Catena Malbec 2004

The 2004 Catena Malbec has a deep, dark violet color, with pronounced blackish - purple tones. The aromatic structure is full of ripe dark fruits, floral notes of violets and lavender, and touches of vanilla and spice. The palate begins with sweet black cherry fruits and has a generous texture. There are marked mineral notes as well as layers of chocolate and spicy black pepper. The finish is soft and sweet with ripe tannins and vibrant acidity.

"Great aromas of crushed blueberry and raspberry, with a juicy texture and well integrated toast and mineral notes. Nice blast of pure fruit on the finish."
-Wine Spectator

The grapes for this wine are sourced from the Altamira, La Pirámide and Angelica vineyards. The soil in these vineyards consists of sand and shallow clay, over a stony subsoil. Ideal soil and climate conditions, together with meticulous pruning, irrigation and canopy management produce low yeilds of small berries with very concentrated fruit flavors.

In years past, Catena has taken pride in the single vineyard designation of the wines they produce. The grapes for the Catena wines are sourced from several vineyard sites and then blended together in the final product. For over 20 years, Nicolas Catena and his winemaking team have planted countless numbers of varietals and clones throughout their mountainous vineyard sites. Each vineyard site enjoys its own soil variations and microclimates. Nicolas and his team have carefully studied the effects of these microclimates on the grapes from each vineyard. They descovered that the same varietal, and even the same clone, presents truly distinct aromatic and flavor characteristics when grown in different microclimates. Implementing the age-old "art of assemblage," Nicolas found that by blending different lots of the same varietal, he could create a more intense and complex wine. As great artists tap their creative spirit to mix and match colors for a final work of art, the team at Bodega Catena Zapata use their creativity in the intricate process of blending grapes in order to craft the final wine.