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Catena Zapata Nicolas Catena Zapata 2013 1.5Ltr

size
1.5Ltr
country
Argentina
region
Cuyo
appellation
Mendoza
WA
96
DC
95
VM
94
WE
94
JS
94
Additional vintages
WA
96
Rated 96 by Wine Advocate
The 2013 Nicolás Catena Zapata is a blend of 75% Cabernet Sauvignon and 25% 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. ... More details
Image of bottle
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Catena Zapata Nicolas Catena Zapata 2013 1.5Ltr

SKU 884099
Sale
Long-term Pre-Arrival
$222.30
/1.5Ltr bottle
$219.45
/1.5Ltr bottle
Quantity
* This is a Long-term Pre-arrival item and is available for online ordering only. This item will ship on a future date after a 4-8 months transfer time. For additional details about Pre-arrival Items please visit our FAQ page.
Professional Ratings
WA
96
DC
95
VM
94
WE
94
JS
94
WA
96
Rated 96 by Wine Advocate
The 2013 Nicolás Catena Zapata is a blend of 75% Cabernet Sauvignon and 25% 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.
DC
95
Rated 95 by Decanter
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.
VM
94
Rated 94 by Vinous Media
Dark ruby-red. Pungent but classy aromas of cassis and blackberry are a bit inkier and more subdued than those of the Malbec Argentino. Very smooth, dry, savory and backward, with its tangy red and black fruit flavors complicated by minerals and hints of green and black pepper. Really bulletproof fruit here--and wonderfully energetic. Half of the fruit comes from the cool Adrianna vineyard in Gualtallary, where Cabernet Sauvignon--and Franc--do especially well, according to winemaker Alejandro Vigil. I'd wait at least a year or two to enjoy this wine, which has plenty of tannic spine for aging.
WE
94
Rated 94 by Wine Enthusiast
Generous oak is reflected via aromas of hickory and smoke on the nose of this lusty but refined blend of Cabernet and Malbec. In the mouth, rugged tannins and high acidity suggest further cellaring. Flavors of plum, berry, chocolate and tomato sauce finish with dry, pulling tannins and a sense of acidic freshness. Drink through 2027. (Cellar Selection)
JS
94
Rated 94 by James Suckling
Extremely polished and refined with blueberries, wet earth and dark chocolate. Tight and reserved. Medium to full body, fine and velvety tannins and a long and flavorful finish. This shows depth and beauty. Best bonarda in Argentina and shows the excitement of this grape varietal. Drink now.
Winery
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. The finish is long, a foretoken of the long aging potential of this Argentine masterpiece.
Product Details
size
1.5Ltr
country
Argentina
region
Cuyo
appellation
Mendoza
Additional vintages
Overview
The 2013 Nicolás Catena Zapata is a blend of 75% Cabernet Sauvignon and 25% 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.
barrel

Region: Cuyo

The region of Cuyo has been internationally associated with fine Argentinian wine for several decades, and has a wine history which stretches back centuries to the time of the original Spanish settlers, who sought areas in which to plant imported grape vines for sacramental wine production. The region contains several of Argentina's most renowned and widely appreciated provinces, including the Mendoza, La Rioja, San Juan and San Luis, and the mountainous nature of this arid region provides an ideal environment for vineyard cultivation. As the mighty Desaguadero River snakes its way between the Andes, it deposits plenty of important minerals in the soil, which allow grape varietals closely associated with the Argentinian wine industry – such as Malbec – to grow to a perfect level of ripeness. As such, even in the driest areas of the Cuyo region, flavorful and fruit-forward wines are produced in impressive amounts.
fields

Country: Argentina

As the world's fifth largest producer of wine, after France, Italy, Spain and the United States, Argentina has plenty to offer the international wine market in regards to both quantity and quality. Despite this being the case for several decades now, it has only been since the end of the twentieth century that the Argentinian wine industry has really begun to up their game when it comes to the methods and techniques required to produce world class wines, which are both representative of their country and region of origin, and which stand alone as complex, interesting and delicious wines to drink. As Argentina became a serious contender in the international wine market, wineries previously concerned primarily with high volumes began to change their priorities, and formerly struggling small bodegas and independent wineries began to find success. Nowadays, well crafted wines from smaller vineyards in Argentina are being lauded as some of the finest in the world, and the country is starting to reap the benefits of its heritage, which include some very old vines, and up to four centuries of experience in wine production.
Customer Reviews
Customer Reviews

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More Details
Winery Catena Zapata
barrel

Region: Cuyo

The region of Cuyo has been internationally associated with fine Argentinian wine for several decades, and has a wine history which stretches back centuries to the time of the original Spanish settlers, who sought areas in which to plant imported grape vines for sacramental wine production. The region contains several of Argentina's most renowned and widely appreciated provinces, including the Mendoza, La Rioja, San Juan and San Luis, and the mountainous nature of this arid region provides an ideal environment for vineyard cultivation. As the mighty Desaguadero River snakes its way between the Andes, it deposits plenty of important minerals in the soil, which allow grape varietals closely associated with the Argentinian wine industry – such as Malbec – to grow to a perfect level of ripeness. As such, even in the driest areas of the Cuyo region, flavorful and fruit-forward wines are produced in impressive amounts.
fields

Country: Argentina

As the world's fifth largest producer of wine, after France, Italy, Spain and the United States, Argentina has plenty to offer the international wine market in regards to both quantity and quality. Despite this being the case for several decades now, it has only been since the end of the twentieth century that the Argentinian wine industry has really begun to up their game when it comes to the methods and techniques required to produce world class wines, which are both representative of their country and region of origin, and which stand alone as complex, interesting and delicious wines to drink. As Argentina became a serious contender in the international wine market, wineries previously concerned primarily with high volumes began to change their priorities, and formerly struggling small bodegas and independent wineries began to find success. Nowadays, well crafted wines from smaller vineyards in Argentina are being lauded as some of the finest in the world, and the country is starting to reap the benefits of its heritage, which include some very old vines, and up to four centuries of experience in wine production.