WTSO’s Premium Wine Club grants exclusive access to some of the world’s top bottlings at one low monthly rate. Explore our new collection of reds, curated to offer a journey through the vineyards and heritage of winemaking. Each bottle tells an amazing story, and Dr. Laura Catena will join our online tasting event to bring these narratives to life.
Crafted from old-vine, high-elevation Argentine vineyards, Luca Wines epitomize artisan wines, offering exceptional quality and honoring heritage. Now celebrating its 25th year, founder Laura Catena explores the potential of family-owned vineyards in Argentina’s Uco Valley region.
Who is Dr. Laura Catena?
Before diving further into this venture, it’s important to understand Ms. Catena’s deep-rooted connection to the wine industry. Born in Mendoza, Argentina, she comes from a lineage of vintners. Her great-grandfather, Nicola Catena, planted the family’s first vineyards in Mendoza in 1902. Her grandfather, Domingo Catena, expanded the business by shipping wines to Buenos Aires. Her father, Nicolas Catena Zapata, saved the business from bankruptcy by making bold decisions and producing luxury wines to compete internationally.
Upon joining the family business in 1995, Catena approached her work with empathic leadership. Under her guidance, Catena Wines received their first 100-point rating from wine critic Robert Parker Jr. and became the first South American winery invited to the New York Wine Experience. Argentina’s fine wine industry began to gain international recognition, breaking barriers and impressing heavyweights such as the Rothschild family. This not only benefited the Catena family winery but created jobs in Mendoza.
Before becoming a fourth generation vintner and wine advocate, Catena began her career as an ER Doctor. She said, “When I started as a doctor, it was hard for me to see the impact of money in helping people. I thought it was all about caring. You can care all you want, but if people do not have food, if people do not have a good chance at an education, a nice house, all the caring in the world is not going to help them.” (via Harvard Business School)
Exploring the Possibilities of Fine Wine
The positive effect on the local economy ignited her passion for the wine business, and she continued to explore new ventures. The same year, she founded the Catena Institute of Wine, which studies the terrain and grapes of Catena Zapata’s Adrianna vineyard. By partnering with academics they advance wine knowledge and promote Argentina’s wine regions.
The importance of community and the rewards of teamwork led Laura onto her next great endeavor: Luca Wines. Emerging from a landscape where growers and wineries initially distrusted each other, Luca Wines began with several milestones: preserving historic vineyards, focusing on quality rather than maximizing profits, and innovating with varieties like Syrah from pre-phylloxera vines brought from the Rhône Valley.
Each wine, treated as an artisanal creation, embodies a deep familial connection and cultural legacy, reflected in the family crest on every label. Certified sustainable by Bodegas de Argentina, Luca Wines exemplifies Catena’s dedication to preserving nature, culture, and community.
Join the Premium Wine Club
Join the WTSO.com monthly wine subscription and attend our upcoming tasting with fellow wine enthusiasts. This collection features three prestigious wines crafted by the esteemed Dr. Laura Catena! Discover the elegance and heritage of Argentine winemaking with these luxury wines, each showcasing the exceptional terroir of Mendoza:
Luca Malbec “Paraje Altamira” 2021
In Altamira, Uco Valley, the vineyards thrive in shallow, rocky, alluvial soils irrigated by Andes snowmelt. Hand-harvested grapes undergo 12 months of aging: 30% in new French barrels and 70% in second-use French barrels, reflecting Luca’s commitment to sustainability certified by Bodegas de Argentina. This Malbec offers notes of black cherry, dark berry, violet, vanilla, and mocha, with a deep, dense palate and rounded tannins. It beautifully captures Altamira’s sunny days and cold nights, ideal for pairing with steak, pork, or chicken in rich sauces.
Luca Syrah “Laborde Double Select” 2022
Planted in 1964 with a double massal selection of Syrah vines from France’s Rhône Valley by viticulturist Luis Laborde, this wine reflects a legacy of over half a century. Grown at an average elevation of 3,500 feet, the vineyard produces grapes of exceptional quality. Luca Wines dedicates itself to premium winemaking by crafting the Syrah Laborde Double Select exclusively from these grapes, aging it in a combination of new and second-use French oak barrels to enhance its complexity and character.
Named after Catena’s son Dante, this variety honors the ancient Bordeaux blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Malbec, immortalized by the 1855 Bordeaux Classification. Crafted from Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, and Cabernet Franc sourced from vineyards in Altamira, La Consulta, and Gualtallary in the Uco Valley, these grapes thrive at 3,500 feet elevation on average, boasting an average vine age of 31 years. Aging in partially new and second-use French oak barrels enhances the wine’s depth and complexity.