Lee Jackson's trip to Argentina to visit the Cantena vineyards in Mendoza.

1. Malbec Camp - Mendoza, Argentina
A journey inArgentine Wine, Food, and Culture

2. La Piramide
Catena Zapata - Home to the Catena Institute of Wine

3. 🍷 Malbec Camp is hosted by Laura
Catena (President - Catena Zapata
Wines)
🍷9 Passionate restaurant
professionals from across Canada
were invited for a crash course in all
thingsArgentina... Especially
Malbec
🍷All of Catena Zapata's
operations take place in the province
of Mendoza
🍷Mendoza is a desert located along
the foothills of theAndes Mountains
- They are vital to not only there
success in fine wine but also to life

4. 5 Major
Regions of
Mendoza
🍷Maipu, Lujan de
Cuyo,Tupungato, Tunuyan, and San
Carlos
🍷Catena Zapata has 6 major
vineyard sites located throughout
Mendoza

5. Malbec's Keys to Success in
Mendoza
🍷 In 1852 Frenchman Miguel A. Plight brought Malbec
grapes to Argentina from Bourdeaux
🍷 With over 330 days of sunshine, Malbec does not suffer
from a cloudy flowering period resulting in optimal fruit set
🍷 Only 8" of rain = no fungus disease which Malbec is
susceptible too
🍷 Organically poor sandy soils lead to low vigor and
naturally low yields of small, concentrated berries
🍷 Sandy soils naturally deter phylloxera allowing Malbec
to be grafted onto its own rootstocks
🍷 Lack of autumn rain means Malbec can hang longer to
achieve optimal maximum ripeness
🍷 Mendoza Malbec can be best described as dark, blackish
wine with rich dark fruit flavors and aromas; a full, yet soft
mouthfeel and a smooth, silky finish

6. 3 Predominant Soil Compositions
🍷Calcareous - Fossils and Crustaceans
🍷Deep sand - Most commonly with thin Clay and more sand
🍷Stony - Larger Limestone deposits mixed with sand

8. White Stones &
White Bones Chardonnay
🍷White stones is a phenomenal
Chablis style Chardonnay from
Catena's Adrienna Vineyard
🍷White bones was of equal
quality planted just 50m away
from the white stones grapes
the two terroir were completely
different
🍷Bones=Fossils.
Stones=Limestones.

9. Alejandro
Vigil
🍷Chief winemaker for Catena
Zapata
🍷Oversees 8000 hectares
🍷First ever vintage as winemaker in
2001 scored 98pts by Robert Parker
🍷We tasted that wine... Yum..

10. Dinner and Wine Tasting at Alejandro's Home
"El Enigma" isAlejandro's private label wine. He is experimenting with different varietals than the
typicalArgentine Malbec. He is convinced Cabernet Franc is perfect forArgentina's growing
conditions

11. Altitude and Andes Mountains
🍷1650m (4800ft) is the highest vineyard allowing for intense sun exposure
🍷At night the temperature can drop as much as 25c allowing grapes to rest
🍷Andes create a cloud curtain that protects Mendoza from rain and cloud coverage

12. Irrigation - The Importance of the
Andes Mountains
🍷 On average it rains only 8" each year
(Niagara averages 32.5")
🍷 Mendoza is a desert - Government rations
the amount of water to each landowner, each
year varies dependent on snowfall in the Andes
🍷 2 methods of irrigation exist in Mendoza
🍷 1)Drip Irrigation - a system of coils that slow
drip directly to the root of the plant
🍷 2)Flood Irrigation - All through Mendoza is a
system of channels that were built by the
Mayan Natives. Water is rooted through man
made channels to flood the vineyard.
🍷 Allotments of water are given every 3 weeks

13. Mendoza Malbec has thick skin!
🍷Due to the high altitudes the
vines are naturally closer To the sun
🍷Because of the intensity of the
sun the grapes instinctively grow
thicker skin in order to protect the
seed inside
🍷These skins help to condense
juices inside the grape and provide
the structure required to create a
big bold red wine with tannins that
are desired in a full wine

14. Nicolas Catena Zapata and "The
Catena Zapata Malbec Cuttings"
🍷 3rd generation winemaker
🍷 2009 Decanter Man of the Year
🍷 In 1980's founded the Catena Institute of Wine
- determined to make quality Malbec in Mendoza
🍷 In 1993; 145 cuttings were selected from the
best vines of Catena's existing vineyards
🍷 1996; 15 best were selected and separately
vinified and characteristics compared (aroma,
concentration, natural acidity, ripening time,
typicity, astringency, flavor sensation)
🍷 1997; 5 best cuttings were selected (dubbed
"The Catena Zapata Cuttings") lot 10, 26, 80, 104,
and 120 were planted in all Catena vineyards

15. Dr. Laura Catena - President Catena
Zapata Wines
🍷4th generation Winemaker at
Catena Zapata
🍷Emergency Room Physician
at San Francisco Hospital (6
days month)
🍷Author of Vino Argentino
🍷Graduate of Harvard
University Biology and Stanford
University Medical Doctorate

16. Argentina Wine Importing and our
blind tasting with Laura Catena
🍷Argentine Government does not
allow any importing of wine into
Argentina. The effects of this is a
very successful domestic market
alternatively a sheltered wine culture
🍷We all brought 2 bottles from
around the world for a Blind Tasting
-A real treat for our hosts
🍷The wines were recorked and
brought to the vineyards for others to
taste (pictures of selected wines on
next slide)

18. Argentine Food "Asado"
"Asado" is King inArgentina - Outdoor Barbecue Kitchens are the norm in
the backyards ofArgentine people and in public parks and spaces

19. Martin the Asador and "The
Butcher"
🍴 The "Asador" is a key player in
Argentine kitchens. The expert of
the Asado
🍴Beef is the most popular item
on the menu. The average
Argentinian eats beef 5 days per
week
🍴 Typically an entire cow will be
butchered fresh and cooked
onsite by the Asador. We were
treated to this unique experience

20. A photo diary of Malbec
Camp 2015

22. Park Hyatt - Mendoza City

25. La Vendimia - Our home for
the week

29. The Wine Tastings

35. Food
-Empanadas Cooking Lesson

40. People

44. In the Vineyards / At the Winery

50. Last Few Random Favorites
Thank you for taking the time to check out my journey through Mendoza

51. Wild dogs
Dogs run wild in Mendoza - Vineyards will feed a small pack to protect the
vineyard from other strays. Dog fights at night could be heard quite clearly

64. Finished it off with a baby in the seat next to me all
the way home! 10-hour flight - selfie to prove it

65. The end