Winemaker Notes
Let the wine open in a decanter while you grill a Bone-in Ribeye Steak to perfection. Pour yourself a glass. Bliss.
Professional Ratings
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
Bodega Catena Zapata is one of Argentina's high-altitude Malbec pioneers. The Catena family began making wine in Mendoza in 1902. Nicolas Catena, third generation family vintner, was one of the first to see the potential of Mendoza's mountain vineyards for producing high quality Malbec. In 1994, he became the first Argentine to export a world-class bottling of Malbec under the Catena label. Nicolas is joined by his daughter, Dr. Laura Catena, in their relentless pursuit of world-class quality from the family's high-altitude vineyards. Laura has done extensive work in introducing Malbec and other varietal plant selections, soil and climate analysis, and sustainable practices throughout Mendoza. Head winemaker, Alejandro Vigil, has been at Catena Zapata since 2002 and works with Laura and Nicolas to make wines that express the family's vineyards and palate.
One of the world’s most classic and popular styles of red wine, Bordeaux-inspired blends have spread from their homeland in France to nearly every corner of the New World. Typically based on either Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot and supported by Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot, the best of these are densely hued, fragrant, full of fruit and boast a structure that begs for cellar time. Somm Secret—Blends from Bordeaux are generally earthier compared to those from the New World, which tend to be fruit-dominant.
By far the largest and best-known winemaking province in Argentina, Mendoza is responsible for over 70% of the country’s enological output. Set in the eastern foothills of the Andes Mountains, the climate is dry and continental, presenting relatively few challenges for viticulturists during the growing season. Mendoza, divided into several distinctive sub-regions, including Luján de Cuyo and the Uco Valley, is the source of some of the country’s finest wines.
For many wine lovers, Mendoza is practically synonymous with Malbec. Originally a Bordelaise variety brought to Argentina by the French in the mid-1800s, here it found success and renown that it never knew in its homeland where a finicky climate gives mixed results. Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Merlot and Pinot Noir are all widely planted here as well (and sometimes even blended with each other or Malbec). Mendoza's main white varieties include Chardonnay, Torrontés, Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillon.