2014 Nicolas Catena Zapata

Bright, dark ruby-red. Reticent aromas of blackcurrant, blueberry, licorice and spicy oak are a bit less expressive than those of the 2015 bottling. Impressively rich, pliant and sweet but with excellent vinosity too. A bit more muscular than the 2015 version, as much saline as sweet, with its substantial tannins saturating the entire palate and building. This will take at least a few more years to deliver on its inherent complexity. (Incidentally, the old Agrelo vineyard--La Piramide--from which much of the Cabernet Sauvignon comes has many Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc vines interspersed in it, but the vineyard is registered as Cabernet Sauvignon so this is what goes on the technical sheet.)

Named after the winery's owner, the 2014 Nicolás Catena Zapata is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Malbec that has been produced since 1997. They use grapes from Nicasia, Adrianna and La Pirámide vineyards, mixing grapes from Valle de Uco and Luján de Cuyo. The blend varies slightly with the year, and in 2014 it is 73% Cabernet and 27% Malbec. It fermented in 225- and 500-liter oak barrels and saw 24 months in barrique. It has developed aromas and feels polished while showing elegance and very classical proportions. 62,400 bottles produced. It was bottled in July 2016.

Bright, dark ruby-red. Reticent aromas of blackcurrant, blueberry, licorice and spicy oak are a bit less expressive than those of the 2015 bottling. Impressively rich, pliant and sweet but with excellent vinosity too. A bit more muscular than the 2015 version, as much saline as sweet, with its substantial tannins saturating the entire palate and building. This will take at least a few more years to deliver on its inherent complexity. (Incidentally, the old Agrelo vineyard--La Piramide--from which much of the Cabernet Sauvignon comes has many Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc vines interspersed in it, but the vineyard is registered as Cabernet Sauvignon so this is what goes on the technical sheet.)