Winery - Bodega Catena Zapata
* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
Impressive and saturated, with ripe aromas. The mouth is focused and, generally speaking, quite rewarding. The blackberry and dark plum flavors are big and aggressive. If there’s any one place the wine doesn’t wow, it’s on the finish, which is short and a bit sharp-edged. Needs food. Imported by Billington Imports.
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* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
Peach, melon and apple carry the clean but ordinary bouquet, and behind that comes a round palate full of ripe banana, pear, caramel and vanilla. Fully oaked but not overdone, with toast on the finish. Good Argentine Chardonnay. Imported by Billington Imports.
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* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
Waxy and warm, with peach, sweet ham, spice and vanilla aromas. As Catena Alta goes, this is not stellar. In fact, it’s light on fruit and lacks the depth of flavor and punch you’d hope to see from a $34 wine. What you get is a fleshy, soft Chard with mild peach, papaya and melon flavors, and then a whack of finishing oak.
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* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
There’s no drop-off in this wine from the excellent 2005. Expect blackberry, cassis and dry balsam wood/cedar aromas. The palate is lush and chewy, but also vital and lively. Toasty, dark berry flavors get a softening of vanilla on the finish. A winner to drink now through 2013.
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* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
Among Catena’s high-end wines from 2007, Nicasia is the top performer. It shows alluring aromas of smoky oak, wild flowers and pure berry fruits. The palate is a blend of smoothness, grainy tannins and fine acidity, while the flavors of berries, chocolate and cola are layered just right. Still the pacesetter for high-end Argentine Malbec; drink now through 2015.
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* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
Fruity, pure and smooth on the nose, and maybe more dry and leathery than the blasting Nicasia vineyard wine. The palate has a deep, classy elegance along with power, and the flavors run toward huge black fruits, coffee and chocolate. Finishes dark, long and minerally, and overall it’s yet another awesome top-flight Malbec from this world-class winery. Drink now through 2014.
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* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
Funky at first and simply not as smooth, pure and clean as Catena’s Nicasia and Adrianna Malbecs, which are the components of this wine. Argentino in 2007 is deep and dark like always, with coconut and cassis aromas preceding a sweet, ultrarich palate that’s teetering on candied. Quite oaky and chocolaty as well, with brown sugar and depth to the finish. Drink now through 2014.
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* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
This barrel fermented, full-bodied wine delivers lots of depth, clean apple and pear fruit, and big, yummy toast and spice notes. It’s a round, well-balanced Chardonnay that screams of the terroir of Mendoza—which means there’s size, acidity and power.
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* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
Since we last tried this wine, Catena has dialed back the new oak and pumped up the natural acidity. And the result is pleasantly akin to fine Burgundy. Now the emphasis is on refined, Dijon-style apple and peach flavors with great mouthfeel. Drink now.
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* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
Lemon rind and prune are the primary aromas, but there’s also a hint of green bean in here. The palate is dark and concentrated but not exactly high voltage in terms of power. Flavors of raisin, cassis, fig and chocolate are rich and ripe, while the finish runs dark. Almost overripe but seemingly more jammy than overdone. Drink now through 2012.
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