Catena ZapataNicolas Catena Zapata 2013

The 2013 Nicolás Catena Zapata is a blend of 72% Cabernet Sauvignon and 28% Malbec from the La Pirámide, Adrianna and Nicasia vineyards. It is perfectly clean and focused, a noticeable improvement over the 2012 vintage. The Cabernet Sauvignon from this cool vintage seems to have a more restrained character that made me think of Cabernet Franc, very classical and serious. They have been harvesting earlier and earlier in search of balance and freshness, and the strategy has definitely worked. It has great freshness and focus, and the lower alcohol and acidity seem to make the wine integrate the oak very nicely. This has to be one of the finest vintages of Nicolás Catena Zapata. 55,000 bottles produced.

Consistently among the best red blends in Argentina, this is a cuvée of 78% Cabernet Sauvignon (the highest ever) with Malbec. It's typically refined and well balanced, with textured, grassy, peppery flavours, good backbone and impressive length. 2018-25

Founded in 1902, Bodega Catena Zapata has become revered by many as the pioneer of high-altitude wines and the re- emergence of the Malbec grape in Argentina. The Mayan-styled winery nestles in the foothills of the Andes at Agrelo. The Nicolás Catena Zapata is a blend of 75% Cabernet Sauvignon and 25% Malbec, sourced from La Pirámide (950m), Nicasia (1,095m) and Adrianna vineyards (1,450m), in Agrelo, Altamira and Gualtallary. It's aged for 18 months in French oak barrels. Paz Levinson: This has elegant aromas of cedar box, tobacco and earthy nuances. The wine has a medium body; it's elegant, evident from its ageing. The Cabernet gives length and good acidity to the wine whilst the Malbec offers juicy plummy fruit. Peter Richards MW: There's toasty aromas of roasted pepper and red and dark fruit. It has a lovely leafy complexity! Real freshness and lift here. The palate is fresh but tense, with lovely savoury complexity. It's fundamentally a mid-weight wine - and so much the better for it: Long, precise, savoury and complex. This is not typically Argentina but brilliant stuff nonetheless, a lighter mezzo forte style. Love it! Dirceu Vianna Junior MW: There's buckets of red and dark fruit still apparent despite its age. It also displays notes of dried herbs, chocolate, sweet spices and beautifully leafy notes. On the palate it combines ripe juicy and cedar with beautiful savoury notes finishing savoury and persistent. Drinking Window 2019 - 2028

The estates flagship red 'Nicolas Catena Zapata' is a captivating blend of 75% Cabernet Sauvignon with the remainder Malbec, from the hands of talented winemaker Alejandro Vigil. The fruit was sourced from the La Piramide, Domingo, Adrianna and Nicasia Vineyards, which are set on sandy loam soil, from vines planted between 3100 and 4700 feet. This majestic, inky colored red begins with inviting aromatics of ripe dark fruits, mocha, meat, black olives, mocha and graphite all coming together beautifully. The gorgeous mouthfeel is plush, velvety and layered with concentrated flavors of crème de cassis, black forest cake, mocha, graphite and tar, which coat the palate before leaving a lasting impression on the finish. Overall, the 2013 is another total success for this iconic wine, and while already simply irresistible, it will inevitably continue to thrive and have a very long life in the cellar. (Best 2019-2040) - October, 2017 (OB)