Another bottle for our 'Saturday Cellar Series' of wines that are seemingly past their prime, and this one was not and drinking perfectly and one of our favourites so far. Our cellar temp is ambient and it is quite stable ranging from 55-60F throughout the year (and clay tiles for each bottle to further stabilize temps), and I suspect those that are saying this is past it's prime may have slightly warmer storage temps? Regardless this example was in our cellar since Sep. 2013 and was simply glorious with our steaks - Popped and poured, very dark, with a slight ambering rim, notes of plum, black fruit, graphite, cedar and vanilla on the nose, silky smooth with great acidiity on the palate, terrific length that went on forever, tasty and awesome! (94 Points).
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I agree that it's at the end of the drinking window. I have a feeling it was better 2 years ago. Nice enough. Needs at least an hour in a decanter (or two in the glass - we actually had a Coravin sample, decanted in the glass). For Coravin-accessed wines, I find the decant time needed shortens after days or weeks (depending on storage condition). A week later it was only 30 min (this is, I believe, the result of a tiny but not insignificant amount of oxygen exposure; accessed wines have a larger gas/liquid ratio and become more sensitive to temperature fluctuations because gas expands more with temperature than liquid; when the bottle cools, it will slowly suck in some air).
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Deep garnet in color with a slight hue of oxblood. Nose of bing cherries, vanilla, and hint of dark chocolate. Tastes of cherries, milk chocolate, and hints of licorice and leather. Needs to open up, as it drank best on day three and was austere day one. Nice food wine. Drink now and over the next 5 years.
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Nearly at end of its ideal drinking window. Buttery smooth. Not much spice but long smooth tannins with layered black fruits that are very ripe but not jammy. Some vanilla Oak. A 20 second finish.
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This was a nice wine. Needed some time to open up and show its bouquet of dark fruit, oak, vanilla, smoke, and graphite, but even at its peak the bouquet was subdued. It was well balanced and certainly enjoyable, but compared to the $20 Marques de Caceres Reserva Rioja I had the night before, it’s hard to justify spending 2.5x for this bottle.
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Two bottles, consistent notes, plus a corked bottle. Dark and pretty dense ruby. Note initially quite mute, though it could be the glasses. Very smooth, rich, glycerin textured feel to this. Dark red fruit, coffee and mocha notes. Finishes well with enough acidity to give line and purpose. Throws a fair sediment. ****
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Cedar box, cassis, graphite on the nose. Palate has soft oakiness, vanilla, a bit of cherry cola. Light weight. Just enough tannin and acidity to keep it interesting. Food friendly but drinks very nicely on its own. Good length finish.
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Despite it was a Magnum and cork was in perfect conditions, and perfectly storage the wine didn’t have power neither vivacity. It was opaque and unbalanced.
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How can I be the first to comment on this beauty? 7 years old...picked up a magnum at a beautiful price from a local wine shop. Wow! Used the coravin the first night, pulled the cork the second, with finding it dried out and coming out in pieces, pnp, no decant. Improves with time in the glass. Mostly malbec with a touch of cab franc and viognier. I don't really get the viognier aspect as I do the cab franc. But I guess it does lend a slightly feminine feel to the wine on entry moving into the mid palate. It only takes a little cab franc to go a long way...but this beauty is smooth, velour-like on entry. Rich, red fruit, dark fruit, muted but the very typically unique malbec flavor profile, but without the hard, typically acidic edges. My girl thought for a minute it was a merlot given the touch of spice and depth. This is a beautiful wine that goes with almost anything....kielbasa/mac & cheese, a plate of gouda and pretzels, etc.....I personally went thru the magnum on my own over two nights. It would have been sooner if not for a measure of self-restraint. Going to see if I can get another later in the week when the shop re-opens! Smack dab in the middle of a beautiful drinking window right now. Where can you get a magnum of a wine like this at this price? Unbelievable! I will not disagree with WA on this one.
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Very good dark rich wine that had some staying power and could go a couple more years. I would decant if I drink the rest now but it had some great black fruits to it.
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Smoked meats, game, some graphite on the nose. Hints of vanilla. Dark fruits on the palate. Balanced. Terrific acidity- great with food. Long finish. Great QPR!
