Catena Zapata
About Catena Zapata
Nicolas Catena is the man known for revolutionizing Argentine wine in the 1980s, introducing the world to Malbec. A pioneer of high-altitude Malbec in Argentina, Catena Zapata was the first to venture into the wild and unknown vineyard area called Gualtallary in Mendoza. After more than 100 years of winemaking history, the family estate is now in the hands of Laura Catena.
Viniculture
While some prefer the European style of Malbec from the Adrianna vineyard; others prefer the more powerful style from Nicasia. Then there are those who sit on the fence (or perhaps, prefer the balance) and enjoy the blend of both Adrianna and Nicasia vineyards, in the Argentino.
The Nicolas Catena cuvée is named after the man himself who is probably more responsible than anyone else for the superb reputation the wines of Argentina enjoy in the fine wine world today. With its inaugural 1997 vintage, Nicolas Catena became the first luxury cuvée from Argentina to be exported around the world. The wine recreates the “Original Bordeaux Blend” of the 18th and 19th Centuries, when Malbec dominated over Merlot and was in equal standing to Cabernet Sauvignon in the Médoc.
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Prices:
| Product Name | Region | Qty | Score | Price | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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Mendoza | 2 | 92+ (VN) |
Inc. VAT
£937.98 |
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Vinous (92+)Full ruby-red. Musky dark fruits and bitter chocolate on the brooding nose, with a strong kirsch note emerging with aeration. Powerful and deep but youthfully closed, with terrific grip to the flavors of cassis, dark chocolate and minerals. Quite closed and young today, but with its fine-grained tannins and slowly building persistence this single-vineyard malbec appears to be built for a positive evolution in bottle. |
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Mendoza | 1 | 98 (JS) |
Inc. VAT
£2,628.46 |
|||||
James Suckling (98)This is a phenomenal malbec with intense blue fruits such as blueberries and blackberries. Black truffle, too. Full-bodied, bright and juicy with fantastic power and richness. Yet the acidity just keeps going. Volcanic salt and white peppers. A thoroughly breathtaking wine. Try after 2020. |
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Mendoza | 1 | 97 (WA) |
Inc. VAT
£868.06 |
|||||
Wine Advocate (97)Cropped from a cooler and wetter year, the 2016 Adrianna Vineyard Fortuna Terrae was bottled with six months less time in oak than in other years. The wines are somehow lighter and more mineral, and they didn't want the oak to mark them. This comes from deeper soils that deliver more fruit, and of the three reds from Adrianna, this is always the one that shows more gentle, approachable and open, with more fruit up front. There are some notes of tobacco and spices. Considering how young the wine is and the fact that it will not be released for another year, the wine is going to be immediately appealing on release but should also develop nicely in bottle. The 2016 is the most complete of the three vintages I tasted together—2014, 2015 and 2016. They bottled some 5,000 bottles in March 2018. |
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|
Mendoza | 1 | 98+ (WA) |
Inc. VAT
£810.78 |
|||||
Wine Advocate (98+)The single-vineyard 2004 Malbec “Argentino Vineyard” spent 17 months in new French oak. Remarkably fragrant and complex aromatically, it offers up aromas of wood smoke, creosote, pepper, clove, black cherry, and blackberry. Made in a similar, elegant style, it is the most structured of the three single vineyard wines, needing a minimum of a decade of additional cellaring. It should easily prove to be a 25-40 year wine. It is an exceptional achievement in Malbec. |
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|
|
Mendoza | 2 | 97+ (WA) |
Inc. VAT
£873.18 |
|||||
Wine Advocate (97+)The 2005 Malbec Argentino is a blend of the Nicasia and Adrianna Vineyards. As is often the case, the blend is better (although not by much) than either of the individual components. It offers greater complexity both aromatically and on the palate, opulence, great fruit expression, and superb aging potential. Drink this beautifully rendered wine from 2015 to 2035. |
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|
|
Mendoza | 1 | 94 (WA) |
Inc. VAT
£805.66 |
|||||
Wine Advocate (94)The 2010 Catena Zapata Malbec Argentino is a blend of grapes from Adrianna and Nicasia, from the deepest, coolest soils in those vineyards, in Gualtallary and Altamira. They were looking for something that represents the essence of Malbec. The first vintage for this wine was 2004, when they finally found the blend and character they were looking for. The name they wanted to use for the wine was Malbec Puro, but they didn’t want any confusion with cigars, so they called it Malbec Argentino instead! It is very aromatic with floral notes, mainly violets and blue fruit, and is nicely defined. It is opulent with sweet tannins but with the hallmark of the freshness found in all the wines from those two vineyards, precise and long. Drink 2015-2020. |
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|
|
Mendoza | 1 | 93 (VN) |
Inc. VAT
£810.78 |
|||||
Vinous (93)Sexy scents of red and black fruits, coffee and herbs. Dense, juicy and fine-grained, conveying terrific energy to its flavors of currant, chocolate and mocha. This is less thick than some of the new Malbec releases from Catena but it's still a bit youthfully imploded and in need of more time in bottle. But it has the dusty tannins and fresh supporting acidity to reward aging. In the early going, its penetrating character reminds me a bit of Cabernet. (60% from Nicasia Vineyard in Paraje Altamira and 40% from Angelica Vineyard in Lunlunta; Vigil describes this wine as an old-vine blend--a mix of new and old _terroirs) |
|||||||||
|
|
Mendoza | 1 | 94 (VN) |
Inc. VAT
£805.66 |
|||||
Vinous (94)Since 2015, this wine has been made using grapes from two vineyards located about a thousand meters above sea level, one in Angélica in Lunlunta, Maipú, and the other in Nicasia in San Carlos, Uco Valley, both harvested in two stages and fermented in open barrels, 20% with whole bunches. Dark purple in the glass. The alluring nose delivers ripe dark fruit with hints of herbs and fine wood that make for a balsamic red with further notes of thyme and violets. Sugary at first with good volume; the gentle tannins allow the wine to flow genially in a classical, nuanced Mendoza Malbec style. |
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|
|
Mendoza | 1 | 99 (JS) |
Inc. VAT
£836.86 |
|||||
James Suckling (99)This is made from over 100-year-old vineyards and offers blackberries with blue fruit and dark chocolate. Shows bark and black truffle undertones, too. Tight and more focused than in past vintages. The quality of the tannins is more precise and fine. Blackberries and black truffles at the end. Drink or hold. |
|||||||||
|
|
Mendoza | 4 | 96 (WA) |
Inc. VAT
£835.66 |
|||||
Wine Advocate (96)The 2005 Malbec Nicasia Vineyard spent 18 months in 100% new French oak. Opaque purple-colored, it displays an expressive perfume of wood smoke, mineral, scorched earth, allspice, black cherry, and blackberry. On the palate it is full-bodied with gobs of savory fruit, a smooth texture, sweet flavors, and superb depth. It will evolve for 5-7 years and offer prime drinking from 2013 to 2027. |
|||||||||
|
|
Mendoza | 2 | 97 (JS) |
Inc. VAT
£805.66 |
|||||
James Suckling (97)A big, rich red with blackberry, chocolate, toasted oak, peat and flowers. It’s full-bodied and layered and very flavorful in the finish. Still very youthful, but shows tension and focus. Drink or hold. |
|||||||||
|
|
Mendoza | 3 | 96 (WA) |
Inc. VAT
£805.66 |
|||||
Wine Advocate (96)The 2013 Nicolás Catena Zapata is a blend of 75% Cabernet Sauvignon and 25% Malbec from the La Pirámide, Adrianna and Nicasia vineyards. It is perfectly clean and focused, a noticeable improvement over the 2012 vintage. The Cabernet Sauvignon from this cool vintage seems to have a more restrained character that made me think of Cabernet Franc, very classical and serious. They have been harvesting earlier and earlier in search of balance and freshness, and the strategy has definitely worked. It has great freshness and focus, and the lower alcohol and acidity seem to make the wine integrate the oak very nicely. This has to be one of the finest vintages of Nicolás Catena Zapata. 55,000 bottles produced. |
