Ernesto Catena Padrillos Malbec Mendoza 2021 (Case Price)

When your dad is Nicolas Catena, the literal grandfather of Argentinian wine and the most respected man in the industry, it’s easy to get a leg up and easily establish your own brand. Just slap the family name on the label.

But Ernesto Catena didn’t want people to buy his wine just because his last name was Catena– he wanted them to buy a wine they thought was truly great – even beautiful. So he started his own winery as a clandestine project and kept almost every detail secret from prying eyes.

The front label simply reads ‘Padrillos Malbec’. It fits in perfectly with Ernesto’s goal to limit distractions and let the wine speak for itself. The name Padrillos means stallions in Spanish, and Ernesto has more than 30 retired polo ponies from his own farm that roam the vineyards.

Catena’s vineyards embody the wild spirit of Argentina and their winemaking. There are more than just horses throughout the vineyards. There are chickens, alpaca, and all kinds of curious critters that wander the hills, as Ernesto tries to incorporate farming techniques of the Mayans and Incas into his own.