The famous Adrianna vineyard in Gualtallary is perhaps the most studied vineyard in the world and is the best vineyard in Catena for malbec. The vineyard is located at a respectable altitude of no less than 1480 meters. Only in this part (height and plot) can the Malbec vine absorb the optimal nutrients, which ensures that this absolute grandcru among the Adriannas is remarkably expressive and distinctive. Since 2011, a high-end Adrianna has been produced under the name: Adrianna Mundus Bacillus, the Terrae and the Adrianna Fortuna Terrae and the Adrianna River Stones. This River Stones is a unique and very scarce wine that was made in an extremely low edition. The River Stones comes from a small plot of 2.6HA from the Adrianna vineyard which is covered with white oval stones and was in the past a riverbed. This special piece of vineyard therefore has extremely good drainage. The vineyard is located at an altitude of 1366, so it is warm during the day and cold at night, but the white pebbles store the heat of the day and release it slowly during the night, which ensures a very gradual warming and cooling. The wine was aged for 24 months in French oak. The stony soil makes this Malbec very aromatic, rich and delicate. This is a great Malbec with beautiful soft tannins. The wine can be drunk young but can also be enjoyed for decades. This is an absolute collector's item and incredibly beautiful. Despite its high price, this is only a pittance compared to the expensive Bordeaux and Burgundies. The Adrianna Vineyard River Stones is always the freshest and most austere of the three single-plot bottlings from the Adrianna Vineyard on Gultallary. This Malbec fermented with about 70% full bunches, as it was harvested at three different times and the first two were fermented with full bunches and the last bunch was added to the fermentation destemmed. The nose is subtle, elegant and nuanced; the grapes were picked quite early in 2018, creating a lively palate with almost citrus (blood orange) sensations. A small percentage of the wine was aged in stainless steel. They have worked with the irrigation and only irrigated it four times that year, achieving greater precision in viticulture, which is reflected in the balance of the wine. This has very fine tannins, a very fine thread and a dry, long and tasty aftertaste. This is clearly stony, true to the character of the place. Red fruit, structured and mineral. In December 2019, 5,160 bottles were filled and the wine was only released in Europe in the second half of 2021. Bodega Catena Zapata is seen as the flagship of Argentina's wineries. Robert Parke's statement says a lot: 'when all is said and done, Catena Zapata is the Argentina winery of reference, the standard of excellence'. 99 points - The Wine Advocate 100 points - James Suckling 100 points - Vinous