"Words do not do justice to this beauty."Luis Gutierrez, Robert Parker Jr.’s The Wine Advocate
"There are many ways of discovering a new and great terroir. Luck plays a part, but luck is nothing if you don't know what you’re looking for; understanding what might constitute an extraordinary terroir is particularly challenging in these days of climate change."Nicolás Catena Zapata
Nicolás Catena Zapata dared to plant vines where no one thought they would ripen. His high-altitude wine revolution culminated in the discovery of a new terroir for wine, the Adrianna Vineyard, at almost 5,000 feet elevation.
Today, the team at the Catena Institute of Wine is dedicated to studying every meter, every rock, every insect and microorganism in the Adrianna Vineyard, making it perhaps the most studied vineyard in the world.
READ MORE ABOUT ADRIANNA VINEYARDOver the years, Nicolás Catena Zapata discovered the influence altitude has on fruit quality. As one climbs the altitudes of the Andes the average temperature decreases and the amplitude between day and night temperatures increases.
This environment provides the ideal climate for grape maturation. Each of the Catena Zapata family vineyards is divided into parcels according to their soil composition. These parcels are farmed individually, with an eye on encouraging their most authentic fruit expression.
