Catena Zapata Nicasia Vineyard

Catena Zapata Nicasia Vineyard Malbec bottle image

Wine Description

The Catena Zapata Nicasia Vineyard Malbec is one of the three top-tier Malbecs first released by the winery in 2007. The wine exemplifies Nicolas Catena’s success and pioneering research with the Malbec grape in Mendoza. A meticulous vine selection identifies the Zapata vines for this wine. The Nicasia Vineyard, named after Nicolas Catena's grandmother, is a small, specially selected number of rows in Lot 1 of the Catena family’s Altamira Vineyard. Planted in 1996, the Malbec vines are on their own rootstock and part of a massal population from the Catena family’s historic, 80-year-old Angelica vineyard.

Remington-Mendoza
Laura Catena sits at a table with a glass of wine
Malbec Grapes
Alejandro Vigil (Chief Winemaker) and Laura Catena Tasting
Malbec Clone in La Piramide Vineyard
Nicolás Catena
Bodega Catena Zapata
Bodega Catena Zapata
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Acclaim
This shows how powerful Argentine Malbec can be, with a torrent of blackberry, boysenberry and bittersweet ganache notes. But there's exceptional drive and focus here as well, with a great graphite spine driving through the spice- and floral-infused finish. A stunner for its combination of power and precision, and the best wine yet from this winery.
— Wine Spectator, Feb 2010
A glass-coating opaque purple/black in color, it offers up a splendid nose of toasty new oak, earth notes, exotic spices, black cherry and black raspberry. This is followed by a plush, layered, intensely flavored wine with potential complexity, precision balance, and a seamless finish.
— Robert Parker, Dec 2010
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Vineyard & Production Info
Vineyard name
Nicasia Vineyard, Altamira district, Lot 1
Vineyard size
100 acres
Soil composition
Sand
Training method
VSP
Elevation:
3540 feet
Vines/acre:
2200
Yield/acre:
0.4 - 0.8 tons
Exposure:
Northwestern
Year vineyard planted:
1996
Harvest time:
April
First vintage of this wine:
2004
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Winemaking & Aging
Maceration length:
28
Varietal composition:
100% Malbec
Fermentation container:
Open Barriques & Small Tanks
Length of alcoholic fermentation:
12 days
Fermentation temperature:
77 - 86 °F
Maceration technique:
Manual punch 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
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Analytical Data
pH level:
3.68
Acidity:
5.7 g/L
Alcohol:
15.5 %