Catena Zapata Argentino Vineyard Malbec 2018
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Product Details
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Somm Note
Winemaker Notes
20% whole cluster and 80% whole berry fruit is hand- loaded into 225-500 liter new French oak barrels for a 100% barrel fermentation for a period of 30 days, allowing seamless oak integration. The fermentation temperature is kept low, extracting intense aromas, and the cap management is done by hand to ensure soft, gentle flavors and tannin extraction. Wild yeasts. Alcoholic and malolactic fermentation in barrel leaves considerable lees and sediment. The wine is aged in French oak barrels for 18 months.
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
This is a really contrastive, rich and energetic malbec with crushed berries, as well as peaches and orange peel. Full body and soft tannins, yet always fresh and vivid. A little semillon in this from the blend plantings. Drink or hold.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
I had two very good vintages to compare of the Malbec Argentino, of which the 2018 Catena Zapata Malbec Argentino feels a tad riper than the 2019. There is a little more of Angelica in this blend, as it mixes grapes from different places in Mendoza that fermented with long macerations and some 30% full clusters and matured in 500-liter oak barrels. Despite everything, it has contained ripeness, a medium to full body with moderate alcohol and good freshness. This is a little more opulent than the wines from Gualtallary, a little more powerful. 24,000 bottles produced. It was bottled in November 2019.
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Wine Spectator
Offers a rich savory aroma, with well-knit dried red currant and berry flavors that lengthen out nicely with dried beef and underbrush accents. Shows inky and tarry richness on the finish. Drink now through 2027.
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Bodega Catena Zapata is one of Argentina's high altitude Malbec pioneers. The Catena family began making wine in Mendoza in 1902. Nicolas Catena, third generation family vintner, was one of the first to see the potential of Mendoza's mountain vineyards for producing high quality Malbec. In 1994, he became the first Argentine to exprot a world-class bottling of Malbec under the Catena label. Nicolas is joined by his daughter, Dr. Laura Catena, in their relentless pursuit of world-class quality from the family's high altitude vineyards. Laura has done extensive work in introducing Malbec and other varietal plant selections, soil and climate analysis, and sustainable practices throughout Mendoza. Head winemaker, Alejandro Vigil, has been at Catena Zapata since 2002 and works with Laura and Nicolas to make wines that express the family's vineyards and palate.
Celebrated for its bold flavors and supple texture, Malbec has enjoyed runaway success in Argentina since the late 20th century. The grape originated in Bordeaux, France, where it historically contributed color and tannin to blends. A French agronomist, who saw great potential for the variety in Mendoza’s hot, high-altitude landscape, brought Malbec to Argentina in 1868. Somm Secret—If you’re trying to please a crowd, Malbec is generally a safe bet with its combination of dense fruit and soft tannins.
By far the largest and best-known winemaking province in Argentina, Mendoza is responsible for over 70% of the country’s enological output. Set in the eastern foothills of the Andes Mountains, the climate is dry and continental, presenting relatively few challenges for viticulturists during the growing season. Mendoza, divided into several distinctive sub-regions, including Luján de Cuyo and the Uco Valley, is the source of some of the country’s finest wines.
For many wine lovers, Mendoza is practically synonymous with Malbec. Originally a Bordelaise variety brought to Argentina by the French in the mid-1800s, here it found success and renown that it never knew in its homeland where a finicky climate gives mixed results. Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Merlot and Pinot Noir are all widely planted here as well (and sometimes even blended with each other or Malbec). Mendoza's main white varieties include Chardonnay, Torrontés, Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillon.