Catena Zapata
Nicolas Catena Zapata 2020
Other years:
2018| Denomination | N/A |
|---|---|
| Size | 0,75 l |
| Alcohol content | 14.0% by volume |
| Area | Mendoza (Argentina) |
| Grape varieties | 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Malbec |
| Aging | The wine undergoes malolactic fermentation and is then aged in French oak barrels for 18 months. |
| Other years | 2018 |
- Composition and origin: 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Malbec from Mendoza (Gualtallary, Altamira)
- Vinification: Fermentation for 10-15 days at 26-28°C in oak, concrete and stainless steel
- Ageing: 18 months in French oak barrels to achieve a very fine tannic texture
- Taste: Freshness and minerality, full and robust structure, long and persistent finish
- Ratings: 98 points James Suckling, 95 Wine Advocate, 96 Vinous; 2020 vintage
Description
What kind of wine it is
Nicolas Catena Zapata is a still red wine that combines Cabernet Sauvignon and Malbec in a well-balanced blend. Produced in Mendoza, it displays a ruby red colour with violet highlights. On the nose, it reveals fruity and floral aromas, accompanied by notes of liquorice, spices, and clear mineral hints. On the palate, it expresses a full-bodied and robust style, while maintaining a fresh character. The structure is supported by very fine tannins that lead to a long and persistent finish, making this wine ideal for pairing with rich meat-based dishes.
Where it comes from
The wine originates from the mountain vineyards of Mendoza, tended by the Catena Zapata winery. The grapes come from massal selections of ungrafted vines, faithfully recalling the style of classic historic blends. Specifically, the Cabernet Sauvignon is grown in Gualtallary at the Adrianna Vineyard, while the Malbec comes from Altamira at the Nicasia Vineyard. This precise parcel origin gives the wine a pronounced minerality and a clear aromatic intensity, authentically reflecting the high-altitude terroir.
How it is produced
After a rigorous manual harvest of the grapes, some parcels are vinified with whole bunches to preserve freshness and tannic texture. Fermentation takes place in oak barrels, concrete vats, and stainless steel tanks at controlled temperatures for about 10-15 days. This is followed by a post-fermentation maceration of 5-10 days and complete malolactic fermentation. The wine is then aged for 18 months in French oak barrels, a targeted maturation that rounds out its intense body and defines the overall harmony of its structure.
History and Curiosities
The first luxury Argentine cuvée to be exported worldwide, Nicolás Catena Zapata 2020 evokes the original pre-phylloxera Bordeaux blend, combining the elegance of Cabernet Sauvignon with the richness of Malbec. Born from historic ungrafted vines grown in the mountain vineyards of Mendoza, this excellent red, awarded 98 points by James Suckling, displays a robust and harmonious structure. Ageing in French oak imparts a fresh, mineral sip with ultra-fine tannins, perfect for stylishly enhancing the most succulent meats.
Awards
-
2020
98/100
James Suckling is an influential American wine critic and journalist who worked at Wine Spectator for 30 years. He left the magazine in 2010 to start his own website and guidebook (JamesSuckling.com). He specialises in Italian and Bordeaux wines.
-
2020
95/100
The prestigious international wine guide from the renowned Robert Parker, the world's most experienced and trusted wine taster.
-
2020
96/100
Vinous is the online guide from Antonio Galloni, one of the world's leading wine connoisseurs.
Tasting notes
Perfume
Color
Taste
Serve at:
16 - 18 °C
Longevity:
10 - 15 years
Decanting time:
1 hour
Nicolás Catena would never use the word about himself - a less boastful spirit, it’s hard to imagine - but he has been the quiet revolutionary in the Catena family history book. He has charted the family’s path to the new frontier of winemaking, drawing on lessons learned from the land and in the classroom, then applying his education to dare to challenge the conventional wisdom.
Taking the reigns of the family vineyards and wineries in the mid 1960s, he concentrated on expanding distribution throughout Argentina during years of turmoil in the 1970s. But in the early 1980s, Nicolás left Argentina to become a visiting professor of economics at the University of California, on the world-renowned campus at Berkeley. The political and economic situation in Argentina was difficult, with a military government that had just declared war on the United Kingdom and inflation rates of more than 1000 per cent per year.
Nicolás set out to develop his own selection of Argentine Malbec clones planting 145 clones in the La Pirámide vineyard. Of these, he selected the best five and began to plant them in different terroirs and altitudes.
Read more
| Name | Catena Zapata Nicolas Catena Zapata 2020 |
|---|---|
| Type | Red still |
| Denomination | N/A |
| Vintage | 2020 |
| Size | 0,75 l |
| Alcohol content | 14.0% by volume |
| Grape varieties | 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Malbec |
| Country | Argentina |
| Region | Mendoza |
| Vendor | Catena Zapata |
| Story | History and Curiosities The first luxury Argentine cuvée to be exported worldwide, Nicolás Catena Zapata 2020 evokes the original pre-phylloxera Bordeaux blend, combining the elegance of Cabernet Sauvignon with the richness of Malbec. Born from historic ungrafted vines grown in the mountain vineyards of Mendoza, this excellent red, awarded 98 points by James Suckling, displays a robust and harmonious structure. Ageing in French oak imparts a fresh, mineral sip with ultra-fine tannins, perfect for stylishly enhancing the most succulent meats. |
| Origin | Gualtallary (Adrianna Vineyard) and Altamira (Nicasia Vineyard), Mendoza, Argentina |
| Fermentation temperature | 26–28 °C |
| Fermentation | Approximately 10 5 days |
| Production technique | Fermentation in 500-litre oak barrels, cement and stainless steel tanks (26–28 °C for 10–15 days), with some parcels fermented with whole bunches; post-fermentation maceration for 5–10 days and malolactic fermentation; ageing for 18 months in French oak barrels. |
| Wine making | Fermentation takes place in 500-litre oak barrels, as well as in cement and stainless steel tanks, at temperatures of 26-28°C for about 10 5 days. Post-fermentation maceration lasts between 5 and 10 days. The wine undergoes malolactic fermentation and is then aged in French oak barrels for 18 months. |
| Aging | The wine undergoes malolactic fermentation and is then aged in French oak barrels for 18 months. |
| Total acidity | 5.8 gr/L |
| PH | 3.72 |
| Allergens | Contains sulphites |