Catena Zapata Nicasia Malbec 2018

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Catena Zapata
Nicasia Malbec 2018

Vintage : 2018
Country : Argentina
Region : Mendoza
Subregion
Type : Red
Style Deep Full Bodied
Format : 75cl
Alcohol : 14,8°
Grappes : 100% Malbec

From high altitude vineyards, Catena produce this aromatic wine full of ripe black fruits, sweet spices and thyme. The palate is packed full of dark berries, liquorice and bitter chocolate.

Experts		Score	Vintage
RP	Robert Parker	98	2018
JS	James Suckling	96	2018
W&S	Wines & Spirits	95	2018
VN	Vinous (Antonio Galloni)	93+	2015
TA	Tim Atkin	94	2015
WS	Wine Spectator	92	2015
IWC	International Wine Challenge	95	2013
DCT	Decanter	95	2013
WE	Wine Enthusiast	92	2013

More information on wine critics and ratings

Description
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Reviews
From the same producer

Nicasia is the name of the vineyard that the Malbec grapes used to make this wine come from. It is a very complex full bodied wine with aromas of black cherry, blueberry and spices. On the palate there are intense flavours of red fruits and vanilla.

Nicola Catena planted his first Malbec vineyards in Mendoza in 1902. Malbec had been a blending grape in Bordeaux, but Nicola suspected it would find its hidden splendor in the Argentine Andes. Fast forward sixty years and Nicola’s grandson Nicolas took the reigns of the family firm. Since the mid-1960s, Nicolas has spent his career building Catena in to one of the world’s best wineries, emulating what his mentor Robert Mondavi achieved in California. Nicolas was a pioneer of… Read more

Robert Parker (RP) : 98 Points (2018)

The 2018 Malbec Catena Zapata Nicasia Vineyard, from a vineyard planted in Altamira in 1996 from an old massal selection, has contained ripeness, reflecting the less warm vintage (after 2017). The grapes were picked very early but with good ripeness because of the low yields in a very dry year. It fermented in open-top barrels with 100% full clusters and indigenous yeasts and matured in 500-liter oak barrels. It's a balanced and elegant Malbec with some restraint and a very fine thread in the palate, with really fine tannins. It follows the path of the phenomenal 2017, fine and elegant.

James Suckling (JS) : 96 Points (2018)

This is rich and decadent with crushed berries, light chocolate, meat and blueberries. Full body, polished and chewy tannins and an extremely long, flavorful finish. Fresh and beautiful. Love the coolness to the flavors here. Drink or hold.

Wines & Spirits (W&S) : 95 Points (2018)

Nicolás Catena planted this vineyard in La Consulta in 1996, with vines selected from his family’s 80-year-old Angelica Vineyard in Lunlunta. At 3,600 feet in altitude, Nicasia is considerably higher and cooler than Lunlunta (the average temperature is below 58°F); the massal selection is planted on its own roots. Those vines yielded a fresh, concentrated wine in 2018: It’s super youthful, a jumble of red fruit, oak and spice right out of the bottle, bold and boisterous in its energy. As it takes on air in the glass, the wood tones melt into the fruit, the wine becoming more savory while the flavors keep juicing up—floral, herbal, smoky, earthy, salty. Fine tannins give it shape and hold the flavors fresh for days after the bottle is opened.

Vinous (Antonio Galloni) (VN) : 93+ Points (2015)

Bright medium ruby. Blackberry, licorice and violet on the nose. Far tighter and less sweet than the 2014 version; a more minerally and linear version of Malbec that lacks the expansiveness of the '14. Finishes with a firm edge of tannins and terrific length. A bit less ripe--and more green--than the 2014, with tighter tannins. A bit of a question mark owing to its serious tannic spine, this wine would appear to offer excellent potential longevity but it will require patience.

Tim Atkin (TA) : 94 Points (2015)

This won’t come out until later this year, as Catena are still on the 2014 vintage...but it needs a little more time anyway. Sage and oregano aromas segue into a palate of blackberry and dark plums framed by supple tannins.

Wine Spectator (WS) : 92 Points (2015)

Rich pepper notes accent the well-defined and luscious dark plum, red berry and currant flavors. Notes of hot stone show midpalate, with a fine-grained, mineral-filled finish. Drink now through 2021. Tasted twice, with consistent notes. 1,040 cases made.

International Wine Challenge (IWC) : 95 Points (2013)

Catena’s Nicasia Vineyard is located in Mendoza’s Uco Valley. The vineyard has 100-acres planted to Malbec, which is set on sandy soils at 3500 feet elevation. The 2013 wine was aged for 18 months in 100% new French oak prior to bottling prior to an additional 24 months in the bottle. This inky colored wine is rather reticent at first and needs some time to unwind before eventually releasing seductive aromatics reminiscent of black cherry compote, crème de cassis, blueberry pie, mocha and graphite nuances all taking shape. Stunningly smooth and soft on the mid-palate, this wine shows off blackberry jam, espresso bean, dark chocolate shavings and blueberry pie flavors which expand beautifully across the palate. Beautifully structured, and highly gratifying, this world-class Malbec will cellar fabulously for many years to come.

Decanter (DCT) : 95 Points (2013)

Very pleasing herbal, mint, plum notes leading onto a citrus finish. Harmonious and elegant, there is an extra dimension here with potential to develop.

Wine Enthusiast (WE) : 92 Points (2013)

Briary blackberry and tobacco aromas are a touch flat and jammy. This has a linear palate feel with acidity to spare. Spicy, woody flavors of plum and blueberry finish with acidic lift, leaving juicy brightness as this fades. Drink through 2028.

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