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complex nose.lots of smoke,plum,hint of cherry n black cherry.reveal leather n dark fruits with more air.o palate show gd ripeness.nt overwhelming.impress with the intensity n the acidity is superb.it also show nice depth n complexity.tis bttl is singing..the onli setback is it doesnt show a world class wine.but at tis price,a world class wine,i must b dreaming
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Rhone style white blind tasting session (Extra Space): Tasted blind. Aired in decanter for 1.5 hours. Appearance is clear, deep intensity, purple colour. Legs. Nose is clean, medium+ intensity, with aromas of leather, gamey animal, smokiness, sweet spice, dark red cherries. Developed. On the palate, dry, medium+ acidity, medium+ alcohol (14%), fine high tannins, full body. Pronounced flavour intensity, with flavours of dark red cherries, smoky earth, sweet spice, leather, gamey animal notes, coffee, slight chocolate. Long finish. Very good quality. Lovely Malbec with a smoky animalistic profile I like. Only gripe is that there could be more fruit. Drinking well now. Not for further ageing. Catena Alta Malbec is sourced from Lot 18 of the Angélica vineyard located in Lunlunta, Lot 4 from the La Pirámide vineyard located in Agrelo, Lot 2 from the La Consulta vineyard located in La Consulta, and Lots 3 & 9 from the Adrianna vineyard located in Gualtallary. Aged for 18 months in French oak.
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Superb Malbec. Dense, dark ruby-color. Lush and aromatic plum, fig, spice. On the fuller side of med-ful bodied with a dense mix of dark fruits, pepper, smoke. Great for a cold rainy Thanksgiving evening.
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Dark purple opaque. Nose had berries and leather. Decanted for 1/2 hour. Tasting blackberries with floral overtones, coffee and bright spice. Long finish, nice wine in fact it is a really good wine. Definitely would buy again.
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The wine offered dark fruit, blueberry, cherry, fig, chocolate, coffee, vanilla, liquorice and graphite on the nose. On the palate the wine showed dark fruit, blueberry, cherry, fig, shredded dark chocolate, espresso, vanilla, liquorice and graphite, with medium-minus acidity, medium-level tannin and very good length. The full-bodied wine was balanced and had good concentration. A more reserved style than most.
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This is excellent. Restrained nose but full on the palate. Rich dark cherry and blueberry flavored fruit that is superbly balanced by good acidity and minerality. It is fruit forward without being over the top or cloying. Loses a point for its lack of nuance. Not a thinking man's wine but gives great pleasure. I have no idea how time will treat this wine but it is good enough now to make that irrelevant for me.
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Pitch black, lots of graphite an pepery spices, with toasted black fruits and char oak, pencil shaving very bordeaux like pencil shavings heightened acidity, very intellectual
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Die Farbe des Malbec zeigt viel von jugendlichem nahezu undurchsichtigem Ochsenblut mit so mancher Trübung. Die Nase zeigt dunkle Beeren - insbesondere Brombeeren, Blaubeeren dazu Pflaumen, eine durchweg kühl wirkende Würze, auch dunkle staubige Schokolade, Lakritz, ein Hauch Vanille, etwas Fleisch - Rind natürlich - und eine ernsthaft wirkende Rauchigkeit. Am Gaumen kommen die reifen Fruchtaromen von dunklen saftigen Pflaumen und Brombeeren erst recht gut zur Geltung. Der Körper neigt für Malbec Verhältnisse eher zu Schlankheit. Das Tannin ist ziemlich lebendig, aber nicht übermäßig hart oder revoltierend – in verschiedener Hinsicht. Da scheint die Säure eher ein wenig mehr der Burschikosität zugeneigt zu sein und an die zugenagelte argentinischen Abwehr zu erinnern. Die Aromen wirken reif, präzise, sehr sauber, nicht unkomplex – aber auch nicht sonderlich beeindruckend, nicht wirklich süßlich oder über-extrahiert. Daraus könnte man vielleicht eine solide und nicht unattraktive Spielweise der Argentinier beim heutigen Spiel ablesen. Könnte man! ;-). Die Länge erscheint mir nur leicht über dem Durchschnitt zu liegen. Vielleicht ebenfalls ein gutes Omen was die körperliche Fitness der Albiceleste am heutige Abend betrifft. Alles in allem ein jetzt schon recht gut ausbalancierter Malbec der nicht nur von körperlichem Spiel und wilder Entschlossenheit lebt. Glücklicherweise ist auch die Wildheit was seine alkoholische Kraft betrifft in keinster Weise penetrant oder abstoßend. Naja, vielleicht ein Indiz für wenig Fauls am heutigen Abend. Jetzt lass ich lieber diesen dämlichen Interpretationen und komme zum Schluss. Auch der Malbec von Catena Zapata erscheint mir zwar recht jung, dennoch mehr als nur anständig, also sehr anständig. Meiner Meinung nach würde ihm das eine oder andere Jahr an Flaschenreife noch gut tun. Am besten vier Jahre würde ich vorschlagen! Dieses Mal ist wegen seiner banalitätsfernen Leichtigkeit und spielerischen sowie stimmigen Art der Riesling aus dem Graacher Domprobst von Kajo eindeutig der Weltmeister in meinem Glas!!!
