2020 Bodegas Catena Zapata Nicolas
| Type of Wine | Red |
|---|---|
| Country | Argentina |
| Region | Mendoza |
| Appellation | Mendoza (Appellation) |
| Winery | Catena Zapata |
| Year | 2020 |
| Grape | Cabernet Sauvignon Malbec Petit Verdot |
| Content (Alc) | 0.75 ltr (14.5%) |
| Drink window | 2024 - 2034 |
The famous Adrianna vineyard in Gualtallary is perhaps the most studied vineyard in the world and is considered by many to be the best vineyard in Catena for malbec. Studies are now underway on soil composition and depth and the influence on quality. Soil life is also studied, with a focus on unique bacteria that promote water absorption. The vineyard is located at a respectable altitude of no less than 1480 meters. Under the tab: Attachment you will find a lot of information and photos about this wine and the vineyard.
This is the absolute top of Argentinian red. The wine is made from hand-picked cabernet sauvignon supplemented with malbec and a little Petit Verdot. The Nicolas Catena Zapata Nicolos first matures for 24 months in French oak and then for another 24 months in the bottle in the bodega. Only then will the wine hit the market, but it's worth the wait! The result is a wine that can compete with the world's best Bordeaux blends. This new world wine with a classic twist always scores well in blind tastings! The Nicolas Catena Zapata has an intense, deep red-purple color. On the nose, the Nicolas Cabernet Sauvignon has aromas of black fruits - blackberries, black cherries, black plums - with subtle notes of vanilla and dark chocolate mixed with savory hints of green olives and a stony minerality. In the mouth the wine is extremely complex and a new flavor unfolds layer upon layer. The wine is remarkably concentrated with a firm tannin structure as the backbone of the luscious fruit. The aftertaste is long and the wine has a long aging potential. This is a masterpiece and easily beats Bordeaux houses that are many times more expensive.
The top models of Catena Zapata are distributed via the Place du Bordeaux Negociance (where Grandcru wines can be purchased) and not via regular importers. This is currently happening with many high-end wines from the top houses from Napa Valley (e.g. Isignia), Italy (Masseto) and South America (Zapata and Sena). Bodega Catena Zapata is seen as the flagship of Argentina's wineries. Robert Parke's statement says a lot: 'when all is said and done, Catena Zapata is the Argentina winery of reference, the standard of excellence'.
95/100 Parker points & 98/100 James Suckling
FACT : In the Tab: Appendix you will find the official fact sheet of this beautiful wine. We will send it to you automatically when you order this wine. The wine is stored in our conditioned Wine Warehouse and if you pick up the wine you will often receive a nice discount. You will immediately see the possible discount if you choose Pickup in the Checkout page. We are almost next to the Rijksweg with plenty of parking. Click here for address.
The leading house Catena Zapata has been active in Argentinian viticulture for 4 generations. Bodega Catena Zapata was founded by Nicola Catena who left Italy by sailing ship to Argentina in 1898. He eventually ended up in Mendoza and planted his first vineyard here in 1902 with the grape variety Malbec. His son, Domingo, inherited the winery and realized his father's dream of becoming one of the greatest vineyard owners in Mendoza.
In the 1960s, the winery went through a difficult period due to the poor economy and rising inflation. Nicolás Catena, Domingo's son with an economics degree, took over in the mid-1960s and concentrated on expanding distribution in Argentina. He sold the table wine producing winery and kept only Bodegas Esmeralda, the winery of fine wines.
Argentina was known at the time as a bulk wine producing country and Nicolás was therefore considered crazy. But he insisted on looking for the best locations to plant vineyards, including in Gualtallary at high altitudes. In the 1980s he started to plant the grape varieties Chardonnay and Malbec. According to his own vineyard manager, the latter grape would never ripen here, but fortunately for Nicolás he did.
It took him five years before he was completely satisfied with the Malbec grape in the 60-year-old Angélica vineyard for the production of the Catena Malbec in 1994. A little later he started producing the Catena Alta wines, from the best plots. from its vineyards. He also grew many clones of the Malbec and managed to find the most suitable vineyard for each of them.
In the late 90s he started making some top cuvées which he called Catena Zapata (after the name of his mother Angélica Zapata). These wines are produced exclusively in exceptionally good years. Bodega Catena Zapata produces five different lines, mostly from vineyards at an altitude of 900 meters or more: Catena Zapata, Catena Alta, Catena, Alamos and Argento.
| Type of Wine | Red |
|---|---|
| Country | Argentina |
| Region | Mendoza |
| Appellation | Mendoza (Appellation) |
| Icons | Icon South America |
| Winery | Catena Zapata |
| Grape | Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Petit Verdot |
| Biological certified | No |
| Natural wine | No |
| Vegan | No |
| Year | 2020 |
| Drinking as of | 2024 |
| Drinking till | 2034 |
| Alcohol % | 14.5 |
| Alcohol free/low | No |
| Content | 0.75 ltr |
| Oak aging | Yes |
| Sparkling | No |
| Dessert wine | No |
| Closure | Cork |
| Promotion | En Primeur |
| Parker rating | 95 |
| James Suckling rating | 98 |
| Tasting Profiles | Complex, Dry, Aged on wood, Powerful, Red fruit, Tannines, Full |
| Drink moments | Indruk maken, Open haard |
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