Mundus Bacillus Terrae - Mendoza 2022
Adrianna Vineyard - Mundus Bacillus Terrae, an ode to Malbec
Founded in 1902, Catena Zapata is Argentina’s oldest winery still in the founding family’s hands. The winery architecture is distinguished by its Mayan-inspired pyramid design. It is known for its pioneering role in resurrecting the Malbec grape and in discovering extreme high-altitude terroirs in the Andean foothills of Mendoza.
Named after Nicolás Catena Zapata’s youngest daughter, the Adrianna Vineyard is located at almost 1,500 meters elevation in Mendoza. The soils in this 1.4 hectare parcel are filled with scattered limestone and marine deposits that covered the region millions of years ago. The limestone layers are well-drained and particularly rich in rhizobacteria, the microorganisms that help vine roots withstand stress and absorb nutrients. Thus, the name "mundus bacillus terrae" or "elegant microbes of the earth."
The 2022 vintage:
2022 was an exceptional year from every possible qualitative standpoint. Alejandro Vigil, Head Winemaker says: “This is the best year that I have lived through”. Yet, it was a roller coaster sort of year with unpredictable weather patterns that required deep knowledge of every region and vineyard. Thanks to the abundant glacier water, we were able to maintain a healthy canopy and yields were not reduced beyond the effects of frost. The autumn, with cooler temperatures than usual, allowed the grapes to ripen slowly and fully, contributing to the exceptional concentration and balance of this vintage.