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Very good basic malbec. Good concentration and mouthfeel. Alcohol is now integrating quickly - but still a sweet cassis/plum finish. This will improve over the next 3-5yrs (I find that 10yrs is optimum for this bottling) and will gain ~2pts, but is absolutely fine to pop and pour now. No sediment. Lacks the complexity of the top bottlings, but this is the better choice on restaurant menus (as tonight at an Argentinian steakhouse in Houston)
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This 2010 Malbec Zapata Catena Alta is at peak. Delicious, dark red , black and red berries, smooth and pair extremely well with grilled beef. Vibrant color, young and a great Malbec, much better than The malbec that Cahors France can produce
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By the glass from a freshly opened bottle at the BA lounge. Youthful dark fruits on the nose, needs a bit of time to develop. Good ripe rich fruit, light sweet oak comes and goes, herby edge on the nose, heat on the finish, firm yet silky-ish tannins. We expected more from the historic rows, albeit that is more a marketing ploy, but still a pretty good little number. A touch too sweet but not confectionary. 89-90
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Malbec tasting at Jan Olav's (Majorstua, Oslo): Very dark and tight color. Flashy and massive aroma. Dried fruit and leather. Full-bodied and smooth, with massive, dark fruit on the palate. Good amount of tannins. Some alcohol in the finish. Very young now.
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Was hoping for a first great Malbec but this is not it. Nice smooth concentration but too sweet and too much new oak. Good but definitely not worth $50.
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The nose is clean and developing, showing medium intensity aromas of raw meat, plums, cherries and vanilla. The wine is dry in the mouth with a medium- acidity. It has a medium+ coarse tannins and high alcohol. It has a full body and medium intensity flavours of raw meat, plums, cherries and vanilla. The finish is medium.
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Hamonic and blanced on the palate, almost in a Bordeauxish style, maybe a little softer and sweeter on the fruit though. Really pure, blue fruit, tasty oak, good tannins and only a hint of disturbing alcoholic heat in the end. Well made but in my opinion this wine lacks a little personality. Wouldn't buy it again but enjoy this bottle.
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Intense ruby/purple color. Pepper, spice and dark fruit on the nose. Dark fruit and rose petals on the palate. Still tannic and young. Needs some time in a decanter. I think this is good through 2020.
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A wonderfully complex nose of plums, black cherries, violets, lots of earth, mineral and mocha. Solid tannic structure but there’s plenty of acid. Juicy black cherries and plums abound, tasting jammy but fresh at the same time. Pepper, charcoal, vanilla, clove and lingering iron and graphite all add complexity. Made from vines grown upwards of 3,000 feet, I’d love to taste this again in three or four years.
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Trialto New World Classics Catalogue Tasting (Fine Wine Reserve): I don't think this is over-oaked, but the oak is prominently featured. Coffee bean and vanilla are front and centre on the nose, with touches of spice and bold dark cherry and plummy fruit. Palate is fairly round, with balanced ripe fruit, and finishes on ripe sweet tannin. Stylistically somewhere between traditional and modern, but no enough complexity there to boost the score much above 90 for me.
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Excellent Malbec; not a fan of Malbec's but this wine has converted me, light, fruity with structure and tannin, a pleasure to drink; also a crowd pleaser; Only negative is that it is expensive.
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Argentina/Catena Zapata visit, etc; 4/9/2013-4/12/2013: a waxier red fruit aroma. fuller fruit, less rusticity, than the classic '11. floral aroma complexity. still some mid-palate spice and toast, but the oak feel rather restrained and respectful. fruit cocktail, maraschino cherry and peach juice aromas. mild graham cracker on the palate, not too rich. strawberry jam on the palate. this wine is dynamite.
