2022 Catena Zapata Cabernet Franc Appellations San Carlos

Valle de Uco/ Uco Valley is arguably the most fashionable wine region in South America. Located 88km to the south of the City of Mendoza, in the foothills of the Andes. Once solely an orchard area, vineyards emerged here only three decades ago, all boasting modern wineries.

Spanning the departments of Tunuyán, Tupungato, and San Carlos, this valley sits at elevations ranging from 850m to 1990m. Its unique blend of cool temperatures, poor calcareous soils, good drainage, and constant breezes yields robust wines with a high natural acidity. Malbec, Chardonnay, and Cabernet Franc thrive in these conditions! Uco Valley redefines Argentinian Malbec, crafting high-altitude wines that burst with vibrant colours, fragrant aromas, fresh acidity, and rich fruitiness.

The combination of climate, soils, altitude, and winemaking expertise has propelled the Uco Valley to the forefront of Argentina's wine scene. With ageing vines and precise grape-terroir matches, its wines can only go from strength to strength. 

Argentina, located in South America, is a long stretched country, which means that many different climate types occur. Most wine-growing areas are located in western Argentina. Here you will find the Andes Mountains that lie between Argentina and Chile. This Andes mountain range stops a lot of rain, so you will find many warm and dry areas in the west of Argentina. The vineyards in Argentina are often in the higher mountain section. The reason for this is that it is much cooler in the higher mountain section, which keeps the aromas of the grapes more intact.

Argentina used to produce bulk wines for its own population. Cereza and Criolla are the commonly used varieties for these bulk wines, because they yield a lot of grapes with a light pink colored skin. A white sweet wine was often produced from these grapes. Nowadays Argentina exports more wine abroad. The reason for this turnaround is the change in the quality of the wines. Where many bulk wines used to be produced, Argentina now mainly produces quality wines.

In Argentina you will now find many good types of wine, using well-known grape varieties, such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Chardonnay. The region with the largest area of wine-growing land is the Mendoza region. This region itself is also divided into different areas. In the north of Mendoza, for example, you will mainly find a fruity white wine and the red young wine. In the middle part of Mendoza you will find many quality wines, this is because the soil here contains many minerals. The reason that this soil contains so many minerals is the big difference in temperature between day and night. In this area you will find, for example, a very good quality Malbec, originally a French grape. This is by now the grape most cultivated in Argentina.

In addition to the Mendoza region, you will find Patagonia, a wine region located towards the South Pole, with the most famous regions being the Neuquen and the Rio Negro. Neuquen has a warm and dry climate. The soil in this wine region is ideal for producing a Pinot Noir or a Cabernet Sauvignon. Catena Zapata belongs to the absolute top from Mendoza and we have the honor to carry the range of them.

Red wine is made from blue grapes. The wines get their dark colour from the skin of the grape, which ferments with the grape juice. The intensity of the colour is determined by how long the juice has matured; a young red wine will have a somewhat purple colour, while older wines tend to be more orange or brown-red.

With around 10,000 varieties of grapes worldwide, you can go in all directions.

The most well-known blue grapes are Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Merlot, and Syrah / Shiraz.

Types of red wine

There are many different types of grapes with different characteristics and aromas. The differences within grape varieties are due to the difference in climate, the soil where the vines are planted, and the amount of sun.

The end result is in the hands of the winemaker. During the process from juice to wine, the winemaker still has a lot of options to change the final product into what he wants to put on the market.

The upbringing of the wine plays a major role in this. After fermentation, the process of raising and maturing the wine begins. There are many options for influencing the wine, but the most well-known concerns the ageing in wood.

If the winemaker chooses to raise the wine on wood, many things come into play. The first choice is whether new or older barrels will be used. Older, used barrels release less or no more aromas and tannins, but they still have an oxidative function. New wood barrels let in dosed oxygen and ensure that the wine has aromas and tannins. This is more intense with smaller barrels than with large wooden barrels.

Dry red wine

The most famous red wine is a dry red wine. The number of grape varieties and different taste profiles are enormous. There is a nice glass of red for every moment.

Sweet red wine

Just like sweet white wine, there is sweet red wine too! They are a lot rarer than dry red wines. If you want to try something different, it's definitely worth a try.

Alcohol-free red wine

Non-alcoholic wine is becoming more and more popular. Whether it is red non-alcoholic wine, white non-alcoholic wine, or sparkling non-alcoholic wine, more and more attention is being paid to it. Perfect for a cosy drink during pregnancy, or during a non-alcoholic month!

Red wine Gift

Red wine is fun to give, and even more fun to receive! Grandcruwijnen has ready-made wine gifts to make your gift recipient happy ;)

If you have your eye on a bottle of wine, at Grandcruwijnen we also have gift packaging to complete your gift! If you've found something you like, you can easily add a gift card during checkout.

Buy red wine online

At Grandcruwijnen you can easily buy red wine online. In our range, you will find products from the well-known grape varieties. If you want to buy a nice red wine, you have come to the right place at Grandcruwijnen. If you have any questions or comments, feel free to contact us!

The cabernet franc is used to make red wine, this blue grape is the predecessor of the well-known cabernet sauvignon and grows in the cooler places in the Bordeaux and Loire region. Often the Cabernet Franc grape is blended with the Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon grapes.

All about the Cabernet Franc grape

The little brother of the Cabernet Sauvignon; the cabernet franc! The French blue grape is used for making red wine. They are thick-skinned grapes and are grown in France, mainly the Loire and Bordeaux. The grape is often blended with cabernet sauvignon and merlot grapes.

In the Loire, the cabernet franc performs all by itself and ages in stainless steel or large barrels of old wood. In Bordeaux, the grape has to share the bottle with merlot and cabernet sauvignon.

The cabernet franc does well in relatively cool climates. Outside of France, the grape is grown in Northern Italy, California, and Hungary. The grape has an average ripening period and likes calcareous clay soil. Sandy soil is also possible, but then there must be sufficient moisture in the soil.

The grapes are smaller grapes with fewer tannins and slightly more acidity than its brother, the Cabernet Sauvignon.

Aromas in the Cabernet Franc grape

They may be smaller grapes, but they have thick skin. The skin contains a lot of tannins in the wine. The most common flavors are:

• Blackberries
• Strawberry
• Pepper
• Tobacco
• Green pepper

When the Cabernet Franc has been aged in wood, it is a powerful wine with tannins. In warmer regions, the Cabernet Franc grape becomes a sweeter grape with more fruit notes. The more sunlight and heat a grape receives, the higher the amount of sugar in the grape. This creates wines with a higher alcohol percentage!

Wine and food: Cabernet Franc wine

The firm tannins and high acidity make this grape great with food. Great combinations are:

• Grilled tuna steak (with the lighter versions of this wine)
• Calf
• Spicy risotto

Do you already have a dish in mind, but you don't know which wine goes with it? Grandcruwijnen has a smart sommelier option. You enter the ingredients of the dish, and we guarantee a good match for the dish!

How long should you keep a Cabernet Franc?

These wines can be stored for a very long time because the wines have a high tannin content. In short; the higher the tannin content, the longer you can keep the red wine. With a longer time in the bottle, the tannins soften, and the wine forms a wonderful balance between all the aromas, tannins, and acidity.

Grandcruwijnen always displays a drinking window. With each wine, you can see in which years the wine has the best potential!

I would like to buy a Cabernet Franc wine

A cabernet franc is a wine that every wine drinker must taste! Grandcruwijnen has cabernet franc wines for every budget. Would you like to find out more about the grape or a specific recommendation? Please feel free to contact us!