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| Drinking Windows and Values |
| Community Tasting History |
| Community Tasting Notes (average 90.3 pts. and median of 90 pts. in 50 notes) - hiding notes with no text | | | Tasted by kfrench150 on 7/30/2021 & rated 93 points: Decanted for about an hour. Lots of chunky sediment. Very dark, young looking magenta purple in colour. Barely transparent. Lovely, lifted nose, almost floral, but loaded with fresh, ripe black and red fruit, graphite, black suede and pencil shavings. More air brings out some cocoa powder and black licorice as well. Full bodied, gobs of sweet, ripe fruit, high glycerine, abundant yet mellow tannins and nice acid on the finish to balance everything out. The flavours are all in the dark pallet and include blackberry, black plum and especially black currant pastille. Also layers of fennel, roasted herbs, light tar and chalk. Excellent! (770 views) | | | Tasted by lewisrise on 7/17/2021 & rated 91 points: The wine is deep purple with medium intensity fully developed aromas of Violet, blackberry, black Plum, bramble, blueberry, cloves, nutmeg, tar, mushroom, and meaty. This is a dry wine with high alcohol and medium + acidity medium + tannins. This is a medium plus body wine with medium intensity flavors of blackberry, ramble, blueberry, black plum, Violet, cloves, nutmeg, charred wood, tar, mushroom, tobacco, meat. The wine has a medium finish and is A very good wine that should be drunk now and not suitable for further aging. (705 views) | | | Tasted by JohnSh on 9/26/2018 & rated 88 points: This was better on the second night. Still not very complex, but a solid malbec with a nice texture and appropriate tannins and overall balance (B+). (1857 views) | | | Tasted by Topper on 8/2/2018 & rated 89 points: Not much different from a year ago. Big and still some rough tannins. Fairly one-dimensional but holds up well to steak (1944 views) | | | Tasted by iamandyc on 1/1/2018 & rated 91 points: Drank very well and developed a bit more structure with a 3 hour slow ox. It has the typical rich fruit of other vintages of this wine. Finish is fairly long for a malbec. Not that complex however. (2098 views) | | | Tasted by AAJR on 12/16/2017 & rated 90 points: Still drinking nicely at this age. (1707 views) | | | Tasted by wineshaman on 2/5/2017 & rated 88 points: PNP, drank over two hours, typical inky Malbec color, classic chocolate notes, rustic core, blackberry notes, low complexity, some spicy notes, I doubt this will improve but should hold for a few years. (2381 views) | | | Tasted by lagavulin on 6/19/2016 & rated 89 points: Fruit forward with a spicy back-end. Blackberries, current, cocoa, nutmeg and allspice. Balanced, subtle with a medium body. Some fresh cut grass on the finish. Reminds me of autumn. It needs a few hours of air to show. (2308 views) | | | Tasted by Topper on 4/26/2016 & rated 90 points: Dark, chocolate, with cocoa and spice but not quite everything nice. Full and rich but not very multidimensional. I didn't love this, but take that with a grain of salt as Malbec rarely reaches the top of my hit parade. (2265 views) | | | Tasted by corkscrews on 10/1/2014 & rated 91 points: A nose of dark fruits and spices, dark purple in color. A full bodied red, with black cherry, blackberry, cocoa and Asian spices. Still needs a good decant, very good. www.winelx.com (2950 views) | | | Tasted by socidelvino on 6/28/2014 & rated 91 points: - It's balanced with a medium/full body. Smooth texture with a long finish - Deep purple. Cherries, dried fruit, smokiness. Structured, nice fruit, well balanced, long finish. (2968 views) | | | Tasted by millerarner on 12/23/2013 & rated 92 points: Nice non-jammy fruit with aromatics of chocolate, spice, tobacco box, and just a hint of barnyard. Masculine, yet elegant with polished tannins. It's a powerful wine that doesn't overpower. (2868 views) | | | Tasted by peter.mancell@mfg.com.au on 3/17/2013 & rated 94 points: Huge wine with massive mouth feel. Serious dark fruit with a very long finish. Not silky smooth but nonetheless seamless. Spicy character hinted at from the nose. Tremendous wine with red meat.....viva Argentina! (3629 views) | | | Tasted by Iceman611 on 3/10/2013 & rated 92 points: Top tier Malbec. So fruity and chocolate-y (3349 views) | | | Tasted by Rktekt3 on 12/30/2012 & rated 90 points: Might have needed a fewmore years to develope. Plus i feel that there are a few malbecs from mendoza that are better or at least equal