In the shadow of the Andes, where jagged peaks pierce the heavens like ancient sentinels, lies a realm where earth and ether conspire in quiet revolution. Here, at elevations that defy the ordinary—5,000 feet above the whisper of the world—Malbec vines cling to sun-baked slopes, their roots delving into limestone veins laced with secrets older than empires. This is Mendoza’s high-altitude crucible, the alchemist’s forge of Catena Zapata (link), where family legacy transmutes raw terroir into liquid gold. Founded in 1902 by the indomitable Nicola Catena, this winery has not merely tended vines; it has orchestrated a symphony of soil, sun, and starlit nights, elevating Argentina’s noble grape from rustic obscurity to global reverence.
At the heart of this 2022 vintage—born of a year when Andean zephyrs balanced warmth with whispered coolness, yielding grapes of unparalleled poise—stand two elixirs of transcendence: the Nicolás Catena Zapata and the Adrianna Vineyard Mundus Bacillus Terreus. The former, a Bordeaux-born blend of Malbec and Cabernet Sauvignon, channels the visionary spirit of its namesake, third-generation maestro Nicolás Catena Zapata. Debuting in 1997 as Argentina’s audacious retort to the Old World’s icons, it beat icons like Opus One in blind tastings, proving that Andean alchemy could rival the Médoc’s mystique. With its opulent layers of black cherry, eucalyptus, and firm, saline tannins, the 2022 iteration (95-97 points) embodies harmonious power—a bridge from immigrant roots to collector’s cult.
Yet, if Nicolás is the bold conductor, Mundus Bacillus Terreus is the ethereal soloist, a 100% Malbec from the singular Adrianna Vineyard in Gualtallary. Planted in 1992 amid fossil-rich clays teeming with rhizobacteria—the „elegant earth microbes“ that infuse its name—this wine distills the essence of place into a potion of violet grace. Its 2022 expression (an average rating among experts ranging from 98 to 100/100) dances with red fruit vivacity, lavender whispers, and chalky minerality, its tense structure promising 30 years of unfolding revelation. Here, Catena’s fourth-generation steward, Dr. Laura Catena, honors her father’s revolutions: high-altitude daring, microbial mastery, and unyielding pursuit of purity.
This report unveils their dual alchemy—the legacy of blend versus the symphony of single-parcel song—through historical tapestries, qualitative dissections, and a comparative lens that reveals why these twins not only captivate the palate but enchant the soul. In an era of fleeting trends, Catena Zapata reminds us: true masterpieces are forged in the fire of patience, where the Andes‘ ancient pulse beats eternal. Let us raise a glass to the alchemists who turn mountain whispers into symphonies of sensation.
The tasting
The tasting took place on 16 September 2025 at Arvino (link), the Zurich branch of renowned fine wine merchant ARVI (link). It was the ideal setting, where every visitor, whether a professional or not, had as much time as they wanted to sample the two monuments of Bodega Catena Zapata.
The 2022 vintage was tasted, which can still be described as a baby due to the characteristics of bothwines. Jancis Robinson expects this vintage to be very good for red wines. Her comments are: “Reds fared far better, producing very good quality wine after having the time to dry out and reach maturity in March.”. For Mendoza, the year was undoubtedly challenging, some excellent reds were made.
Nicolás Catena Zapata 2022, Uco Valley, Mendoza
The 2022 Nicolás Catena Zapata blends 46% Cabernet Sauvignon, 44% Malbec and 10% Cabernet Franc from Gualtallary’s Adrianna Vineyard and Altamira’s Nicaisa Vineyard.
13.5% alcohol. Refined, racy, polished, fresh and complex nose with pure and precise aromas of black cherries, currants and other dark fruits, dark chocolate, a hint of mint and black pepper. The whole is very enjoyable and should delight Bordeaux lovers. The blend is very successful, with no single grape variety dominating. Concentrated, full-bodied, elegant, dense, but not overly demonstrative on the palate, with earthy notes, more of that delicious black fruit, refined tannins and a verygood structure for decent ageing potential. A noble wine and, last but not least, a very long finish. 18.5/20 (95/100). A classic that should offer plenty of enjoyment in ten years‘ time.
Adrianna Vineyard Mundus Bacillus Terreus 2022, Uco Valley, Mendoza
The 17-hectare Adrianna Vineyard, planted in 18992 and located at an altitude of 1,440 metres, produces two white and three red wines, with the Adrianna Vineyard Malbec Mundus Bacillus Terrae enjoying a reputation as the most perfect of the three reds. A monumental, single-varietal Malbec that will stand the test of time. Even at this age, the nose is a firework display of complex, multi-layered, beguiling, refined, profound, pure and precise aromas of red berries, cherries, plums, violets and other floral components, which go in all possible directions, remain extremely coherent and noble, and promise a great deal in ten years‘ time at the earliest. In the background, mineral elements come to the fore, offering a seductive freshness. Full-bodied, concentrated, yet at the same time ultra-refined and elegant on the palate, this is a wine in which the seductive, aromatic components almost play a secondary role, because the whole is simply irresistible. It is so tactile, seductive and breathtakingly balanced that one is carried away on a journey into the next 20-25 years. With magnificent, consistent sensations in prospect. Perfectly integrated acidity, climatic conditions that judiciously prevented this wine from becoming a powerhouse blockbuster – all the components are here. Right up to the lingering final apotheosis. 19+/20 (97+/100).
From Root to Glass: Shaping Wine’s Soul
The microbes‘ alchemy shines in the bottle, elevating Adrianna’s Malbecs to 98–100-point icons. By fostering resilient vines, they yield grapes with amplified phenolics, anthocyanins, and acidity—darker colours, richer mouthfeel, and complex aromas (think ripe red fruits laced with mineral chalk). In Mundus Bacillus Terrae, this translates to a wine of tense elegance: violet florals, lavender, and stony freshness, with a creamy texture from concrete fermentation that echoes the soil’s microbial „whispers.“ CIW’s terroir mapping (across 42 Mendoza sites) links these bugs to site-specific expressions, proving how Adrianna’s microbiome crafts longer-aging, terroir-transparent elixirs that rival Burgundy in purity.
In essence, Adrianna’s microbes aren’t footnotes—they’re the unseen alchemists turning Andean adversity into vinous poetry. As CIW continues sequencing and trialing, who knows what strains await discovery? For now, they remind us: great wine starts not with the grape, but with the ground beneath.
