Catena Honored With Distinguished Service Award At Wine Spectator’s New World Wine Experience
October 22, 2012This past Thursday through Saturday, Wine Spectator brought its annual three-day New World Wine Experience extravaganza to Los Angeles for the first time in the Wine Experience’s history, with a lineup of more than 200 outstanding and classic wines. While strolling the spacious halls of the JW Marriott at L.A. Live, guests traversed the New World of wine, from California, Oregon, Washington and other U.S. areas to Argentina, Chile, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and beyond.
In addition to Grand Tastings held Thursday and Friday evening, the New World Wine Experience included a Seminar program from 9am to 3pm Friday and Saturday, highlighting key topics, producers and personalities from across the wine world. Saturday’s sessions included: a tasting of four exceptional vintages of Krug Champagne, led by Olivier Krug; a tasting of Penfolds Grange with winemaker Peter Gago; a Biodynamic Wines tasting with top producers; a tasting of Chateau d’Yquem with CEO Pierre Lurton; Australia Beyond Shiraz with Wine Spectator columnist Matt Kramer; New Perspectives on California Rhône Reds; a gourmet luncheon sponsored by the Washington State Wine Commission; a tasting of Maison Louis Jadot with president Pierre-Henry Gagey; and a tasting of Wine Spectator’s top 10 wines of 2011, with comments from each of the winemakers. Friday’s sessions included: a showing of the 2012 winner of Wine Spectator’s video contest; a tasting of Château Margaux with owner Corinne Mentzelopoulos; a blind tasting with a surprise expert panel; a tasting of Sine Qua Non with owner and winemaker Manfred Krankl; a food and wine tasting with chefs José Andrés, Emeril Lagasse, Wolfgang Puck and Charlie Trotter; a gourmet luncheon paired with wines selected by Napa Valley Vintners; and a Best of Italy tasting.
The New World Wine Experience concluded with a Grand Awards Banquet on Saturday evening. At the dinner, visionary Argentine vintner Nicolás Catena was honored with Wine Spectator’s Distinguished Service Award, presented to individuals who have made significant and long-lasting contributions to the wine industry. Catena was recognized for his work in helping to build Argentina’s wine industry into a global force, by developing Malbec as the country’s iconic grape and elevating Argentina to a position among the world’s most modern wine-producing regions. Previous winners of the Distinguished Service Award include Francis Ford Coppola, Piero Antinori, Baron Eric de Rothschild, Robert Mondavi, Ernest and Julio Gallo, Wolfgang Puck, Emeril Lagasse and Julia Child.
“I feel this is not only a personal distinction, but a recognition for the region where I was born and make wine,” Catena said. “After planting vineyards in many different areas of Mendoza, it became clear that each altitude and latitude define a unique terroir—a singular combination of temperature and sunlight intensity that produces different wines. It seems to me this is what distinguishes my region from other wine regions in the world.”
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