Catena Zapata Nicolas 2011

Professional Ratings

• 95 James Suckling
  Complex aromas of dark berry, shaved chocolate and minerals. Full-bodied, bright and fruity with a beautiful balance and length. It's so polished and gorgeous. A blend of 80% cabernet sauvignon and 20% malbec.
• 93 Wine & Spirits
  First launched with the 1997 vintage, this is Catena’s most ambitious red blend. It’s based on 80 percent cabernet sauvignon grown in La Pirámide, the vineyard surrounding the Mayan pyramid–shaped winery, in Agrelo; the rest is malbec from high-altitude vineyards in the Uco Valley. Generous in spice scents, with an accent on black pepper and cinnamon notes, it’s seductively profound, with sweet, ripe fruit flavors supported by refined tannins. Graceful now, it will gain complexity with five years or more in the cellar.
• 92 Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
  The 2011 Nicolás Catena Zapata is a blend of 75% Cabernet Sauvignon and 25% Malbec sourced from a diversity of vineyards and zones, La Piramide, Domingo, Adrianna and Nicasia. I found pungent aromas of leather, cured meat and fountain pen ink and even tempera paint that were reminiscent of many classic Bordeaux wines. The palate feels quite dry and has a grainy texture. It needs food.
• 92 Wine Enthusiast
  Lemony oak sits atop a heady bouquet supported by woody, baked-berry aromas. This is fresh and fast-moving across the palate, with rooty, toasty flavors of baked black fruits. A peppery, toasty, chocolaty finish is solid, dense and layered. Drink through 2021.
• 91 Wine Spectator
  Taut and muscular, with concentrated flavors of mocha, roasted plum and Asian spice. Black olive and French roast notes enliven the finish, showing plenty of dark chocolate details. Drink now through 2019.