for half the price. (2748 views) | | | Tasted by socidelvino on 11/30/2012 & rated 88 points: Eye: dark purple, violet. Nose: cherries, vanilla, herbs. Palate: good structure, tannins still quite good, nice fruit, spice and pepper, hint of melon?, medium body and finish. (2397 views) | | | Tasted by jersyko on 8/23/2012 & rated 91 points: Very dark purple. Nose has black fruit, mild oak, alcohol, and a sugary sweet back end. Taste is very good. Blackberry, black cherry, and some residual sweetness. This could sit for a few more years. (2933 views) | | | Tasted by socidelvino on 8/2/2012 & rated 88 points: Eye: dark reddish purple. Nose: herbs, cherries, minerals. Palate: good structure, nice fruit, full body, short finish, needs decanting. (1562 views) | | | Tasted by gcarrillo on 6/16/2012 & rated 93 points: de los mejores malbecs que he probado, en nariz es muy especiado, especias dulces, frutos rojo y negros maduros equilibrados, taninos firmes cuerpo medio, sin duda un referente en malbecs. (2332 views) | | | Tasted by chuckk on 5/26/2012 & rated 87 points: This was a nice wine. I popped and poured, drinking half the bottle. I then came back to the rest the next day. The wine still held its form and had smoothed quite a bit. I'd wouldn't rush to buy this again but was nice.
Color - Dark opaque violet color. Nose - Ripe dark & berry fruits with some floral notes. Feel - full and coating, good weight on the tongue. Long finish. Taste - Big fruits. Medium acidity. Was slightly hot; the 14.5% alcohol level showed a bit. A little over oaked for my liking. (2577 views) | | | Tasted by mister wine on 5/21/2012 & rated 92 points: Black fruit and eucalyptus nose. Black fruit, chocolate, and pepper palate. Soft tannins. Medium-long finish. A super Malbec. (2237 views) | | | Tasted by Timbalimba on 12/12/2011 & rated 89 points: Bodegas Catena Zapata (Mendoza): Spicier than the simpler younger brother, butch tannins, plenty of wood, definitely a lot of muscle but stays agile because the fleshy fruit is fresh and not overbearing. (3393 views) | | | Tasted by dssmith on 11/14/2011 & rated 90 points: The wine was deep red. This was a slight alcohol bouquet. The wine was nicely balanced with fruit, oak and a bit of tanin. It was easy to drink and went very well with our steak dinner. I felt that this was a very high quality wine for the price. We drank this wine at Morton's King of Prussia, PA. I do not know if Morton's has this wine available at all of their restaurants, but it is certainly one that I would look for again. (2156 views) | | | Tasted by ahubner on 10/6/2011: Drank w/ friends from Poli
(1688 views) | | | Tasted by socidelvino on 9/21/2011: - Crimsom color and aromas of vanilla and sherry and has flavours of cherry and black pepper. (1570 views) | | | Only displaying the 25 most recent notes - click to see all notes for this wine... |
| By Jancis Robinson, MW
JancisRobinson.com (11/11/2013)
(Catena Zapata, Catena Alta Malbec Mendoza Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By Stephen Tanzer
Vinous, March/April 2012, IWC Issue #161
(Bodega Catena Zapata Malbec Catena Alta Mendoza) Subscribe to see review text. | By David Lawrason
WineAlign (10/12/2011)
(Catena Alta Malbec, Estate Lots, Mendoza red) Subscribe to see review text. | By John Szabo, MS
WineAlign (10/4/2011)
(Catena Alta Malbec, Estate Lots, Mendoza red) Subscribe to see review text. | By Jancis Robinson, MW
JancisRobinson.com (9/14/2011)
(Catena Zapata, Catena Alta Malbec Mendoza Red) Subscribe to see review text. |
NOTE: Scores and reviews are the property of JancisRobinson.com and Vinous and WineAlign. (manage subscription channels) |
| Bodega Catena Zapata Producer website
U.S. Importer (Addt'l Info)
In 1902, Nicola Catena, an Italian immigrant, planted his first vineyard in Mendoza, Argentina. The winery has remained under family control — now in its fourth generation — and is one of the few family-owned wine companies in Argentina that remains in Argentine hands. Owned today by Nicolás Catena and his daughter Laura, Bodega Catena Zapata is known as the pioneer of fine wine from Argentina, and Nicolás is recognized as the vintner who revolutionized wine quality in Argentina. A trained economist, Nicolás began this revolution in the early 1980s and continues to challenge himself and his team to make wines that can be counted among the best in the world. His measured approach to viticulture has taken its place in wine history as the pioneer of Malbec and high-altitude viticulture.
