Reviews & Ratings
2016 Catena Argentina & Chile (Red Blends) "Nicolas Catena Zapata"
Winery: Catena
Vintage: 2016
Wine Name/Vineyard: "Nicolas Catena Zapata"
Wine Category: Argentina & Chile (Red Blends)
Grape blend: 61% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31% Malbec, & 8% Cabernet Franc
Bottle size: 750 ml
Region: Mendoza
State or country: Argentina
Price: $125
Cases produced: 6,200
KWG Score: 94.5 (based on 2 reviews)
Ken's Wine Rating: Very Good+ (93)
Review date: September 11, 2021
Wine Review: This slightly opaque and deep purple colored Cabernet and Malbec blend from Catena is very good. It opens with a blueberry and graphite bouquet. On the palate, this wine is full bodied, balanced, and rich. The flavor profile is a black cherry and minerality blend with notes of mint and subtle oak. I also detected hints of faint red currant. The finish is dry and its flavors drift away nicely. This red blend is drinking beautifully right now. I would pair it with a filet mignon at your favorite steakhouse. Enjoy Ken & Dave
Winemaker Notes: Nicolás Catena Zapata became the first luxury cuvée from Argentina to be exported around the world. The wine recreates the "Original Bordeaux Blend" of the 18th and 19th Centuries, when Malbec dominated over Merlot and was in equal standing to Cabernet Sauvignon in the Médoc. The 2016 Nicolás Catena Zapata has an intense, deep purple color with bluish-black tones. On the nose, aromas of black fruits – blackberries, black cherries, black plums – predominate with subtle notes of vanilla and dark chocolate intermingled with savory hints of green olive and a stony minerality. On the palate, the wine is tremendously complex, unfolding layer upon layer of red currant, eucalyptus, and black pepper flavors. Black cherries and blackberries give way to cassis followed by a hint of saline minerality. The wine is remarkably concentrated with a firm tannic structure providing the backbone for the lush fruit and a long finish.
Buy it: Use 1000 Corks to find stores that sell 2016 Nicolas Catena Zapata.
