Catena Paraje Altamira Malbec 2023 Wine Review

Natalie's Score: 92/100

The Catena Appellation Paraje Altamira Malbec from the Uco Valley, Mendoza is a single-appellation, organically grown red from 30-year-old vines planted on ancient alluvial soils at nearly 3,600 feet above sea level, cold macerated and then aged 12 months in 85% French oak barrique with 35% new wood, opening with a refined and almost contemplative nose of crushed violet, dried thyme and a whisper of dried orange peel, while the medium-to-full-bodied palate delivers concentrated layers of dark wild plum, ripe fig and a chalky, mineral-driven tension that sets this wine apart from any typical Malbec, all wrapped in velvety yet structured tannins and a long, spiced, cassis-kissed finish. It is bone dry and built to reward patience, so serve it slightly below room temperature, decanting for 60 to 90 minutes, and cellar through 2027 before opening, enjoying through 2040. Head winemaker Alejandro Vigil, who joined the Catena family in 2002 and has since become one of Argentina's most celebrated winemaking talents, crafted this wine in close collaboration with Dr. Laura Catena, a Stanford-trained emergency room physician and fourth-generation vintner who conceived the entire Catena Appellation series after growing frustrated by journalists asking what would come after Malbec in Argentina, her now-legendary response being to challenge whether anyone would ask the winemaker of Romanée-Conti what would come after Pinot Noir in Burgundy. Catena Zapata was named the World's Best Vineyard in 2023 by Wine and Spirits, the first South American producer ever to claim that honour, and this specific bottling was ranked number 76 in Wine Spectator's Top 100 Wines of 2025. Pour it alongside a pepper-crusted dry-aged steak with a red wine and bone marrow reduction, where the wine's mineral intensity and dark fruit are a seamless match for the richness and depth of the dish, or serve it with a slow-braised venison pot pie fragrant with thyme and roasted garlic, letting the wine's structured elegance and warming finish weave magnificently through every satisfying bite.

Malbec food pairings: pepper steak, meat pot pies, roast chicken, turkey.

Charming Grilled Chicken Wine

This Catena Paraje Altamira Malbec 2023 was reviewed on March 21, 2026 by Natalie MacLean

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Please note that our reviews are based on a variety of sources: samples sent to our team, those we purchase in store, tasting events, those tasted in restaurants and while traveling domestically and internationally.

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