2015 Catena Zapata Malbec Argentino

A vineyard selection from old vines, the 2015 Malbec Argentino is all Malbec sourced from the Angelica Vineyard (Lunlunta District) and Nicasia Vineyard (Altamira District) and aged two years in new French oak barrels. This uber-sexy, opulent 2015 offers a rock star bouquet of blueberries, blackcurrants, smoked earth, chocolate, and tobacco leaf, with an almost Graves-like minerality and earthiness that develops with time in the glass. Ripe, full-bodied, and plush on the palate, it nevertheless has density and depth, with notable tannins, moderate acidity, and a great finish. It's a brilliant wine from this beautiful estate to drink over the coming 10-15 years. 2018 - 2033.

The 2015 Catena Zapata Malbec Argentino blends grapes from Angélica Vineyard in Lunlunta and Nicasia Vineyard in Altamira. It's a classical Malbec that fermented in 225- and 500-liter rolling oak fermentors and matured in French barrique for 18 months. They have changed the image and also the blend for this wine, which is now all from old vines. The label shows the history of Malbec with four relevant women (including Madam Phylloxera!) from the 12th century to the rebirth in the 20th century. This is ripe and heady, very open and expressive, with violets and juicy fruit. This is a new blend to break the tendency of so many single-vineyard bottlings and goes back to the blending traditions of the past. It shows really well-expressive, open and ready. It kept growing and growing in the glass, becoming more focused and even more fresh, at one point getting very close to the freshness of the 2016! 24,000 bottles produced. 2018 - 2023.

The 2015 'Argentino' Malbec is sourced from the sand, gravel, stony, and clay-loam soils of the Angelica Vineyard (3,018 ft) and the Nicasia Vineyard (3,593 ft). The wine spent 24 months in new French oak prior to an additional 12-18 months of bottle age before release. As this utterly compelling Malbec begins to open it releases inviting aromas of blackberries and dark currants woven together with spring florals, tobacco, anise, crushed stones and hints of well-integrated lightly toasted oak. On the plate this is full-bodied and beautifully structured with outstanding overall balance and a gorgeous texture. It continues to impress with its excellent depth and concentration, as layers of ripe dark fruits expand seamlessly onto the ultra-long finish. While this is outstanding now it should also age tremendously well for years to come. Another simply sensational wine from this renowned producer. 2019-2036.

This is an old-vine wine from malbec that shows blackberries and black olives. Very dense and rich yet there is a velvety texture and a brightness to the whole thing. Stone undertone. Big yet energetic classical malbec. Drink now.

De bedste vinproducenter anføres (med god distance til nummer 2) af Nicolas Catena

Argentino comes from El Cepillo at the lower end of the Uco Valley and from Lunlunta in Maipú. It's a plush, textured, brambly style packed with sweet, aromatic dark fruits, supple tannins and a fresh, stony finish. Accomplished winemaking. 2019-25

(made from old vines in La Consulta and Lunlunta): Bright medium red. Knockout nose combines black fruits, licorice, minerals and savory soil tones. Compellingly intense and alive in the mouth, conveying terrific sappy energy and cut as well as a distinct creaminess to its dark berry and dark chocolate flavors. I love the combination of sweet and salty elements here. Still quite unevolved but the very ripe, subtle, rising finish and mature tannins suggest that this wine will evolve positively for another decade. This was aged in all-new 2,000-liter oak ovals, mostly from Stockinger. It has more stuffing than the 2016 but will it offer as much complexity in the long run? (One of the two sources for this fruit, the Angelica vineyard, actually includes a bit of Sémillon, which is co-fermented with the old- vines Malbec.)