The Catena family celebrates this achievement in the 16th edition of the Drinks International ranking, honoring all those who have contributed to the winery’s success for over more than a century.
On March 26th, Drinks International announced that Catena Zapata was voted The World’s Most Admired Wine Brand of 2026 by a hand-picked academy of experts, an accolade it proudly retains from 2025. Catena is the only Argentine winery featured in this year’s ranking. In the words of Drinks International: “Under the leadership of Laura Catena, this family-owned Argentine estate has become a global symbol of Malbec, a true standard barrier for South American wine.”The voting academy is composed of 100 independent wine buyers, sommeliers, MWs, leading bartenders, writers and educators to ensure unbiased results. The panel is asked to name the five wine brands they most admire, in descending order, considering the following criteria: the quality and consistency of the wine, the price-to-quality ratio, the strength of the branding, and other factors, such as sustainability and social and corporate responsibility.
Voting took place during February 2026 and each year they rotate a proportion of the academy to ensure a fair and progressive voting pool.Following the recognition from 2025, Catena Zapata reached once again the #1 spot in 2026 as the World’s Most Admired Wine Brand. Catena also took first place in the ranking in 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, marking this year’s award as the third time in the top spot, and the seventh year among the top 3.
Dr. Laura Catena responded: “I honestly can’t believe it. It seems like yesterday that my father and I were trying to convince the world that Argentine wine deserved a place among the best. I particularly want to thank the whole Catena team in Argentina. Their dedication is unparalleled. And also, I want to thank our lucky stars for this beautiful, unpolluted, natural and biodiverse place to make wines that is the high-altitude Andean region of Mendoza. I am truly grateful that my Italian great grandfather had the foresight to come to Argentina in the 19th Century.”Catena Zapata joins all 50 renowned brands in celebrating this great achievement, one that highlights the Catena family’s commitment to sustainable, terroir-driven winemaking, and continued efforts to make wines that can stand with the best in the world.