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3/16/2024 - Tarrant wrote: 94 Points
Another bottle for our 'Saturday Cellar Series' of wines that are seemingly past their prime, and this one was not and drinking perfectly and one of our favourites so far. Our cellar temp is ambient and it is quite stable ranging from 55-60F throughout the year (and clay tiles for each bottle to further stabilize temps), and I suspect those that are saying this is past it's prime may have slightly warmer storage temps? Regardless this example was in our cellar since Sep. 2013 and was simply glorious with our steaks - Popped and poured, very dark, with a slight ambering rim, notes of plum, black fruit, graphite, cedar and vanilla on the nose, silky smooth with great acidiity on the palate, terrific length that went on forever, tasty and awesome! (94 Points).
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3/8/2022 - Herschel Krustofski Likes this wine:
I agree that it's at the end of the drinking window. I have a feeling it was better 2 years ago.
Nice enough. Needs at least an hour in a decanter (or two in the glass - we actually had a Coravin sample, decanted in the glass). For Coravin-accessed wines, I find the decant time needed shortens after days or weeks (depending on storage condition). A week later it was only 30 min (this is, I believe, the result of a tiny but not insignificant amount of oxygen exposure; accessed wines have a larger gas/liquid ratio and become more sensitive to temperature fluctuations because gas expands more with temperature than liquid; when the bottle cools, it will slowly suck in some air).
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6/30/2021 - efeldhake@yahoo.com Likes this wine: 91 Points
Deep garnet in color with a slight hue of oxblood. Nose of bing cherries, vanilla, and hint of dark chocolate. Tastes of cherries, milk chocolate, and hints of licorice and leather. Needs to open up, as it drank best on day three and was austere day one. Nice food wine. Drink now and over the next 5 years.
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3/27/2020 - mxpbuy Likes this wine: 91 Points
Nearly at end of its ideal drinking window. Buttery smooth. Not much spice but long smooth tannins with layered black fruits that are very ripe but not jammy. Some vanilla Oak. A 20 second finish.
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7/7/2019 - PizziFamily Likes this wine: 89 Points
This was a nice wine. Needed some time to open up and show its bouquet of dark fruit, oak, vanilla, smoke, and graphite, but even at its peak the bouquet was subdued. It was well balanced and certainly enjoyable, but compared to the $20 Marques de Caceres Reserva Rioja I had the night before, it’s hard to justify spending 2.5x for this bottle.
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6/9/2019 - Ben Christiansen wrote:
Rich and rounded and mature. From magnum.
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4/16/2019 - Ben Christiansen wrote:
From magnum. Darn delicious and what Catena should be selling as their everyday wine.
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2/18/2019 - SimonG wrote: flawed
Horribly corked.
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2/18/2019 - SimonG wrote: 91 Points
Two bottles, consistent notes, plus a corked bottle. Dark and pretty dense ruby. Note initially quite mute, though it could be the glasses. Very smooth, rich, glycerin textured feel to this. Dark red fruit, coffee and mocha notes. Finishes well with enough acidity to give line and purpose. Throws a fair sediment. ****
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11/18/2018 - Craig15 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Cedar box, cassis, graphite on the nose. Palate has soft oakiness, vanilla, a bit of cherry cola. Light weight. Just enough tannin and acidity to keep it interesting. Food friendly but drinks very nicely on its own. Good length finish.
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6/9/2018 - ChateauDutremble Likes this wine: 92 Points
Nez de caoutchouc, vieux cuir, notes animales... En bouche corsé, fruits noirs bien intégré, complexe... Délicieux malbec ! Peux vieillir mais pourquoi attendre... d'ici 2020. 92+
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6/2/2018 - gteran76 Does not like this wine: 87 Points
Despite it was a Magnum and cork was in perfect conditions, and perfectly storage the wine didn’t have power neither vivacity. It was opaque and unbalanced.
