2020 Luca Malbec Old Vine

Luca is the private project of Laura Catena. Laura has made her mark on the wine world and is often referred to as 'the face of Argentine wine', as she has meant a lot to the country. She recently presented her 100-year plan: "I want every collector in the world to have Nicolás Catena Zapata in their basement - that's my dream".

Another of Laura Catena's dreams was to create Luca, named after her eldest son. She wants to make quality wines with Luca, in which the perfect terroir, low yields per hectare and state-of-the-art winemaking are the keywords. The vineyards of Luca are located at an altitude of 900 to 1500 meters and are among the highest in Mendoza. Old vines can be found here, which may no longer produce much, but keep the quality of the vineyard (and therefore the wines) high. She wants to show the best expression of each grape variety. Luca has planted six grape varieties in total: chardonnay, malbec, pinot noir, syrah, cabernet sauvignon and cabernet franc.

To breathe new life into the old malbec vines of the Mendoza, that is the goal of Laura Catena, founder of Luca Wines. The grapes from these vines used to disappear in bulk production, but are now getting the fame they deserve. Yields are kept low to keep quality high. A traditional vinification takes place, followed by a twelve-month wood aging in oak barrels, 35% of which are new and the rest second-year. The wine has great aging potential. The result is a Malbec with a deep color, red and black fruit and a delicious spiciness. Naturally delicious with Argentinian steak, but also very good to combine with semi-hard cheeses. The Malbec Old Vines is purple-red in the glass with red and black fruit in the nose, lots of spices and notes of chocolate. In the mouth, the aroma of cherries stands out and is accompanied by a hint of espresso in the background. The wine has a full body with a lively acidity that results in a finish that lasts.