|||||||||
|
|
Mendoza | 1 | 98 (JS) |
Inc. VAT
£1,123.66 |
|||||
James Suckling (98)This has a complex nose of baked blackberries, grilled plums, dried earth, moss, pine cones, sandalwood, charcoal and cloves. It’s medium-bodied with firm, tightly knit tannins. Wow. So much going on. Layered, seamless and silky. Incredible length. Keeps going. 42% cabernet sauvignon, 30% malbec and 28% cabernet franc. Try this from 2024. |
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| Product Name | Region | Qty | Score | Price | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
Mendoza | 2 | 92+ (VN) |
In Bond
£756.00 |
|||||
Vinous (92+)Full ruby-red. Musky dark fruits and bitter chocolate on the brooding nose, with a strong kirsch note emerging with aeration. Powerful and deep but youthfully closed, with terrific grip to the flavors of cassis, dark chocolate and minerals. Quite closed and young today, but with its fine-grained tannins and slowly building persistence this single-vineyard malbec appears to be built for a positive evolution in bottle. |
|||||||||
|
|
Mendoza | 1 | 98 (JS) |
In Bond
£2,169.00 |
|||||
James Suckling (98)This is a phenomenal malbec with intense blue fruits such as blueberries and blackberries. Black truffle, too. Full-bodied, bright and juicy with fantastic power and richness. Yet the acidity just keeps going. Volcanic salt and white peppers. A thoroughly breathtaking wine. Try after 2020. |
|||||||||
|
|
Mendoza | 1 | 97 (WA) |
In Bond
£702.00 |
|||||
Wine Advocate (97)Cropped from a cooler and wetter year, the 2016 Adrianna Vineyard Fortuna Terrae was bottled with six months less time in oak than in other years. The wines are somehow lighter and more mineral, and they didn't want the oak to mark them. This comes from deeper soils that deliver more fruit, and of the three reds from Adrianna, this is always the one that shows more gentle, approachable and open, with more fruit up front. There are some notes of tobacco and spices. Considering how young the wine is and the fact that it will not be released for another year, the wine is going to be immediately appealing on release but should also develop nicely in bottle. The 2016 is the most complete of the three vintages I tasted together—2014, 2015 and 2016. They bottled some 5,000 bottles in March 2018. |
|||||||||
|
|
Mendoza | 1 | 98+ (WA) |
In Bond
£650.00 |
|||||
Wine Advocate (98+)The single-vineyard 2004 Malbec “Argentino Vineyard” spent 17 months in new French oak. Remarkably fragrant and complex aromatically, it offers up aromas of wood smoke, creosote, pepper, clove, black cherry, and blackberry. Made in a similar, elegant style, it is the most structured of the three single vineyard wines, needing a minimum of a decade of additional cellaring. It should easily prove to be a 25-40 year wine. It is an exceptional achievement in Malbec. |
|||||||||
|
|
Mendoza | 2 | 97+ (WA) |
In Bond
£702.00 |
|||||
Wine Advocate (97+)The 2005 Malbec Argentino is a blend of the Nicasia and Adrianna Vineyards. As is often the case, the blend is better (although not by much) than either of the individual components. It offers greater complexity both aromatically and on the palate, opulence, great fruit expression, and superb aging potential. Drink this beautifully rendered wine from 2015 to 2035. |
|||||||||
|
|
Mendoza | 1 | 94 (WA) |
In Bond
£650.00 |
|||||
Wine Advocate (94)The 2010 Catena Zapata Malbec Argentino is a blend of grapes from Adrianna and Nicasia, from the deepest, coolest soils in those vineyards, in Gualtallary and Altamira. They were looking for something that represents the essence of Malbec. The first vintage for this wine was 2004, when they finally found the blend and character they were looking for. The name they wanted to use for the wine was Malbec Puro, but they didn’t want any confusion with cigars, so they called it Malbec Argentino instead! It is very aromatic with floral notes, mainly violets and blue fruit, and is nicely defined. It is opulent with sweet tannins but with the hallmark of the freshness found in all the wines from those two vineyards, precise and long. Drink 2015-2020. |