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10/6/2017 - fedro Likes this wine: 91 Points
full on but still juicy and fresh. Went down a treat with a grass fed sirloin steak and well into the evening later on
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6/11/2017 - Mark1npt Likes this wine: 94 Points
How can I be the first to comment on this beauty? 7 years old...picked up a magnum at a beautiful price from a local wine shop. Wow! Used the coravin the first night, pulled the cork the second, with finding it dried out and coming out in pieces, pnp, no decant. Improves with time in the glass. Mostly malbec with a touch of cab franc and viognier. I don't really get the viognier aspect as I do the cab franc. But I guess it does lend a slightly feminine feel to the wine on entry moving into the mid palate. It only takes a little cab franc to go a long way...but this beauty is smooth, velour-like on entry. Rich, red fruit, dark fruit, muted but the very typically unique malbec flavor profile, but without the hard, typically acidic edges. My girl thought for a minute it was a merlot given the touch of spice and depth. This is a beautiful wine that goes with almost anything....kielbasa/mac & cheese, a plate of gouda and pretzels, etc.....I personally went thru the magnum on my own over two nights. It would have been sooner if not for a measure of self-restraint. Going to see if I can get another later in the week when the shop re-opens! Smack dab in the middle of a beautiful drinking window right now. Where can you get a magnum of a wine like this at this price? Unbelievable! I will not disagree with WA on this one.
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5/25/2017 - golfhawk Likes this wine: 91 Points
Very good dark rich wine that had some staying power and could go a couple more years. I would decant if I drink the rest now but it had some great black fruits to it.
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11/7/2016 - jkvedar Likes this wine: 90 Points
Smoked meats, game, some graphite on the nose. Hints of vanilla. Dark fruits on the palate. Balanced. Terrific acidity- great with food. Long finish. Great QPR!
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12/19/2015 - clairenclarence wrote: 92 Points
decant
complex nose.lots of smoke,plum,hint of cherry n black cherry.reveal leather n dark fruits with more air.o palate show gd ripeness.nt overwhelming.impress with the intensity n the acidity is superb.it also show nice depth n complexity.tis bttl is singing..the onli setback is it doesnt show a world class wine.but at tis price,a world class wine,i must b dreaming
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12/14/2015 - Derek Darth Taster wrote: 93 Points
Rhone style white blind tasting session (Extra Space): Tasted blind. Aired in decanter for 1.5 hours.
Appearance is clear, deep intensity, purple colour. Legs.
Nose is clean, medium+ intensity, with aromas of leather, gamey animal, smokiness, sweet spice, dark red cherries. Developed.
On the palate, dry, medium+ acidity, medium+ alcohol (14%), fine high tannins, full body. Pronounced flavour intensity, with flavours of dark red cherries, smoky earth, sweet spice, leather, gamey animal notes, coffee, slight chocolate. Long finish.
Very good quality. Lovely Malbec with a smoky animalistic profile I like. Only gripe is that there could be more fruit. Drinking well now. Not for further ageing.
Catena Alta Malbec is sourced from Lot 18 of the Angélica vineyard located in Lunlunta, Lot 4 from the La Pirámide vineyard located in Agrelo, Lot 2 from the La Consulta vineyard located in La Consulta, and Lots 3 & 9 from the Adrianna vineyard located in Gualtallary.
Aged for 18 months in French oak.
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11/26/2015 - marcellevi Likes this wine: 92 Points
Superb Malbec. Dense, dark ruby-color. Lush and aromatic plum, fig, spice. On the fuller side of med-ful bodied with a dense mix of dark fruits, pepper, smoke. Great for a cold rainy Thanksgiving evening.
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9/25/2015 - wineshaman wrote: 88 Points
This bottle was a bit harsh, plenty of dark fruit, burnt oak, tart plum, hints of chocolate, quite rustc, plenty of tannins, good red meat wine.
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9/8/2015 - Jwd12 wrote: 91 Points
Dark purple opaque. Nose had berries and leather. Decanted for 1/2 hour. Tasting blackberries with floral overtones, coffee and bright spice. Long finish, nice wine in fact it is a really good wine. Definitely would buy again.
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5/24/2015 - wineshaman wrote: 90 Points
Dark color, rich, dark fruit, pepper notes, good balance, approachable now with some air. Paired with smoked Briskit!
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12/27/2014 - PSPatrick wrote: 89 Points
The wine offered dark fruit, blueberry, cherry, fig, chocolate, coffee, vanilla, liquorice and graphite on the nose. On the palate the wine showed dark fruit, blueberry, cherry, fig, shredded dark chocolate, espresso, vanilla, liquorice and graphite, with medium-minus acidity, medium-level tannin and very good length. The full-bodied wine was balanced and had good concentration. A more reserved style than most.
