Notes:Nicolás Catena Zapata is made from a selection of the best lots of Cabernet Sauvignon and Malbec in the Catena Zapata Vineyards. The first Nicolás Catena Zapata was made in 1997, a phenomenal Cabernet Sauvignon vintage in Mendoza. The 1997 Nicolás Catena Zapata was released in 2000 through a series of blind tastings held in the USA and Europe where it was compared blind to Chateau Latour, Haut Brion, Solaia, Caymus and Opus One. The Nicolás Catena Zapata 1997 came in either first or second in every tasting. This wine is only produced in outstanding vintage years.
A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Malbec. The wine is sourced from four vineyard sites. The Cabernet Sauvignon comes from the La Piramide, Domingo and Adrianna vineyards. The Malbec comes from the Adrianna and Altamira vineyards.
Write Ups:Jamie Goode's Wine Blog -
Nicolas Catena Zapata 2005 Argentina
'Approximately two-thirds Cabernet and one-third Malbec, this is a serious effort from one of Argentina's top producers. A concentrated, dark coloured wine it is currently extremely oaky: on opening, there's a big waft of vanilla and spice, along with ripe, sweet blackberry and blackcurrant fruit. After a while, this oak subsides a little, revealing more interesting floral and mineral notes under the super-ripe fruit. The palate is dense, smooth, ripe and rich with concentrated sweet fruits and some smooth but spicy tannic structure hiding underneath it. Currently quite oak dominated, all the ingredients are here for a long, graceful evolution. Don't open this now, but in five, ten or fifteen years, I reckon it will be quite special. It's 'new world' in style, and I'd probably prefer a little less ripeness, but it's serious. 93/100'