“This is made from over 100-year-old vineyards and offers blackberries with blue fruit and dark chocolate. Shows bark and black truffle undertones, too. Tight and more focused than in past vintages. The quality of the tannins is more precise and fine. Blackberries and black truffles at the end.”

“It feels like there was a big change in the 2019 Catena Zapata Malbec Argentino, a year with a vibrant palate and very clean and focused aromas and flavors. They fine-tuned the irrigation and viticulture, and that seems to have increased the precision of the wine. They also did a selection and left the grapes from the borders of the vineyard, which were affected by the paths and other stuff. It’s still a little more voluptuous than the wines from Gualtallary, as this mixes grapes from Angélica (Lunlunta) and Nicasia (Altamira). It’s nicely textured and tasty, medium-bodied and with a vibrant finish.”

“Rich, youthfully chewy, gripping and dry with notes of blueberry, blackberry, black currant, cedar, cinnamon, clove and tobacco.”

“The 2019 Malbec Argentino is a blend of grapes from venerable vineyards in Lunlunta and Paraje Altamira; it is essentially a premium Mendoza Malbec. A significant amount was fermented in whole bunches before spending 18 months in used French barrels. The complex nose presents notes of plum and blueberry with hints of country herb, jarilla and pennyroyal over a bed of sour cherry and cedar. There is a whiff of lavender perfume. The fine tannins act as a net that shapes rather than structures the volume. It has good energy and elasticity with grip, juicy freshness and a complex layer of fruit appearing at the back of the mouth. The 2019 is an accomplished wine in a year that allowed for nuance and freshness."

“Winemaking Director Alejandro Vigil blends this wine from a mass selection of malbec in Catena’s Nicasia vineyard (planted in 1996 in La Consulta, 3,593 feet above sea level) and Angélica (planted around 1930 in Lunlunta, 3,018 feet above sea level). The wine is big enough to carry the dark chocolate flavors from its time in oak, the fruit going towards black raspberry layered with blueberry complexity. Some air points up the freshness of the wine, hinting at years of development ahead in the cellar.”

“Winemaking Director Alejandro Vigil blends this wine from a mass selection of malbec in Catena’s Nicasia vineyard (planted in 1996 in La Consulta, 3,593 feet above sea level) and Angélica (planted around 1930 in Lunlunta, 3,018 feet above sea level). They destem 80 percent of the bunches before fermenting with ambient yeasts in new French oak barrels, where the wine ages for 18 months before bottling. The oak seems to deepen and lengthen the texture, adding some vanilla flair to the finish. The wine itself is certainly big enough to carry the oak’s dark chocolate flavors, the fruit going towards black raspberry layered with blueberry complexity. Eleven Madison Park sommelier Alex Mares described it as ‘suave.’ Some air points up the freshness of the wine, hinting at years of development ahead in the cellar. If you open it now, give it a vigorous decant next to rare squab and a prune reduction.”

“A rich and concentrated version, with a note of molasses to the blackberry, pomegranate and plum, with roasted espresso, peppercorn and savory elements folding in around a firm grip of tannins and a note of dark chocolate. Very complete.”

“Grapes from four different vineyards are used to make this soft and concentrated wine. Red and black fruit aromas are highlighted by fragrances of violets and a hint of vanilla. The palate is rich with black and blueberry nuances that intertwine with a touch of leather. Minerality comes into focus in the backend and extends throughout the long, memorable finish.”

“ Malbec Mon Amour is the perfect Valentine's gift! Friends and lovers can share a glass of Argentine Malbec and learn all about the wine's story together. By Laura Catena and Alejandro Vigil, in Malbec Mon Amour they tell us how and why Malbec became Argentina’s iconic grape variety, establishing itself as the quintessential Argentine variety in elite wine circles.”