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| Drinking Windows and Values |
| Community Tasting History |
| Community Tasting Notes (average 92.9 pts. and median of 93 pts. in 29 notes) - hiding notes with no text | | | Tasted by clutj on 11/28/2020 & rated 90 points: Very good, not great (1415 views) | | | Tasted by Marcyrillo on 10/25/2020 & rated 94 points: Delicious wine. Red and Black fruits, no edges. Long lasting. Great wine to drink now but it has a long live ahead. (1668 views) | | | Tasted by englishman's claret on 7/15/2018 & rated 85 points: There's a reason I don't drink warm climate Malbec - I prefer jam on toast rather than in a glass. Blackberry nose, warm spices, oak; certainly polished but a bit hot on account of the alcohol. The palate shows very confected blackberry and strawberry coulis, a bit like eating candy. Reasonably alcoholic in the mouth. Again, quite polished. I made sure this came down to a proper temperature, which unfortunately didn't help. Not a fan of the style in general or this wine in particular, though I can see how those who like big, bombastic wines could rate this highly. (2457 views) | | | Tasted by Jojala on 7/18/2017 & rated 94 points: This was surprisingly youthful, Pak still npt integrated. My taste Hâns evolved into more wineyard (as opposed to winemaking) but anyhow the quality was impaccable. A side note that the case and the Bottle had an awful smell, my cellar being too humid but this did not affect the wine. (2902 views) | | | Tasted by Zweder on 4/15/2016 & rated 92 points: Occasional tasting group (By TBa @ WN Top South America plus some extra's.): See also my previous notes. Unfortunately I did make not so many notes in this extensive tasting. The wine has a beautiful and aromatic bouquet. On the palate a lot of dark berries, good oak, a touch of sweetness, good acidity and still firm tannin. This wine has reached its young maturity stage now, but there is plenty of room for the future. 91 - 92 (3626 views) | | | Tasted by Jojala on 9/21/2015 & rated 96 points: Drank few months ago. Yes, yes, yes. Next bottle is some 2-3 time. (2761 views) | | | Tasted by Yagil on 1/6/2014 & rated 93 points: Septet wine-lovers 1st meeting in 2014 (Makom shel Basar restaurant, Neveh Tsedek, TLV): colour: dark red-purple
nose: intense red & dark fruits
palate: full bodied, smooth tannins, nice acidity, excellent balance & harmony, ripe fruits, med finish. Very enjoyable. (3954 views) | | | Tasted by MarcoAzevedo on 5/11/2013 & rated 92 points: Elegant and modern Malbec. Lost of dark fruits and plums. Soft rounded tannins, full bodied and very friendly. Long e pleasent finnish. (3258 views) | | | Tasted by wren460 on 4/20/2013 & rated 94 points: Very good, silky...nice tanins. Very elegant. I was blown away by this wine, it is a very good wine. The wine is 1 word : elegant. (2909 views) | | | Tasted by wren460 on 12/19/2012 & rated 95 points: WOTN. including : Buccella, Far Niente, Revana, Mica, Altamura, among others. This wine is absolutely delicious, will beat the hell out of many wines costing $300-$500 (2874 views) | | | Tasted by Schiffy on 11/25/2012 & rated 95 points: Big, rich, structured and packed with dark fruit. Absolutely must decant for an hour for the tannins to calm down and integrate with the fruit. But when it does this is one amazing wine. The single vineyard Catena Zapata's are Argentina's first growth wines. (2800 views) | | | Tasted by Lord Rayas on 3/16/2012 & rated 90 points: big, fat and jammy. needs a good slab of beef to go with it. (2748 views) | | | Tasted by vlauk on 2/17/2012: Tried to drink over 4 days, but just could not get it down. Overconcentrated boysenberry jam lacking all elegance whatsoever. Totally opposite to my personal wine preferences. Though, would have been nice to a have taste after 10+ years. (2516 views) | | | Tasted by Life At Your Leisure 🍷 on 12/25/2011 & rated 96 points: Dark purple hues turning violet at the rim. Nose of dark chocolate, perfumed currant and blueberry with a touch of