Catena Zapata

Malbec Argentino

Nicolás Catena’s dream was to make Argentine wines that could stand with the best in the world. He knew he needed to grow fruit of unprecedented quality, with a level of concentration, complexity, and balance never before seen in Argentina. Once each specific lot was identified and its potential revealed through row-by-row micro-vinification, Nicolás developed a plant-by-plant selection through which he could further enhance the characteristics of each lot. Today, the Zapata vines are specifically marked and meticulously cared for.

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Tasting Notes

Aromas of cassis, blackberries, and distinct notes of earth. Gripping flavors of mocha, dark berries, minerality, and spice blend with lightly saline notes and velvety tannins.

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Tasting Notes

Aromas of cassis, blackberries, and distinct notes of earth. Gripping flavors of mocha, dark berries, minerality, and spice blend with lightly saline notes and velvety tannins.

Brand Materials

Tech Sheet Bottle Shot Acclaim

POINTS

“Elegant and perfumed nose with violets, spices, fresh blackberries, blueberries and touches of chiles, chocolate, cigar box and white pepper. Super juicy on the palate with compact, fine tannins and an extremely long finish.” 

James Suckling

POINTS

“Argentino is an equal blend of Malbecs from the Angelica Vineyard in Lunlunta and the Nicasia Vineyard in Paraje Altamira. Matured in foudres and one-tird new wood, it’s a rich, supple, glossy style with a touch of whole bunch spices, succulent bramble, blackberry and raspberry coulis flavours and fine-grained, savoury tannins.”

POINTS

The 2022 Malbec Argentino combines destemmed fruit from Lunlunta's Angelica Vineyard and Nicasia Vineyard in Altamira, and it was fermented with whole clusters. It leads with a rich, savory, black-fruited nose, introducing a similarly assertive and voluptuous palate. It concludes with a lush, staining and drying finish that retains the fine-grained precision that runs through the Catena Zapata roster.

POINTS

A blend of two origins – the warmer La Consulta and the cooler Paraje Altamira – the 2022 Malbec Argentino spent up to 12 months in French oak barrels. Purplish in hue, it reveals aromas of violets, plum and ripe dark fruit, alongside subtle smoky nuances. The oak is finely integrated, lending a creamy texture, plush tannins and a soft structure. This wine masterfully balances two distinct profiles – currently youthful yet velvety. It reinterprets the classic Mendoza Malbec style of the early 2000s.

Vineyard & Production Info

Vineyard name:

Angelica Vineyard (Lulunta district) and Nicasia Vineyard (Altamira district)

Soil composition:

Sand, Gravel, Stony, and Clay-Loam

Training method:

VSP

Elevation:

3,018-3,593 feet

Vines/acre:

2200

Yield/acre:

1.2 tons

Exposure:

Northwestern

Year vineyard planted:

1992-1996

Harvest time:

March - April

First vintage of this wine:

2004

Winemaking & Aging

Varietal composition:

100% Malbec

Fermentation container:

Vertical open barriques & small stainless steel tanks

Length of alcoholic fermentation:

30-32 days

Fermentation temperature:

82.4 - 86 °F

Maceration technique:

Manual punching down

Malolactic fermentation:

Yes

Type of aging container:

Barriques

Size of aging container:

225 L

Type of oak:

French oak

Length of aging before bottling:

24 months

Age of Aging Container:

100% New

Length of bottle aging:

12 - 18 months

Analytical Data

pH level:

3.6

Acidity:

6.1 g/L

Alcohol:

13.8 %

Residual sugar:

2.65 g/L

About the Vineyard

Malbec Argentino is made exclusively from pre-phylloxera selections from the family’s Angélica and Nicasia Vineyards. The label pays tribute to the variety’s epic history in France and its rise in Argentina. Four female figures embody different landmarks in the history of the grape.

ELEANOR OF AQUITAINE: Eleanor of Aquitaine represents the birth of Malbec. She is a strong, Old World presence, lingering at the bridge in Cahors, where Malbec came into its own.

THE IMMIGRANT: Next, the Immigrant symbolizes the movement to the New World and the unknown explorers and adventurers who connected Europe with the Americas.

MADAME PHYLLOXERA: Phylloxera personifies the death of Malbec in the Old World, which enabled its rebirth in the new.

CATENA ZAPATA: Finally, there is Bodega Catena Zapata, represented by Adrianna Catena, who depicts birth, earth, and motherhood, sharing the riches of the New World.

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