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2004 Bodega Catena Zapata Malbec Catena Alta |
| Vintage | 2004 |  Label 1 of 6   | |
| Type | Red | ||
| Producer | Bodega Catena Zapata (web) | ||
| Variety | Malbec | ||
| Designation | Catena Alta | ||
| Vineyard | n/a | ||
| Country | Argentina | ||
| Region | Mendoza | ||
| SubRegion | n/a | ||
| Appellation | n/a | ||
| UPC Code | 089046444061 |
| Community Tasting History |
Community Tasting Notes (average 92 pts. and median of 92 pts. in 54 notes) | |
| Tasted by golfman on 1/18/2010 & rated 93 points: (300 views) | |
| Tasted by WDK on 1/13/2010 & rated 93 points: Oaky at first, but then a creamy delicious red. (518 views) | |
| Tasted by OTTnMIA on 1/1/2010 & rated 92 points: Wow, what a bottle of wine! Best Malbec I have had to date. (442 views) | |
| Tasted by Arch57 on 12/24/2009 & rated 92 points: We did a pop & pour on this one during Christmas Eve dinner after experiencing a 1981 Gran Reserva Rioja that was outstanding. At first the contrast was very stark with the tannins jumping out. However, after a couple of hours (and after finishing the 1981 wine), the Malbec calmed down and behind the tannins was some very solid fruit with a nice long finish. I was very impressed with the last few sips and would caution to decant for 1-2 hours or hold for 2-4 years. (446 views) | |
| Tasted by 2Travel on 10/24/2009 & rated 92 points: Solid wine, a little more tannin than I remembered, or expect from a Malbec. (814 views) | |
| Tasted by 2Travel on 10/22/2009 & rated 93 points: Deep core of fruit. Nice backbone of acidity. (834 views) | |
| Tasted by tantotinto on 9/7/2009 & rated 93 points: Great, full aroma of black fruit and spice. The tannins are still noticeable but less pronounced than I expected. They blend well with the fruit. The flavor is blackberry and black cherry with a bit of earthiness. This is subtle and balanced, smooth and elegant. Very sophisticated glass of Malbec. (1007 views) | |
| Tasted by 2Travel on 7/3/2009 & rated 94 points: (920 views) | |
| Tasted by 2Travel on 7/3/2009 & rated 93 points: (913 views) | |
| Tasted by dharlow on 5/12/2009 & rated 93 points: (1096 views) | |
| Tasted by gdm1 on 5/8/2009 & rated 94 points: One of the best Malbecs I've tasted. Nice fruit that wasn't overpowering. Very well balanced. (1437 views) | |
| Tasted by britchie on 4/26/2009 & rated 93 points: (1152 views) | |
| Tasted by Wink on 4/18/2009 & rated 92 points: Drank with pork tenderloin. Served to guests from Australia. Didn't take notes. Year after year, Catena Alta Malbec is exceptional. Wonderful full palate, balanced with acidity, oak, tannins. Malbec doesn't get much better! (1497 views) | |
| Tasted by cwheeler on 3/9/2009 & rated 88 points: Fairly luscious fruit on the nose with red berries, licorice and blackcurrant prominent along with a fair bit of cedar. The acid stands out a bit from the rest of the components on the palate and while the finish is of decent length it probably needs food to shine. (1806 views) | |
| Tasted by valecnik on 3/1/2009 & rated 89 points: A monster of a wine, packed with dark fruit. Inky, opaque purple color. Brooding, with dark chocolate and cedar. Oak treatment is obvious but there is balance too. Refined tannins. (1880 views) | |
| Tasted by golfman on 2/16/2009 & rated 90 points: (1420 views) | |
| Tasted by ChinonRouge on 2/13/2009: I really don't remember the tasting profile of this wine as I drank it 1 week ago. It was ok, but nothing memorable. Definitely not very high on my radar screen for future purchases. (1997 views) | |
| Tasted by jswanson on 2/3/2009 & rated 93 points: Very nice wine.....First Malbec and I'm impressed. Excellent almost sweet fruit (not a bomb) and mild oak and chocolate on the nose and palate. Very long finsh and drinkable now. Very impressive. (1940 views) | |
| Tasted by Yiannis on 1/24/2009 & rated 89 points: Dark purple with bluish tints. Reductive aromas appear initially, but soon give way to dark berries, chocolate, coffee, spices and sweet oak. Full bodied, round and smooth, with rich but juicy tannins, very rich fruit and moderate acidity. Oak presence is obvious but the richness of fruit prevents it from being dominant. Very long finish (cocoa and coffee + dark fruit). A very good wine, but not up to my expectations (which were addmittedly too high). Trapiche single vineyard malbecs are much closer to what I expect from a super-premium Mendoza malbec. (1952 views) | |
| Tasted by Squilber on 1/10/2009 & rated 92 points: A very nice wine with silky smooth tannins along with dark fruit, cherry, spice. coffee and mocha flavors. This is a great bargain for less than $40 and a wonderful Malbec. Drinking nice now but can last for 2-3 more years. (1928 views) | |
| Tasted by pmk on 12/18/2008 & rated 92 points: decanted for 1hour -- complex nose and taste, deep dark fruit followed by wonderful spice, then hints of dark berry as it fades on the palate. long finish, well structured with well mannered tannins. Drink now. (1915 views) | |
| Tasted by dbkitc on 12/16/2008 & rated 92 points: (at Alma de Cuba – Philadelphia) no formal notes, but a very energetic, well balanced and satisfying wine. Good depth and complexity – will improve with 3 to 4 years in the cellar. (92+) (2185 views) | |
| Tasted by fjv3 on 12/6/2008 & rated 94 points: Plush and silky. Generous fruit with balanced structure. Right in its wheelhouse right now. (2054 views) | |
| Tasted by Anonymous on 11/26/2008 & rated 92 points: Magnifico, altamente recomendado.... (1948 views) | |
| Tasted by cJW on 10/26/2008 & rated 89 points: (1334 views) | |
| Only displaying the 25 most recent notes - click to see all notes for this wine... |
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| Producer website
CATENA
What can i say about Catena. It is the most well known winery from Argentina. Nicolás Catena is like Bob Mondavi from South America. They make terrific wines and they are committed to improving the quality of their wines and the wine product of Argentina. Some special wines were compared to Latour, Haut Brion, Penfolds and Opus One. Every Cellar that considers to know something from Argentina has to get something of Catena.
About red wine 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. Because if its balance and fruit, 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 and chicken, pâté, spinach soufflé, and 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. 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. Wines of Mendoza Argentine Malbec Producers |
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