earth. The palate is full-bodied, fruit forward, bursting with ripe blackberries, blueberry sauce and undertones of graphite. It's very big on fruit and alcohol yet its acidity keeps it very well balanced with a long, supple finish. Great value for the price. Drink now until 2012. (1592 views) | | | Tasted by cadamson on 7/10/2011 & rated 94 points: Count me as a fan. Modern, yes, but restrained. Excellent red fruit, fantastic mouthfeel and finish. Some vanilla and spice. Despite it's size, the body is light on its feet. Has many good years ahead of it. (2654 views) | | | Tasted by Zweder on 6/7/2011 & rated 91 points: Black fruits in the bouquet and a mouth full of wine. Very concentrated and juicy. Mainly ripe black fruits. This is supposed to be the TOP wine of Catena, but on day 1 it only showed concentration and hardly any real complexity. Day 2 also some luxurious cigar box impressions appeared. There is a lot of sweetness and the tannin is round and soft, but also firm. At this moment the wine shows some nice complexity, but I hope it will even be more complex 5+ years from now. Even though the wine has a different face compared to my note from 2008, I score it the same for this moment. I hope to taste this again around 2016. (2693 views) | | | Tasted by Amrussell on 12/29/2009 & rated 94 points: No tasting notes taken, far too busy consuming. Notable by the unanimous remarks from friends praising quality of the wine. Though not cheap, STILL a very good QPR (3384 views) | | | Tasted by Papies on 9/6/2009 & rated 94 points: Such a great wine with good capacity to age and develop further but still very nice to have now. Big body. Nice nose and a lot more complex than your standard Malbec. Great (3310 views) | | | Tasted by jivey on 3/26/2009 & rated 93 points: Fantastically silky wine, with soft cherry, plum, well integrated tannins and oak on a nice nuanced finish with hints of smoke. Completely different than on release. Not sure how well received a $100 Malbec is going to be received? Would I buy it again? probably not. Is it a great wine? yes! (3342 views) | | | Tasted by jeff nowak on 3/25/2009 & rated 91 points: i must admit i figured this would be 100% spoofilated, but the meter only got to about 50. just to hack off as many readers as possible, this is made in the ubiquitous "modern style" that so many deny exists, i.e. fruit forward + big tannins = big scores with the god given right to charge an arm and a leg and a first born. however, i will admit that i generally give a pass to bodega catena...they seem to have their perspective at least wrapped around the right ambition. i liked the big hunk of red fruit, and while the tannins were chunky, they didn't curl my toes. this wine was decanted, maybe even poured thru that aeration contraption (?), and i think it was valuable. i've never had aged malbec, so don't ask me if you should cellar this wine; however, i would think that it's big fruit is the main attraction so why wait. (3470 views) | | | Tasted by ScottS on 3/25/2009 & rated 93 points: 13.9% alc - Full bodied wine that was incredibly fresh, loaded with bright red fruit with a good dose of sweet vanilla. Drinking very young but nicely balanced. A new world style that is terrific!
50+5+14+16+7=93+ (3662 views) | | | Tasted by Zweder on 10/6/2008 & rated 91 points: Occasional tasting group: South America against the rest... (@ PVa): In the bouquet a lot of primary fruit impressions. Black cherries. A mouth full of wine. You almost need fork and knife. Cherries again. Good oak. Complex. Good stuff. (3904 views) | | | Tasted by jusuf on 10/4/2008 & rated 98 points: 2008: Too young. Nevertheless, after 2 hours of aeration a super-flatterer. Black cherries, blackberries, noble spices, lots of wood. In 5 years this will be a great wine...if it hasn't been drunk by then... (1200 views) | | | Only displaying the 25 most recent notes - click to see all notes for this wine... |
| 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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