2002 Nicolas Catena Zapata
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Tasting notes
(13.9% alcohol; 5.85 g/l acidity; 3.7 pH): Good dark red with an orange edge. Complex, slightly brooding aromas of currant, dark plum, leather and tobacco, plus an element of medicinal menthol. Very concentrated and youthful; at once sweet and serious, showing terrific density and medicinal reserve to its flavors of sweet plum, currant and saline minerality. The very long finish features nicely integrated acidity and broad, fine-grained tannins. This still-young beauty should be even more harmonious with another couple years in the cellar. Long hang time for the Malbec in 2002 produced very expressive wines with fully ripe tannins.
Critic scores
Average Score
Stephen Tanzer, Vinous
Stephen Tanzer, Vinous
More reviews and scores
(70% cabernet sauvignon and 30% malbec; aged for 18 months in all new French oak) Deep, bright ruby. Brooding, superripe aromas of cassis, black olive and minerals, with a gunflinty note of reduction. Fat, large-scaled and primary, with impressively rich flavors and great fullness without heaviness. Wonderfully dense, silky wine with a minerality giving lift to the cassis and bitter chocolate flavors. One of the longest wines I tasted during my time in Argentina. The winery's top bottling is a vineyard selection followed by a barrel selection. The goal is to use the lowest-yielding vines and to obtain the best flavor intensity and balance.
About the producer
Bodega Catena Zapata has been instrumental both in the development of fine wine production in Argentina and in realising the full potential of the Malbec grape.