2020 Nicolás Catena Zapata, Mendoza

2020 Nicolás Catena Zapata, Mendoza

Nicolas Catena is the celebrated pioneer of winemaking in Argentina, and this celebrated flagship wine has all the hallmarks of a great Argentinian red. This year it is 54% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Cabernet Franc and 21% Malbec. It's the first time ever that Franc is greater than Malbec, to compensate the warm and dry conditions. With pure blue and black fruit, layers of spice, lifted floral notes and subtle earthy notes, it's bright and aromatic, showing a deft balance of cool, chalky influence and vibrant fruit.

Critic score
95/100 info
Pricing
info
Case, 6 Bottles
En primeur info
In stock
£360.00
Bottle
In stock
£60.00
Bottle
En primeur info
In stock
£60.00

Wine details

  • Region & country
    Argentina
  • Grape
    54% Cabernet Sauvignon
    25% Cabernet Franc
    21% Malbec/Auxerrois
  • Maturity
    Ready 2023 - 2044info
  • Colour
    Red
  • Sweetness
    Dry
  • Style
    Still
  • Unit Volume
    Bottle (75cl.)
  • ABV
    13.9%

Tasting notes

2020 was a very dry and low-yielding year, with 20% to 30% less crop, and the grapes were picked early. The 2020 Nicolás Catena Zapata was produced with a blend of 54% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Cabernet Franc and 21% Malbec, higher in Franc than ever, for the first time more than Malbec, to compensate the warm and dry conditions. The wine is ripe and very peppery, with 13.9% alcohol and a pH of 3.64. It matured in new and second-use French oak barrels for 18 months. It was a healthy crop with concentration and ripeness, and the wine comes through as powerful and quite classical, still a little oaky, with power and balance. 60,000 bottles were filled in January 2020.

Luis Gutierrez, Wine Advocate (November 2022)
95/100

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