Catena - Nicolas Catena Zapata 2018 (750ml)
Price: $114.99
| Producer | Catena |
| Country | Argentina |
| Region | Mendoza |
| Subregion | Uco Valley |
| Varietal | Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec |
| Vintage | 2018 |
| Sku | 999540 |
| Size | 750ml |
| ABV | 13.90% |
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The Nicolás Catena Zapata 2018 stands as a testament to the Catena family's relentless pursuit of crafting Argentina's first luxury cuvée. This exquisite blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Malbec harkens back to the "Original Bordeaux Blend" of the 18th and 19th centuries, showcasing the historical dominance of Malbec in the region.
Crafted from pre-phylloxera Malbec and Cabernet Sauvignon vines, this wine is a true expression of Mendoza's unique terroir. The high-altitude vineyards of Adrianna and Nicasia, with their diverse soils and cool climates, imbue the wine with unparalleled depth and complexity.
The 2018 vintage reveals an intense, deep purple hue with bluish-black tones. Aromas of blackberries, black cherries, and black plums intertwine with subtle notes of vanilla, dark chocolate, green olive, and a stony minerality. The palate is a symphony of flavors, with layers of red currant, eucalyptus, and black pepper dancing alongside black cherries, cassis, and a hint of salinity.
The wine's structure is both firm and elegant, with fine-grained tannins supporting the lush fruit and ensuring a long, graceful finish. This is a wine that promises to age gracefully, revealing new layers of complexity with each passing year.
Wine Advocate: 96 Points
The 2018 Nicolás Catena Zapata was produced with 65% Cabernet Sauvignon from Gualtallary (Adrianna vineyard, with the Cabernet Sauvignon interplanted with some Cabernet Franc) and 35% Malbec from Altamira (Nicasia vineyard). They no longer use grapes from Agrelo, and this is also a lot higher in Malbec than in other recent vintages. So, it has a very different profile, a change that started in 2017, with more contained ripeness and more freshness, and the wine is intense, keeping some of the Cabernet character (tobacco, blackberries) and the floral notes from Malbec. It comes through as balanced and harmonious, with very fine tannins and a long finish and perfect ripeness. This aims to revive the style of Bordeaux before phylloxera, from massal selection of ungrafted vines... 62,400 bottles produced. It was bottled in December 2019.
