Sweet tobacco, cigar box, berries and minerals. It gets a little zesty and citrusy on the nose. Really refined and juicy on the palate with lot of fine tannins. Silky, fluid and linear with a very elegant, soft-spoken finish. 46% cabernet sauvignon from Adrianna vineyard and 44% malbec and 10% cabernet franc from Nicasia vineyard. Really refined, long and Bordelais. This is already drinking really well, but it will hold like this for a long time. ~ 97 James Suckling
Great poise and definition in this bright 2021 with less Cabernet Franc (10%) than in previous vintages and more Malbec (44%). This make up comes through in the moreish herbal notes (thyme, oregano, rocket) that outline the blackcurrant and blackberry fruit. Underneath, a juicy fluidity brings in freshness and ease throughout. ~ 96 Decanter
The 2021 Nicolás Catena Zapata was produced with a blend of 46% Cabernet Sauvignon, 44% Malbec and 10% Cabernet Franc from Nicasia and Adrianna vineyards. It fermented in small oak barrels, concrete and stainless steel tanks and matured in 2,000-liter oak foudres for 18 months. It's a powerful but fresh red with 13.7% alcohol and mellow acidity, perhaps because the Cabernet Sauvignon was picked earlier (and with lower yields) and they discarded the clay soils and went more for stony plots. The wine feels more streamlined and elegant. 2021 is a cool and very good year, following the path of the 2019, and the wine shows the classical herbal and spicy character of the Bordeaux varieties with pungent notes of black peppercorns and is spicier because of the high Cabernet Franc content. ~ 96 Robert Parker' Wine AdvocateFor some producers, the 2021 vintage, marked by certain rains in February that tempered the harvest temperatures in March, represents the closest thing to a Bordeaux year that can be achieved in Mendoza. In that sense, the 2021 was an ideal vintage for Bordeaux-origin varieties. This unique situation is clearly reflected in the 2021 Malbec Nicolás Vineyard, which unveils a new label for this vintage after being aged up to 21 months in French oak barrels. The wine blends 46% Cabernet Sauvignon, 44% Malbec and 10% Cabernet Franc from Uco Valley vineyards. With a deep purple hue and a garnet tint, it opens with delicate cassis and Bordeaux-like nuances of ash, tobacco, black fruit and cherry. Expressive and compact, it features cedar notes on a long, lingering finish. ~ 96 Vinous Media


2021 Catena Zapata Nicolas Catena Zapata Mendoza 6pk 6x750ml
- The "Original Bordeaux Blend" Reborn in Mendoza
- First Premium Argentine Cuvée To Win Blind Tastings Against Château Latour
- "Really Refined And Juicy On The Palate With Lots Of Fine Tannins" ~97 James Suckling
- Final Blend Overseen by Nicolás Catena
- "2021 Was an Ideal Vintage for Bordeaux-Origin Varieties" ~96 Vinous Media
- Free Shipping on 12 or More Bottles.
About The Wine
At A Glance
- Varietal:
- Malbec
- Region:
- Mendoza
- Sub-Appellation:
- Mendoza
- Alcohol:
- 13.5%
- Size:
- 750ml
TASTING NOTES
What's in the Glass
- PAIRS WITH
- Steak · Beef · Barbecue · Ribeye · Grilled Meat
Mouthfeel & Acidity
CRITIC REVIEWS
What the Critics Said
THE PRODUCER
Catena
Laura Catena was born in Mendoza, Argentina in 1967. She graduated magna cum laude in Biology from Harvard University in 1988. She has a Medical Doctor degree from Stanford University. She is managing director of Bodega Catena Zapata and Luca Winery in Mendoza, Argentina. She is a practicing Pediatric Medicine physician at University of California San Francisco Medical Center. Nicolas Catena Zapata has been widely credited for elevating the status of Argentine Malbec and the Mendoza region through serious experimentation into the effects of high altitude. In 1994, he was the first to plant a Malbec vineyard at almost 1,500 m (5,000 ft) elevation in the Gualtallary sub-district of Tupungato, the Adrianna Vineyard. He developed a clonal selection of Argentine Malbec. The Catena family has been making wine in the acclaimed Mendoza region since 1902.
CUSTOMER REVIEWS
What Customers Say About This Wine
Related categories
Explore Big Hammer Wines
WINE TYPES
Big Hammer Choice Picks
THE BHW WINE CLUBS
Most people never get access to someone who actually knows wine.
- 5,000+
- wines tasted yearly
- 25 years
- inside the global trade
- 4%
- make the cut
- 1 of 415
- Italian Wine Ambassadors worldwide
Founder Wine Club
- 12 bottles per quarter, personally selected
- Quarterly tasting notes
- Member pricing on all single bottles
- Priority allocation on limited releases
- Access to the BHW member newsletter
President’s Wine Club
- Everything in Founder's Club, plus:
- Private quarterly tasting call with Greg
- Access to pre-release allocations
- Comparable market value exceeding $12,000 annually







2021 Catena Zapata Nicolas Catena Zapata Mendoza 6pk 6x750ml









