Catena Zapata Adrianna Vineyard Mundus Bacillus Terrae Malbec 2018《Terroir Collection - ZTAR002》

Region : Mendoza, Argentina

Grapes : 100% Malbec

Alcohol :  13.5% vol

Website: https://catenazapata.com/mundus-bacillus-terrae-2018.php

🌟Top Winery of Argentina

🌟100% Malbec from the high attitude - Adrianna Vineyard

🏅James Suckling 98pts

🏅The Wine Advocate 98pts

🏅Tim Atkin MW 97pts

🏅Vinous 97pts

🏅Vivino 4.6

🌟World’s Best Vineyards 2023 - #1

🌟The World’s Most Admired Wine Brands 2023 - #2

Great wines begin in the vineyard. Ourvision is to make rich and unforgettable wines that are true to the specialplace they come from. The story of Catena is the story of Argentine wine.

Founded in 1902, Argentina’s Bodega CatenaZapata is known for its pioneering role in resurrecting Malbec and indiscovering extreme high altitude terroirs in the Andean foothills of Mendoza.

The family’s Adrianna Vineyard atalmost 5,000 feet elevation has been called the Grand Cru of South America.

Awards: Decanter Man of the Year, WineSpectator Distinguished Service Award, Der Feinschmaker Award, Wine and Spiritsand Wine Enthusiast Winery Awards.

Adrianna Vineyard Mundus Bacillus TerraeMalbec 2018

The Catena Family is entering its secondcentury of winemaking in Mendoza, Argentina. Named after Nicolás CatenaZapata’s youngest daughter, the Adrianna Vineyard is located at almost 5,000feet elevation in Mendoza. The soils in this 1.4 hectare parcel are filled withscattered limestone and marine deposits that covered the region millions ofyears ago. The limestone layers are well-drained and particularly rich inrhizobacteria, the microorganisms that help vine roots withstand stress andabsorb nutrients. Thus, the name "mundus bacillus terrae" or"elegant microbes of the earth".

Fermentation: 75% of the beginning offermentation in Concrete (50% whole cluster) and 25% of the completion offermentation in Oak Foudre (just juice).

Max. Fermentation Temperature: 25-30°C, 8-13 days maceration

Aging: 18 months in barrel, oaktreatment is decided according to the vintage characteristics. French Oak

Varietal: 100% Malbec

Alcohol: 13.7%

Total Acidity: 7.25 grams/liter

pH: 3.55

Adrianna Vineyard: GualtallaryDistrict, Tupungato Alto Region, Uco Valley, Mendoza, Argentina

Parcel Name: Mundus Bacillus Terrae

Parcel Surface: 1,4 Hectares

Soil composition: Alluvial origin.Calcareus

Altitude: 4.560 ft (1.390 m) elevation

🏅James Suckling 98pts

This is a really deep, decadent red, showing incredibly rich black soil, black olives and violets. Full body and rich tannins that exude power and intensity. Lots of white pepper and black fruit in the aftertaste. Extremely persistent. This is a bottle for the cellar.

🏅The Wine Advocate 98pts

The 2018 Adrianna Vineyard Mundus Bacillus Terrae started with a marked creamy and lactic note, reflecting a very young and tender wine that started with a lot of malic acid. It has lower alcohol and higher acidity than the other two Adrianna bottlings; it's vibrant and lively, nicely textured and surprisingly fresh. The creamy and lactic note disappeared after some time in the glass, giving way to fresher notes, almost citrus. They have also done a selection of individual plants, discarding some plants in lower parts, and the wine has gained in precision and freshness. They used a high percentage of full clusters and fermented it in concrete with indigenous yeasts and matured it in used oak barrels for 18 months. In 2018, the three Adrianna bottlings have more defined character; the differences are more marked than in a year like 2017. This has to be among the finest vintages for the Mundus Bacillus Terrae. 4,800 bottles were filled.

🏅Tim Atkin MW 97pts

Named after the bacteria that inhabit the Adrianna Vineyard, this brilliant red is the pick of the Catena Malbecs right now. Sourced from Lot 3, on alluvial and calcium carbonate soils, it’s racy, refreshing, detailed and very fine, with lovely precision and balance, some pepper spice from 60% whole bunches, red berry and bramble fruit and a long, nuanced, palate cleansing finish.

🏅Vinous 97pts

Mundus Bacillus Terrae is a parcel of Malbec whose name pays homage to the rhizobacteria that live in symbiosis with the vines at 1,450 meters in the Adrianna vineyard. Three-quarters of the wine is fermented in concrete and the rest in foudres, followed by 18 months in French oak. The nose features violets and lavender with subdued notes of red fruit, but the wine only properly comes out in the mouth. It is pure texture with nervous tension and ripe but gentle, very Malbec-ish tannins that don’t impede the flow. The magic of this wine lies in its uniqueness, both in terms of style and as an approach to the variety. It is the questions it raises that make it truly compelling.