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10/7/2014 - Rezy13 wrote:
Bodega Catena Zapata Tasting (Bin 75): Dark berry, not jammy, a little reductive, graphite, tar; good freshness on the palate, dark berry, good acid.
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10/7/2014 - Rezy13 wrote:
Dark berry, not jammy, a little reductive, graphite, tar; good freshness on the palate, dark berry, good acid.
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9/3/2014 - tantotinto wrote: 90 Points
This is excellent. Restrained nose but full on the palate. Rich dark cherry and blueberry flavored fruit that is superbly balanced by good acidity and minerality. It is fruit forward without being over the top or cloying. Loses a point for its lack of nuance. Not a thinking man's wine but gives great pleasure. I have no idea how time will treat this wine but it is good enough now to make that irrelevant for me.
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7/30/2014 - farinas Likes this wine: 92 Points
Pitch black, lots of graphite an pepery spices, with toasted black fruits and char oak, pencil shaving very bordeaux like pencil shavings heightened acidity, very intellectual
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7/12/2014 - Oh Dae-su wrote: 90 Points
Die Farbe des Malbec zeigt viel von jugendlichem nahezu undurchsichtigem Ochsenblut mit so mancher Trübung. Die Nase zeigt dunkle Beeren - insbesondere Brombeeren, Blaubeeren dazu Pflaumen, eine durchweg kühl wirkende Würze, auch dunkle staubige Schokolade, Lakritz, ein Hauch Vanille, etwas Fleisch - Rind natürlich - und eine ernsthaft wirkende Rauchigkeit. Am Gaumen kommen die reifen Fruchtaromen von dunklen saftigen Pflaumen und Brombeeren erst recht gut zur Geltung. Der Körper neigt für Malbec Verhältnisse eher zu Schlankheit. Das Tannin ist ziemlich lebendig, aber nicht übermäßig hart oder revoltierend – in verschiedener Hinsicht. Da scheint die Säure eher ein wenig mehr der Burschikosität zugeneigt zu sein und an die zugenagelte argentinischen Abwehr zu erinnern. Die Aromen wirken reif, präzise, sehr sauber, nicht unkomplex – aber auch nicht sonderlich beeindruckend, nicht wirklich süßlich oder über-extrahiert. Daraus könnte man vielleicht eine solide und nicht unattraktive Spielweise der Argentinier beim heutigen Spiel ablesen. Könnte man! ;-). Die Länge erscheint mir nur leicht über dem Durchschnitt zu liegen. Vielleicht ebenfalls ein gutes Omen was die körperliche Fitness der Albiceleste am heutige Abend betrifft. Alles in allem ein jetzt schon recht gut ausbalancierter Malbec der nicht nur von körperlichem Spiel und wilder Entschlossenheit lebt. Glücklicherweise ist auch die Wildheit was seine alkoholische Kraft betrifft in keinster Weise penetrant oder abstoßend. Naja, vielleicht ein Indiz für wenig Fauls am heutigen Abend. Jetzt lass ich lieber diesen dämlichen Interpretationen und komme zum Schluss. Auch der Malbec von Catena Zapata erscheint mir zwar recht jung, dennoch mehr als nur anständig, also sehr anständig. Meiner Meinung nach würde ihm das eine oder andere Jahr an Flaschenreife noch gut tun. Am besten vier Jahre würde ich vorschlagen! Dieses Mal ist wegen seiner banalitätsfernen Leichtigkeit und spielerischen sowie stimmigen Art der Riesling aus dem Graacher Domprobst von Kajo eindeutig der Weltmeister in meinem Glas!!!
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7/2/2014 - JulianSkeels wrote: 89 Points
Very good basic malbec. Good concentration and mouthfeel. Alcohol is now integrating quickly - but still a sweet cassis/plum finish. This will improve over the next 3-5yrs (I find that 10yrs is optimum for this bottling) and will gain ~2pts, but is absolutely fine to pop and pour now. No sediment. Lacks the complexity of the top bottlings, but this is the better choice on restaurant menus (as tonight at an Argentinian steakhouse in Houston)
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5/30/2014 - libero wrote: 92 Points
This 2010 Malbec Zapata Catena Alta is at peak. Delicious, dark red , black and red berries, smooth and pair extremely well with grilled beef. Vibrant color, young and a great Malbec, much better than The malbec that Cahors France can produce
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5/25/2014 - Thoughtful wrote: 88 Points
Disappointed -expected more. Lacked finesse and intensity. Too much fruit.
