Taste Notes
Primary Notes: Plum, Blackberries, Black Cherry Raspberry, Pomegranate Pepper Clay
Secondary Notes:
Tertiary Notes: Coffee, Tobacco, Leather
Wine Structure
Body:
Dryness: Dry
Acidity: Medium -
Tannin:
Alcohol (%):
Origin & Awards
Origin: Mendoza, Argentina
Maker: Catena Zapata
Grape: Malbec
Fermentation: Heavy Wood
Awards:
Serving Recommendations
Decanting:
Serving Temperature: Best enjoyed between 16 - 18 degrees
Asian Food Pairing:
Western Food Pairing: Roasted veal, beef brisket, pork roast
Description
Catena Zapata Nicasia Malbec 2014
Catena Zapata Nicasia Malbec is a dark violet Malbec. It has a ripe black and red currant aroma with an elegant touch of French oak. This special Malbec is from one of Catena’s highest family vineyards. It has a very complex and expressive palate, with a creamy flavor with cassis, vanilla and spice.
Located in the far southern growing region of Altamira en La Consulta, the Nicasia vineyard is the only planting of the special Catena Selection of Malbec cuttings in this traditional area for Malbec. La Consulta was Nicolás Catena’s father, Domingo’s preferred Malbec location. The Vineyard, at 1,095m has very shallow loamy topsoil with surface gravel and large stones and dry riverbed subsoil, which is optimal for drainage
100% whole cluster and 90% while berry fruit is hand-loaded into 225-500 liter new French oak barrels for a 100% barrel fermentation for a period of 15 days, allowing sealmess oak integration. The fermentation temperature is kept low, extracring intense aromas and the cap management is done by hand to ensure soft, gentle flavours and tannin extraction. Alcoholic and malolactic fermentation in the barrel, leaves considerable lees and sediment. The wine is aged in French oak barrels for 18 months, followed by 24 months of aging in bottle before release.
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13.6%AWARDS & ACCOLADES
- 96 POINTS
The Catena Zapata range comprises some single-vineyard wines, like the 2014 Malbec Catena Zapata Nicasia Vineyard that comes from a plot of ungrafted vines planted in Altamira in 1996 using Malbec cuttings from the ancient Angelica vineyard. Cropped from a year that delivered moderate alcohol and notable acidity, it fermented with full clusters in 2,000- and 5,000-liter oak foudres with indigenous yeasts. It matured in French oak barrels for 24 months. This shows superbly and is open and expressive, very classical and elegant, floral and mineral, with no excess whatsoever. The palate reveals superb balance, really harmonious and elegant. This one might be overlooked because there is a lot of attention given to the Malbecs from Adrianna vineyard, but this is really at the same quality level.
The complex violet, clove and savory nose doesn’t leave you in any doubt, and the deep and concentrated palate confirms that you’re right. Serious tannins at the long finish, but somehow it manages to be silky.
- 95 POINTSPlush and rich with a berry nose and dignified, vivid style; complex, layered, and balanced.
Gamy aromas of berry fruits, leather, latex and mulch are more earthy than fresh. Chewy tannins make the palate rough and rugged, while this single-vineyard Malbec tastes of blackberry, baking spices and smoky barbecued meat. On the finish, this is ripe and tasty but a bit flat. Drink through 2026