Head winemaker, Alejandro Vigil, has been at Catena Zapata since 2002. A naturally restless person, Alejandro strives to channel his creative energy into pushing the limits of conventional viticultural and winemaking wisdom. Always ready to try something new, full of endless experiments, Alejandro’s goal is to constantly increase his understanding of the unique terroir in Mendoza’s high-altitude desert oasis.
Catena wines, first launched in 1992, set a new standard for quality in South America. The wines immediately proved the quality potential of Argentina and garnered the first outstanding reviews for Argentine wines from worldwide media. After more than 20 years, the wines of Catena continue to lead the way in Argentine viticulture and winemaking. Nicolás Catena Zapata dared to plant vines where no one thought they would ripen. His high-altitude wine revolution culminated in the discovery of a new terroir for wine, the Adrianna Vineyard, at almost 5,000 feet elevation. Today, the team at the Catena Institute of Wine is dedicated to studying every meter, every rock, every insect and microorganism in the Adrianna Vineyard, making it perhaps the most studied vineyard in the world.
Malbec Varietal character (Appellation America)
One of the traditional “Bordeaux varietals”, Malbec has characteristics that fall somewhere between Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. A midseason ripener, it can bring very deep color, ample tannin, and a particular plum-like flavor component to add complexity to claret blends. Malbec is a finicky vine whose fruit is prone to rot and mildew in the cool, damp coastal climate of Bordeaux. But ask a Bordelais grower why there’s no Malbec around, and you’ll more likely get a dismissive shrug and sniff than a viticultural analysis. It is known in much of France as Côt, and, in Cahors, also as Auxerrois. There are in fact hundreds of local synonyms, since Malbec at one time was widely planted all over the country. Sensitivity to frost and proclivity to shatter or coulure (a disease that results in premature fruit drop) is the primary reason that Malbec has become a decreasing factor in most of France. Although plantings in the Medoc have decreased by over twothirds since the mid-twentieth century, Malbec is now the dominant red varietal in the Cahors area. The Appellation Controlée regulations for Cahors require a minimum content of 70%. Malbec is also planted in Chile, and there’s relatively little and recent acreage in California and Australia. It is usually blended with other red varietals in these countries. But Malbec truly comes into its own in Argentina, where it is the major red varietal planted. Much of the Malbec vines there were transplanted from Europe prior to the outbreak of phylloxera and most is therefore ungrafted, on its own roots. Sadly, over the years the bug infested Argentina, too, and vineyards are being replanted on resistant rootstock. Happily, the vines thrive in the arid climate of the Mendoza region in the foothills of the Andes. Made in the context of this South American nation’s Spanish and Italian heritage, it produces a delicious wine that has almost nothing in common with Bordeaux except the color. Argentines often spell it “Malbeck” and make wines from it that are slightly similar in flavor to those made in Europe, but with softer, lusher structure, more like New World Merlot. Another difference is that where French examples are usually considered short-lived, Argentine Malbecs seem to age fairly well. Successful Argentine Malbec growers claim that, in order to develop full maturity and distinction, Malbec needs “hang time” even after sugar levels indicate ripeness. Otherwise, immature Malbec can be very “green” tasting, without its characteristic notes of plum and anise. Malbec in Argentina has come to be appreciated for a spicy white pepper characteristic, the aroma of violets, and sweet, jammy fruit. It is a seductive wine that is typically warm and generous in the mouth, with plenty of flesh, and very appealing when young. Almost always producing a ripe and fruity, even plummy wine, Malbec can take oak aging or show well without it; it’s juicy and quaffable when young but can benefit from aging, developing an intriguing complexity with time in the bottle. It can range in price from as little as $7 to more than $75. The true potential of Argentine Malbec, and indeed in the entire spectrum of Argentine wines, is demonstrated by the fact that many of the world’s most renowned winemakers have come to Argentina to make wine. Both the legendary California winemaker Paul Hobbs, and Michel Rolland of Bordeaux, one of the world’s most famous winemakers, have created very high-end Malbecs. It may be the Italian component in the country’s mixed Latin family tree that fosters the fact that Malbec is an exceptional companion with a broad range of food. Its well-balanced fruit-and-acid profile makes it a natural with rare beef (bear in mind that Argentina is cattle country), but it’s just as good with simple fare from burgers to fried chicken. With its natural balance, good pairings include: cajun cuisine, calzones, cannelloni with meat, poultry, vegetable couscous, steak creole, Greek cuisine, deviled eggs, hummus, Indian cuisine, leg of lamb, Mexican cuisine with meat, pâté, spinach soufflé, and hearty pasta. For cheeses, think of harder styles that are either waxed or oiled, such as Parmigiano Reggiano, Ricotta Salata, Romano, Asiago, Pont l’Eveque, Gruyere, Manchego, Cantal, Comte, old Gouda, old Cheddar, Baulderstone, Beaufort, Leicester, aged Chesire, Chevre Noir, Wensleydale, Tilsit, Iberico, Mahon, Roncal, and Mizithra.Argentina Wines of Argentina
Argentina has been making wine since the 1500s, tracing its wine heritage back to Spain, France and, perhaps surprisingly, Italy. Italian immigration is second only to Spanish in Argentine culture, and the flavors of Italy show up strongly in the nation’s wine, food and cultural tradition. Historically, Argentina has kept much of its wine consumption at home, drinking most of the wine it makes. But we are now seeing more very serious Argentine wines north of the border, and Malbec is leading the movement. The wine-making region in Argentina ranges between the 22° and 42° South latitude. It spreads at the foothills of the Andean mountain range along over 2,400 km; from the province of Salta to the province of Río Negro, with a variety of climates and soils that makes each region a unique land. In general terms, the areas dedicated to vine cultivation are dry and arid with a low level of rain and humidity, determining factor as regards grape health. Abundant sunny days and thermal amplitude favor a good maturity and concentration of aroma and color in the grain. Soils are deep, permeable and poor in organic matter, decisive qualities at the time of obtaining good wine. Due to the low rain regime, irrigation is necessary. Water comes from the Andean range thaw, descending in the shape of rivers to become channels or ditches. Undoubtedly, the combination of these factors turns Argentina into a veritable oasis for the highest quality wine-making. Nevertheless, there is still a long way to go. Wine-making in Argentina, at the level that it achieves today, has a young history that goes back to a little more than 10 years ago. Technological progress, investment and some farsighted businessmen enabled a determining transformation. The province of Mendoza is the most traditional area in the viticultural industry, and is diverse enough to be divided into zones, according to their significantly different weather, height and soil characteristics. These include the Northern Zone, which is suitable for fruity whites and young reds, at a height from 600 to 700m; the Eastern Zone, with a height ranging from 600 to 700m, and the most productive zone in the province; the Uco Valley, a zone of colder weather and higher altitudes (between 800 and 1,400m over sea level); San Rafael, with heights ranging from 450 to 800m; and the High Zone of the Mendoza River, with heights ranging from 800 to 1,100m over sea level and various microclimates, this is the zone where almost all noble varieties have easily become adapted. It is a region that is remarkably well-suited to vine culture, protected from the Pacific’s cooling influence by the Andes and enjoying a long summer of cool nights and warm days, with a dry summer climate but plenty of water available from the region’s rivers. Malbec in particular is outstanding from this area, and it has clearly emerged as the star, the darling of both consumers and critics.Mendoza Wines of Mendoza |
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