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5/12/2014 - Papies wrote: 89 Points
By the glass from a freshly opened bottle at the BA lounge.
Youthful dark fruits on the nose, needs a bit of time to develop. Good ripe rich fruit, light sweet oak comes and goes, herby edge on the nose, heat on the finish, firm yet silky-ish tannins. We expected more from the historic rows, albeit that is more a marketing ploy, but still a pretty good little number. A touch too sweet but not confectionary. 89-90
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5/2/2014 - asheio wrote: 89 Points
Malbec tasting at Jan Olav's (Majorstua, Oslo): Very dark and tight color. Flashy and massive aroma. Dried fruit and leather. Full-bodied and smooth, with massive, dark fruit on the palate. Good amount of tannins. Some alcohol in the finish.
Very young now.
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4/30/2014 - neilemc Likes this wine: 88 Points
Was hoping for a first great Malbec but this is not it. Nice smooth concentration but too sweet and too much new oak. Good but definitely not worth $50.
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4/8/2014 - Man in Black wrote:
The nose is clean and developing, showing medium intensity aromas of raw meat, plums, cherries and vanilla. The wine is dry in the mouth with a medium- acidity. It has a medium+ coarse tannins and high alcohol. It has a full body and medium intensity flavours of raw meat, plums, cherries and vanilla. The finish is medium.
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3/31/2014 - beezer6 wrote: 89 Points
Vintage Portfolio Tasting (Drake Hotel Chicago): Darker and complex. Finish a bit "just okay."
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1/30/2014 - RayOB Likes this wine: 93 Points
Drank in Mexico
Lot's of dark fruit with spice and oak. Rich complex palate. Really lovely stuff.
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1/20/2014 - Magners Likes this wine:
Hamonic and blanced on the palate, almost in a Bordeauxish style, maybe a little softer and sweeter on the fruit though. Really pure, blue fruit, tasty oak, good tannins and only a hint of disturbing alcoholic heat in the end. Well made but in my opinion this wine lacks a little personality. Wouldn't buy it again but enjoy this bottle.
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1/9/2014 - Ornumsi wrote: 94 Points
Intense ruby/purple color. Pepper, spice and dark fruit on the nose. Dark fruit and rose petals on the palate. Still tannic and young. Needs some time in a decanter. I think this is good through 2020.
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12/18/2013 - isaacjamesbaker wrote: 91 Points
A wonderfully complex nose of plums, black cherries, violets, lots of earth, mineral and mocha. Solid tannic structure but there’s plenty of acid. Juicy black cherries and plums abound, tasting jammy but fresh at the same time. Pepper, charcoal, vanilla, clove and lingering iron and graphite all add complexity. Made from vines grown upwards of 3,000 feet, I’d love to taste this again in three or four years.
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9/25/2013 - Wine Canuck wrote: 90 Points
Trialto New World Classics Catalogue Tasting (Fine Wine Reserve): I don't think this is over-oaked, but the oak is prominently featured. Coffee bean and vanilla are front and centre on the nose, with touches of spice and bold dark cherry and plummy fruit. Palate is fairly round, with balanced ripe fruit, and finishes on ripe sweet tannin. Stylistically somewhere between traditional and modern, but no enough complexity there to boost the score much above 90 for me.
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9/10/2013 - mwneil Likes this wine: 93 Points
Excellent Malbec; not a fan of Malbec's but this wine has converted me, light, fruity with structure and tannin, a pleasure to drink; also a crowd pleaser; Only negative is that it is expensive.
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4/11/2013 - nzinkgraf wrote:
Argentina/Catena Zapata visit, etc; 4/9/2013-4/12/2013: a waxier red fruit aroma. fuller fruit, less rusticity, than the classic '11. floral aroma complexity. still some mid-palate spice and toast, but the oak feel rather restrained and respectful. fruit cocktail, maraschino cherry and peach juice aromas. mild graham cracker on the palate, not too rich. strawberry jam on the palate. this wine is dynamite.
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