Nico by Luca 2020
WINE OVERVIEW

Luca is Laura Catena's passion project to rescue old vines and produce wines that express the history and soul of Mendoza's century-old vineyards. She believes that “old vines are family” and strives to highlight the vignerons behind the wines and preserve the genetic diversity of Mendoza's historic vines. Luca purchases fruit from small growers, allowing these families to continue farming for another generation. She replants her vineyards using massale selections from Mendoza's 100-year-old vineyards. The historic G-Lot parcels of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay in Gualtallary were planted over 30 years ago and are at the edge of where grapes can ripen in Mendoza, at nearly 5,000 feet elevation. Laura Catena is a 4th generation vintner, mother of three, author, ER doctor, and one of the wine industry's most prominent voices. In 2023, she was given the first "Old Vine Hero" award by The Old Vine Conference. Luis Reginato works beside Laura as Luca's winemaker and the Vineyard Director for Catena Zapata Family Vineyards. Luca has had 10 wines recognized as Top 100 Wine of the Year. Luca is named after Laura's first son, who was born the same year the brand was founded.

Tasting Notes

Deep, dark color—you could use it in an inkwell! Dense and concentrated but never loses its ability to exude the red and black fruits and spice that are the true expression of Malbec in Mendoza. This is a huge wine that is a blend of old-vine grapes from 2 of Mendoza’s most respected growers, located in two different districts. Only 4 barrels produced. While you certainly could drink this now, it will improve considerably with 3-5 years in the bottle. If you do drink it now, decant a few hours before drinking.

Food Pairing

Try with meats such as beef, pork or chicken. Pairs well with aged cheeses.

Tech Details

The vineyards are located in Uco Valley: Altamira (Paganotto Vineyard) and La Consulta (Rosas Vineyard). The grapes are hand-harvested and aged for 24 months in 33% new French oak (500 liter barrels) and 67% in 2nd use French oak (500 liter barrels). All Luca wines are certified sustainable through Bodegas de Argentina
Varietal Composition:
100% Malbec
Avg Elevation:
5000 feet
Avg Age of Vines:
82 years
Cases Imported:
240
Alcohol:
14.2%
Size:
3/750ml
UPC Code:
835603001402