Catena Zapata, 'Mundus Bacillus Terrae' Malbec, Adrianna Vineyard, Mendoza, Argentina, 2021

Overview of the Wine
Great wines begin in the vineyard. Our vision is to make rich and unforgettable wines that are true to the special place they come from. The story of Catena is the story of Argentine wine.

Founded in 1902, Argentina’s Bodega Catena Zapata is known for its pioneering role in resurrecting Malbec and in discovering extreme high altitude terroirs in the Andean foothills of Mendoza.

Over 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.

Winemaker
Alejandro Vigil

Grape / Blend
Malbec

Origin
Mendoza, Argentina

Winemaker's Tasting Notes
Mundus Bacillus Terrae pays homage to the unique bacteria in the soil. Remarkable concentration and great acidity. Powerful flavors of black and red fruits alongside lavender, wood, and minerals. High acidity, with lots of tannins and ageability

100 Points - Descorchados
 Aaccording to winemaker Alejandro Vigil, the name Mundus Bacillus comes from the bacterial world that exists in that small, 1.4-hectare piece of the Adrianna Vineyard, in Gualtallary, about 1,400 meters above sea level and toward the north of the Uco Valley. The symbiosis of that molecular world with the roots and the strong presence of calcium carbonate make this malbec seem to cross the variety's borders and offer a wine that's much more austere wine than its partners in this line (Adrianna Fortuna and River), with tannins that are much more severe and chalky. The malbec aromas appear in the form of sour cherries, but it also has a good share of mineral, saline aromas that lend it an interesting complexity. The cool 2021 season has only exacerbated the tense and energetic character of this wine, one of the best in a vintage that has been excellent in Mendoza. Add to that that this is the first time since this wine originated in 2013 that it wasn't aged in barrels or oak, but rather in concrete tanks. 

99 Points - James Suckling
A complex yet super discreet nose with hints of wet stone, wet earth, peppercorn and graphite to the red and blue fruits. An elegant expression but this has an intense mid-palate with tight but silky tannins. Long, complex and soft-spoken. Nothing conspicuous here. Impeccable interplay between concentration and purity. Will age really well. Drinkable now but better from 2025.

98 Points - Wine Advocate
The 2021 Adrianna Vineyard Mundus Bacillus Terrae comes from 1.4 hectares within the Adrianna vineyard in Gualtallary, planted in 1992 at 1,390 meters above sea level. It's from a cooler year in Mendoza with some frost that delivered low yields and wines of good concentration and ripeness. It has 13.9% alcohol and notable acidity (7.3 grams of tartaric acid per liter of wine). Seventy-five percent of the volume started fermenting in concrete with 50% full clusters and the rest without stems or skins, only juice, in oak foudres and aged in oak barrels for 15 to 18 months. This is very straight, elegant and balanced, following the path toward elegance that started in 2019. The wine closed down in the glass and slowly unfurled layers of complexity. It's textured, with very fine-grained tannins and great balance, a very subtle note of spices and a very elegant mouthfeel. This wine has been getting better and better in the last few years, getting closer to the more austere profile of the River bottling from Adrianna vineyard (which is still a little more austere than this in the great 2021 vintage). 5,400 bottles produced. It was bottled in November 2022.


Product size: 750ml