|||||||||
|
|
Mendoza | 1 | 93 (VN) |
In Bond
£650.00 |
|||||
Vinous (93)Sexy scents of red and black fruits, coffee and herbs. Dense, juicy and fine-grained, conveying terrific energy to its flavors of currant, chocolate and mocha. This is less thick than some of the new Malbec releases from Catena but it's still a bit youthfully imploded and in need of more time in bottle. But it has the dusty tannins and fresh supporting acidity to reward aging. In the early going, its penetrating character reminds me a bit of Cabernet. (60% from Nicasia Vineyard in Paraje Altamira and 40% from Angelica Vineyard in Lunlunta; Vigil describes this wine as an old-vine blend--a mix of new and old _terroirs) |
|||||||||
|
|
Mendoza | 1 | 94 (VN) |
In Bond
£650.00 |
|||||
Vinous (94)Since 2015, this wine has been made using grapes from two vineyards located about a thousand meters above sea level, one in Angélica in Lunlunta, Maipú, and the other in Nicasia in San Carlos, Uco Valley, both harvested in two stages and fermented in open barrels, 20% with whole bunches. Dark purple in the glass. The alluring nose delivers ripe dark fruit with hints of herbs and fine wood that make for a balsamic red with further notes of thyme and violets. Sugary at first with good volume; the gentle tannins allow the wine to flow genially in a classical, nuanced Mendoza Malbec style. |
|||||||||
|
|
Mendoza | 1 | 99 (JS) |
In Bond
£676.00 |
|||||
James Suckling (99)This is made from over 100-year-old vineyards and offers blackberries with blue fruit and dark chocolate. Shows bark and black truffle undertones, too. Tight and more focused than in past vintages. The quality of the tannins is more precise and fine. Blackberries and black truffles at the end. Drink or hold. |
|||||||||
|
|
Mendoza | 4 | 96 (WA) |
In Bond
£675.00 |
|||||
Wine Advocate (96)The 2005 Malbec Nicasia Vineyard spent 18 months in 100% new French oak. Opaque purple-colored, it displays an expressive perfume of wood smoke, mineral, scorched earth, allspice, black cherry, and blackberry. On the palate it is full-bodied with gobs of savory fruit, a smooth texture, sweet flavors, and superb depth. It will evolve for 5-7 years and offer prime drinking from 2013 to 2027. |
|||||||||
|
|
Mendoza | 2 | 97 (JS) |
In Bond
£650.00 |
|||||
James Suckling (97)A big, rich red with blackberry, chocolate, toasted oak, peat and flowers. It’s full-bodied and layered and very flavorful in the finish. Still very youthful, but shows tension and focus. Drink or hold. |
|||||||||
|
|
Mendoza | 3 | 96 (WA) |
In Bond
£650.00 |
|||||
Wine Advocate (96)The 2013 Nicolás Catena Zapata is a blend of 75% Cabernet Sauvignon and 25% Malbec from the La Pirámide, Adrianna and Nicasia vineyards. It is perfectly clean and focused, a noticeable improvement over the 2012 vintage. The Cabernet Sauvignon from this cool vintage seems to have a more restrained character that made me think of Cabernet Franc, very classical and serious. They have been harvesting earlier and earlier in search of balance and freshness, and the strategy has definitely worked. It has great freshness and focus, and the lower alcohol and acidity seem to make the wine integrate the oak very nicely. This has to be one of the finest vintages of Nicolás Catena Zapata. 55,000 bottles produced. |
|||||||||
|
|
Mendoza | 1 | 98 (JS) |
In Bond
£915.00 |
|||||
James Suckling (98)This has a complex nose of baked blackberries, grilled plums, dried earth, moss, pine cones, sandalwood, charcoal and cloves. It’s medium-bodied with firm, tightly knit tannins. Wow. So much going on. Layered, seamless and silky. Incredible length. Keeps going. 42% cabernet sauvignon, 30% malbec and 28% cabernet franc. Try this from 2024. |
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