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| Drinking Windows and Values |
| Community Tasting History |
| Community Tasting Notes (average 90.8 pts. and median of 91 pts. in 185 notes) - hiding notes with no text | | | Tasted by Mnawacki on 5/21/2023 & rated 89 points: Bad cellar management let this bottle go too long. Concentrated core of syrupy dark berry fruit, lots of sediment, but quite flaccid structure at this point. No longer displaying the strength expected out of either Catena Alta or the Malbec grape. (440 views) | | | Tasted by Otis Wine Lover on 2/22/2022 & rated 92 points: Clear deep garnet color, no sediment or bricking at all. Aromas of wood, cinnamon, and crushed dark berries lead into deep, intense flavors of red and black cherry compote, cassis, hints of vanilla and echos of cinnamon and mocha. A long, long finish emphasizing the dark, rich fruits, firm but velvety and refined tannins, and a hint of spices and mocha. A lovely, elegant, refined wine, a pleasure to savor. Last bottle in my cellar, wish I had more, although I’m not sure it would be this good very much longer. (843 views) | | | Tasted by wineshaman on 10/17/2020 & rated 89 points: Decanted fo sediment which was light, big dark cherries, currants cassis, woody tart finish, fully integrated and clearly on the backside. Personally cellared Since 10/2008, to the best of my knowledge this bottle has not moved from my cellar since then. (1462 views) | | | Tasted by iamandyc on 10/10/2019 & rated 89 points: Easy drinker with dark fruit and some acidity. I thinks it's past its prime but still drinking well. Drink 'em if you got 'em (2097 views) | | | Tasted by 560 B&W on 7/10/2019 & rated 91 points: PnP, tasted over two nights. Mid+ body, mid acid, 13.9% (2140 views) | | | Tasted by BrunelloBob on 3/7/2018 & rated 90 points: Liked this, buy again (2908 views) | | | Tasted by 560 B&W on 9/28/2017 & rated 90 points: Not sure if it was the bottle or just the passage of time, but this seemed over the hill. Drink now. 13.9% (2996 views) | | | Tasted by Uncle John on 5/17/2017 & rated 91 points: This was just a bit behind the 2004 Alta Malbec. Beautiful dark fruit with soft tannins and a smooth finish. At it's peak. (2972 views) | | | Tasted by wineshaman on 3/17/2017 & rated 90 points: Decated 1 hr, I have not tasted since 2012, perhaps because I found the last bottle not all that appealing, however this bottle was quite to the contrary, According to CT I still have 1 more bottle damn if I know where. Nice cedar nose with hints of plum, chocolate and cherry. The palate was full of similar flavors, with some nice rustic notes on the finish, way more balanced and integrated than the bottle I tasted in 2012. Paired with Cucina soup from one of my favorite Italian restaurant in the area. Drink soon! (2638 views) | | | Tasted by BenU on 1/21/2017 & rated 90 points: Interesting for me to have a 12 year old Malbec.
I enjoyed it and it is a good wine but I didn't find it as fruit forward as others have said.
Notes of black fruits on the nose to start but then the age comes into it and there's some fruit but more oak and leather in the mouth.
Definitely drink up if you have. (2896 views) | | | Tasted by Wink on 1/9/2017 & rated 92 points: My last bottle of 2005 Catena Alta Malbec. Not much to add to my most recent note, from 2/17/15. Excellent, fruit-forward Malbec with opulent fruit, integrated oak, refreshing acidity, and sweet tannins. This wine tastes fully mature. Drink up now! (2153 views) | | | Tasted by jkoenen on 9/11/2016 & rated 91 points: Great BBQ-wine. Of couorse. Black cherries, grilled meat, balsamic notes, earth and smoke. (1903 views) | | | Tasted by Tannic Monster on 8/4/2016 & rated 90 points: dark garnet in the glass. On the nose: dried herbes de Provence, anise, cherry licorice, and fresh pencil shavings. On the palate: Dark fruits, cherry cola, red grape skins, mocha latte, and rhubarb pie. Lively tannins present with a little spice on the finish. (1547 views) | | | Tasted by David Meddings on 10/12/2015 & rated 91 points: Opened one hour prior. Dark garnet purple with fine suspended sediment. Dark fruit bouquet with some spice. Palate is similar with fine tannins and a medium final.
This is drinking very well now. Refreshing and well balanced - a full bodied Malbec with good complexity. (2604 views) | | | Tasted by SpoochMan on 8/3/2015 & rated 91 points: Lab BBQ and finished over course of week from Enomatic. Consistent with previous notes and a nice Malbec. My last bottle -- this was enjoyable overall. (2548 views) | | | Tasted by Vinoevelo on 7/4/2015 & rated 88 points: Finally shed the baby fat, interesting enough, great spice box thing going for it but too much oak, alcohol and not enough tertiary characteristics to keep my attention. (2673 views) | | | Tasted by David Meddings on 5/17/2015 & rated 90 points: Popped and poured. Dark garnet, purple rim, fine suspended sediment. Could be a north Rhone wine on the nose - dark fruit aromatics with a spicy note. Round, supple attack. Building slowly to a fine dark fruit mid-palate. Fine drying tannins and some spicy oak in the background. Moderate final.
