Score: 97 pts James Suckling

Description:

With its first vintage in 1997, Nicolás Catena Zapata became Argentina’s first luxury cuvée exported worldwide. This wine pays tribute to the “Original Bordeaux Blend” of the 18th and 19th centuries, when Malbec played a dominant role over Merlot and stood alongside Cabernet Sauvignon in the Médoc. Crafted from massal selections of pre-phylloxera, ungrafted Malbec and Cabernet Sauvignon vines, this wine is a journey into the past, born from Mendoza’s high-altitude vineyards. Its aromatic complexity and elegant structure have positioned it as a true icon of Argentine viticulture.

Technical Sheet

• Winery: Catena Zapata

• Score: 97 pts James Suckling

• Type: Red Wine

• Vintage: 2021

• Varietal: Blend

• Blend: 46% Cabernet Sauvignon, 44% Malbec, 10% Cabernet Franc

• Vineyards:

  • Adrianna Cru (Gualtallary, Uco Valley): Calcareous soils with gravel, 17 hectares, planted in 1992 at 1,450 m a.s.l.

  • Nicasia Cru (Paraje Altamira, Uco Valley): Soils of large gravel mixed with sand and silt, 15 hectares, planted in 1996 at 1,095 m a.s.l.

• Aging: 18 months in French oak barrels

• Winemakers: Alejandro Vigil and Fernando Buscema

• Alcohol: 13.7%

• Total Acidity: 5.4 g/L

• pH: 3.65

• Serving Temperature: 16–18°C (61–64°F)

• Country: Argentina

• Food Pairing: Grilled red meats, braised lamb, aged cheeses, pasta with rich sauces, and spiced dishes

• Aging Potential: More than 15 years

Winemaking:

The harvest is carried out by hand, and fermentation takes place in small oak barrels, concrete tanks, and stainless-steel vessels at controlled temperatures between 26 and 28°C (79–82°F) for approximately 15 days. Total maceration lasts between 18 and 22 days, followed by natural malolactic fermentation. The wine is then…

WINERY DESCRIPTION

Catena Zapata is a historic family winery founded in 1902, currently led by third- and fourth-generation winegrowers Nicolás Catena Zapata and his daughter Laura Catena. Nicolás Catena Zapata is widely recognized as the man who revolutionized Argentine wine in the 1980s by focusing relentlessly on quality, planting vineyards at elevations of up to 1,500 meters, and leading the resurgence of Malbec—a French varietal nearly forgotten by the rest of the world—onto the global wine stage. Catena Zapata and Nicolás Catena Zapata have received numerous international awards, including Decanter’s Man of the Year, The Wine Spectator’s Distinguished Service Award, and Winery of the Year honors from leading wine publications worldwide.