One of the outstanding and historic houses in Argentina, Catena was first founded in the 19th century. The founder, Nicola Catena, traveled from Italy to Argentina in 1898, and was described as an eternal optimist, who firmly believed that he had found the promised land in Mendoza, where he planted his first Malbec vineyard in 1902. Malbec had previously been a blending grape in Bordeaux Nicola and he saw its potential in Mendoza.
Nicola’s grandson, Nicolas, took over the winery in the 1960s but was faced with inflation and political turmoil in Argentina, so he took a job as a visiting economics professor at UC Berkeley. He then came back to Argentina and wanted to focus on the winery, deciding to plant Chardonnay and Malbec at a 5,000 feet elevation. This was an unusual vineyard practice at the time but the risk paid off. Soon Nicolas was crafting incredible wines from these vines that became blind tasted ahead of epic wine projects like Chateau Latour and Opus One.
In 2001 Nicolas' daughter Dr. Laura Catena took over the Research & Development program at Bodega Catena Zapata. An Emergency Room physician, with degrees from Harvard and Stanford, Dr. Laura Catena brought a very strong science background to the family winery's R&D project. She immediately set about working with the high altitude Malbec that her father had planted and has achieved incredible success at the winery since taking over. I’ve had the chance to meet her on several occasions at world wine events and I have so much respect for the brand that she has created.
I loved the new releases from Catena. Look to their value driven 2018 Bodega Catena Zapata Malbec (OB, 92) which is dense, chewy and has some really good aging potential. has beautiful dark and blue fruit flavors with nice tension. I was blown away with the 2016 Bodega Catena Zapata ’Nicolas Catena’ Red Wine (OB, 96). This was an absolutely epic bottling that will cellar marvelously for decades. Learn more about these wonderful wines at http://www.catenawines.com Here are the gorgeous new releases from Catena
2018 Bodega Catena Zapata ‘Tupungato’ Chardonnay- Brioche and toasted marshmallow mark the nose with shades of pecan praline. The palate is seamlessly textured as bright orchard fruits dance with Meyer lemon zest and vanilla cream flavors. Gorgeous in its youth, this has a long way to go. Drink 2020-2028- 92
2017 Bodega Catena Zapata Cabernet Sauvignon-This shows nice scorched earth terroir on the nose with a deep core of dar fruits and shades of chocolate fudge. The palate is dense and plush with good acidity. Ripe blackberry tons mingle with chocolate fudge and coffee ground flavors on the palate. Seriously good in its youth, enjoy this great new wine over the next eight years. Drink 2020-2028- 91
2018 Bodega Catena Zapata Malbec-The 2018 Bodega Catena Zapata Malbec is an awesome new release that brings serious value. Showing off its deep hue, this reveals rich violets with blueberry compote, mocha and tar tones on the palate. Quite burly, yet maintaining good freshness, enjoy this over the next eight to ten years. Drink 2020-2028- 92
2016 Bodega Catena Zapata ‘Nicolas Catena Zapata’ Red Wine-The 2016 Bodega Catena Zapata ‘Nicolas Catena Zapata’ red wine has now been produced for nearly twenty vintages. The wine is a stunning blend of 61% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31% Malbec, 8% Cabernet Franc that was aged in French oak casks for eighteen months prior to bottling. Roasted dates collide with boysenberry cordial, mocha and creosote tones on the nose. The palate is beautifully textured and seamless throughout the drinking experience. Layers of blueberry compote, tar, menthol and shades of Turkish coffee all marvelously come together on the palate, with red bell pepper and graphite undertones. Highly complex and novel, this scintillating new wine will enjoy decades of life ahead of it. Drink 2020-2040- 96
2017 Bodega Catena Zapata ‘Argentino’ Malbec- Stunning and evocative, the 2017 ‘Argentino’ by Bodega Catena Zapata is a masterpiece by famed winemaker Alejandro Vigil. Made from vines more than 100 years old, the wine was aged for eighteen months in French oak before bottling. Deeply perfumed, this shows intense Asian spices and violets that mingle with creme de cassis, blueberry pie and graphite aromatics that all sing in unison. The palate is dense, yet has a weightless effect mid-palate. Bright acidity and a light dusting of salinity falls upon the core of blue and dark fruits, with espresso bean and pencil lead tones rounding out this incredibly complex palate. This finishes exceedingly long. A true heavyhitter, the 2017 ‘Argentino’ will cellar well for decades to come. Drink 2020-2040- 96