Good complexity and balance. Drinking nicely now and probably unlikely to gain much with additional cellaring. Still - no hurry to finish these - I'd expect they can easily make it another 2-3 years. Best with food - paired very well with fresh pesto. (2741 views) | | | Tasted by Seafoam Manor on 5/15/2015 & rated 87 points: Age hasn't been that kind to this wine. By no means did it seem flawed, but it was just lacking intensity in all aspects. Soft, lacking acid, very little tannin and really without much pop from the fruit. It was perfectly drinkable, but it was completely anonymous as well. If you have any in your cellar, drink them now as they are clearly on the decline. (2571 views) | | | Tasted by JWSOMMERFELD on 5/8/2015 & rated 87 points: Decanted prior to serving, wine threw very little sediment. Clear, deep garnet with a light purple rim. Medium intensity, developed nose of blueberries and black cherries, orange peel, tobacco, leather, a touch vegetal (bell pepper, straw), and wet earth. Palate is dry, medium across the board (acid, tannin, body, alcohol, intensity, and length). Palate disappoints. Fruit is sadly muted. Plenty of weight, acid, etc., just not much flavor.
Drink up folks, this wine is fading. I definitely remember it having much more life when I last opened a bottle in 2012 for a blind-tasting when it was the star of the night. (1922 views) | | | Tasted by 560 B&W on 3/25/2015 & rated 91 points: Nice balance and structure. 13.9% (2006 views) | | | Tasted by Wink on 2/17/2015 & rated 93 points: Opaque dark garnet. Nose of dust, plum, cassis, blackberry, and vanilla. Ripe full palate of blackberry, blueberry, cassis, plum, and black licorice. Excellent length. Pleasant acidity. Sweet tannins. (1806 views) | | | Tasted by tantotinto on 1/22/2015 & rated 91 points: The last bottle of this wine opened a little over a year ago was past its prime or just an off bottle. Hard to know which. Well not so here. Blackberry, cherry, spice and cedar. Nicely mellowed with time but plenty of ripe fruit yet. Very tasty. (1629 views) | | | Tasted by Ben Christiansen on 8/27/2014: Could have swore this was corked. Or at least had a green thing on the nose and was pretty dead on the palate. Not quite what I was expecting. (2462 views) | | | Tasted by jusuf on 7/11/2014 & rated 89 points: Very concentrated, opens up only very reservedly. Strong mocha notes. Almost bitter. Only good if you like exactly this taste. Lots of leather notes. On the palate with black fruits that seem somewhat reduced. The finish is too short for a Zapata Malbec. (2267 views) | | | Tasted by TannicBeast on 6/29/2014 & rated 90 points: A great marriage of old world and new worlds. Medium (+) to deep ruby. Good concentration without being viscous and heavy. The nose is clean, medium (+) in intensity, with aromas of black currant, black pepper and some oak spice. The nose is youthful to developing and the oak is nicely integrated. The palate is dry, with medium alcohol (13.9%). The acidity is a pleasant surprise at medium (+) to pronounced, making this a very lithe and agile wine. The tannins are medium and nicely integrated. This is a medium-bodied, balanced, food friendly wine with a medium (+) flavor intensity and a medium (+) finish. At this stage in its evolution, this is a very elegant, old-world centric wine that is very clean and fresh. It was a great pairing with rib-eye steaks with a Tuscan rub. It is drinking very well now but is likely to remain in its optimal drinking window for at least another year or two. (2172 views) | | | Only displaying the 25 most recent notes - click to see all notes for this wine... |
| By John Szabo, MS
WineAlign (7/7/2009)
(Catena Alta Malbec, Mendoza red) Subscribe to see review text. | By Stephen Tanzer
Vinous, January/February 2009, IWC Issue #142
(Bodega Catena Zapata Malbec Catena Alta Mendoza) Subscribe to see review text. | By David Lawrason
WineAlign (11/21/2008)
(Catena Alta Malbec, Mendoza red) Subscribe to see review text. | By Jancis Robinson, MW
JancisRobinson.com (11/19/2008)
(Catena Zapata, Catena Alta Malbec Mendoza Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By Jancis Robinson, MW
JancisRobinson.com (10/10/2008)
(Catena Zapata, Catena Alta Malbec Mendoza Red) Subscribe to see review text. |
NOTE: Scores and reviews are the property of WineAlign and Vinous and JancisRobinson.com. (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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