2022 Bodegas Catena Zapata Argentino Malbec
| Type of Wine | Red |
|---|---|
| Country | |
| Region | Mendoza |
| Appellation | Mendoza (Appellation) |
| Winery | |
| Vintage | 2022 |
| Grape | |
| Content (Alc) | 0.75 ltr (14%) |
| Drink window | 2024 - 2034 |
Description
Although not confirmed (nor denied) by the RVD but this is Queen Maxima's favorite wine. This topper from Catena Zapata. This Argentina is the flagship of one of the best wineries in Argentina.
The Malbec 'Argentino' perfectly combines the characteristics of two large historical vineyards. The grapes come from the Adrianna vineyard, at an altitude of around 1500 metres, and the Nicasia vineyard, at an altitude of around 1200 metres. The Adrianne vineyard gives the wine its elegance and freshness, Nicasia gives it its strength and maturity. An ideal blend. The winemaking is the same as with the single vineyard wines. Fermentation takes place partly in wooden barrels of 225 litres and partly in barrels of 500 litres. The maturation in new French oak barrels lasts eighteen months. Some of the barrels are replaced by new barrels during the maturation. It is a wine that shows what the Malbec at altitude stands for: a model of pure, ripe fruit and great strength. The wine excels because of its ripe fruit and its balance, the combination of stimulating acids with deliciously ripe fruit and intensity.
The Argentino has an exceptional concentration and complexity. In the glass it has an almost saturated dark purple color; the nose offers cassis, mocha and cloves interspersed with earthy tones. It combines density and sweetness on the one hand with gripping flavors of tobacco, dark berries, spices and minerals; the finish is dominated by sweet black and blue fruits and continues to bombard the palate with silky tannins for minutes. The ageing potential is unprecedented.
Bodega Catena Zapata is considered the flagship of the wineries in Argentina. Robert Parker's statement says a lot: 'when all is said and done, Catena Zapata is the Argentina winery of reference, the standard of excellence'.
FACT: The wine is in our conditioned Wine Warehouse and if you come to pick up the wine you will also receive a nice discount. You will see your discount immediately when you choose Pick up in Checkout page. We are almost next to the Rijksweg with plenty of parking. Click here for our address.
Specifications
| Type of Wine | Red |
|---|---|
| Country | Argentina |
| Region | Mendoza |
| Appellation | Mendoza (Appellation) |
| Winery | Catena Zapata |
| Grape | Malbec |
| Biological certified | No |
| Natural wine | No |
| Vegan | No |
| Vintage | 2022 |
| Drinking as of | 2024 |
| Drinking till | 2034 |
| Alcohol % | 14 |
| Alcohol free/low | No |
| Content | 0.75 ltr |
| Oak aging | Yes |
| Sparkling | No |
| Dessert wine | No |
| Closure | Cork |
| Parker rating | 96 |
| James Suckling rating | 98 |
| Vinous rating | 95 |
| Tasting Profiles | Complex, Dry, Aged on wood, Powerful, Red fruit, Tannines, Full |
| Drink moments | Indruk maken, Lekker luxe |
Wijnhuis
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.
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