potential of high-altitude Malbec, this is made with predominantly whole bunches. Enticing layers of chalk, roses, exotic spice and wild raspberries.
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Fortuna Terrae comes from cool, comparatively deep loam soils within the celebrated Adrianna Vineyard in Gualtallary. Matured in concrete, foudres and older barrels, it’s a focused, intense deeply coloured Malbec with engaging texture, fennel, violet and blackberry fruit intensity and sculpted, palate-caressing tannins.
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Elegant, fresh and inviting at the onset, with violet, hibiscus and blood orange notes that join a smooth-textured palate of raspberry coulis and red currant, melding into richer tiers of dark chocolate and graphite that linger around fine tannins, echoing back to the core flavors
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The 2019 Malbec Adrianna Vineyard Fortuna Terrae is made with grapes from parcel 6 of the Adrianna Vineyard, Uco Valley, planted in Gualtallary at a height of 4,400 feet and aged for 18 months in new and second use French barrels. The pure, intense and precisely judged nose offers delicate fruit such as sweet and sour cherry alongside hints of lavender and violet and faint herbal aromas. It’s relaxed and juicy on the palate and subtle, finely grained tanning and a little chalk. The finish is elongated by fruity flavors. The year helped with the nuanced freshness in this Malbec.
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Fortuna Terrae hails from deeper, loam-rich soils inside the Adrianna Vineyard and is the freshest and most focused of the top Catena Malbecs. Inky, scented and richly oaked, with mocha and baking spice aromas, layered tannins, dark plum and blackberry fruit and a tangy, minty, refreshing finish.
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