If the word “multifaceted” had a face, it would surely be Laura Catena’s. A trained medical doctor and a passionate advocate for Argentine wine, Laura has helped propel her country’s wine industry to global acclaim as the managing director of Bodega Catena Zapata, nestled in Agrelo, Luján de Cuyo, Mendoza.
Born in Mendoza, Argentina, in 1967, Laura represents the fourth generation of a family devoted to winemaking. The winery’s story began with her great-grandfather Nicola Catena, who immigrated from Italy to Argentina in 1898 and planted his first Malbec grapevines in 1902. Her grandfather, Domingo Catena, followed in his footsteps, passing the knowledge to Nicolás Catena Zapata—Laura’s father—who eventually shared his passion and wisdom with his daughter.
Before becoming a pioneer of Cabernet and Malbec, Laura pursued an academic path in the United States, earning a Bachelor’s degree in Biology from Harvard and an M.D. from Stanford University. While medicine, like many other industries, remains a field where glass ceilings exist, Laura never saw her gender as a limitation, working in the emergency room for 27 years as she worked on the family business.
This belief in herself helped lay the groundwork for her to step into a leadership role in Catena Zapata.
“I never saw any difference between men and women in my medical career. If there was one, I didn’t notice it.”
In 1995, her father invited her to join the family business. Laura recognized Argentina’s untapped potential to compete on the world stage, not just with its wines but with its winemaking legacy. That same year, combining her love of science and wine, she founded the Catena Institute of Wine, dedicated to producing world-class wines through research and innovation. She became the CEO of the family winery, working closely with Alejandro Vigil and Luis Reginato, directors of enology and viticulture, respectively.
At the age of 27, Laura took the reins of Catena Zapata. But she admits that the path wasn’t an easy one. With strong Italian roots, her family expected a man to take on the leadership role. Her father had to make the bold decision between Laura and her brother, ultimately choosing her as the company's next leader.
“So when I entered the wine world, I came in with the mindset that being a woman was perfectly normal... it never even crossed my mind that I might be seen as ‘less than.'"
“In an Italian family, the woman never gets the top job. My father knew he needed to ‘pass the torch,’ as they say. That was the hardest moment for me. But we made it through, and it’s been incredible. My brother now has his winery,” she said.
Under her leadership, Bodega Catena Zapata has received numerous accolades, including being named as one of the World’s Best Vineyards in 2023.
Never one to rest on her laurels, Laura has her own personal wine projects, including Luca, named after her eldest son, La Posta, and Domaine Nico. Although wine is her family legacy, medicine holds a special place in her heart. She continues to juggle both worlds while remaining a devoted wife and mother of three—Luca, Nicola, and Dante.