MundoVino Portfolio Book

Catena Zapata The Catena Zapata family’s mission is to make profound and unforgettable wines; wines that reflect the special character of each vine within the family’s historic vineyards. Constantly pushing the viticultural envelope, Nicolás and Laura Catena have identified Mendoza’s best microclimates, selected the highest- quality Malbec vines, and pioneered viticulture in undiscovered regions, such as the Adrianna Vineyard at 4,757 feet in the Andean foothills. Nicolás Catena made a selection of 145 different plants (known as the Catena Cuttings) from Lot 18 of the Angélica Vineyard and planted them one per row in the La Pirámide Vineyard. Then he selected the five cuttings with the smallest berries, most even sets and smallest bunches that were naturally low-yielding. He planted the five cuttings 5, 75, 99, 100 and 115, in every one of the Catena Family vineyards. Their vision has been to uncover those magical places in each of the family’s vineyards that offer the purest expression of the land. Farming these special rows manually and hand-tending each of the vines has led to the identification of individual plants that consistently produce the most exceptional fruit. These Zapata Vines have been physically marked with a red sash, ensuring the utmost attention and care. Harvested separately in multiple passes through the vineyard, the Zapata Vines form the foundation of the Catena Zapata wines. Nicolás Catena Zapata The inaugural 1997 vintage of this Cabernet Sauvignon (95 percent) and Malbec (5 percent) blend set a new standard of quality for wines from South America when it won a series of blind tastings against first growths and other prestigious cuvées from around the world. Nicolás Catena Zapata is made from a plant-by-plant selection of historic rows in the Catena Zapata vineyards, the blend changes with each vintage but is predominately Cabernet Sauvignon with Malbec. Nicolás Catena Zapata has an intense dark violet color with blue-black tones. A complex wine with delicate aromas of black cherry and licorice, it is enlivened by minerals, violet, spice, and herbs. The palate is sharply delineated and impressively concentrated, with a serious backbone supporting its fresh currant and mineral flavors. The wine is made from over two hundred separate row microvinifications representing different rows, altitudes and harvest times. The fermentation temperature is kept low, extracting intense aromas, and the cap management is done by hand to ensure soft, gentle flavors and tannin extraction. Alcoholic and malolactic fermentation in barrel leaves considerable lees and sediment. The wine is aged in French oak barrels for twenty-four months, and spends an additional twenty-four months in bottle before release. 2012 : 97 JS | 2011 : 96 TA | 2010 : 95 WA | 2009 : 95 WA | 2008 : 98 WA | 2007 : 98 WA | 2006 : 97 WA | 2005 : 98 WA | 2004 : 98+ WA | 2002 : 93+ V | 2001 : 94 WA | 1999 : 94 WA | 1997 : 95 WA Catena Malbec Argentino This wine represents more than a single vintage. It reflects a family’s century-long journey to produce an Argentine Malbec that can stand with the great wines of the world. Malbec Argentino is a blend of Catena Zapata’s historic Malbec vineyards, Adrianna and Nicasia. This wine is made from a meticulous vine selection within the best, historic rows of these family estate vineyards. Zapata vines are carefully hand- tended and produce extremely low yields. The wine is aged in French oak barrels for twenty-four months. The Adrianna Malbec component is co-fermented with Viognier and the Nicasia Malbec component is co- fermented with Cabernet Franc. Catena Zapata Malbec Argentino shows a saturated dark violet color. The nose offers cassis, mocha, and clove. It combines density and sweetness with the gripping clean flavors of tobacco, dark berries, spice, and mineral. The palate-staining finish is dominated by sweet black fruit and blueberries. 2012 : 98 JS | 2011 : 95 WA | 2010 : 95 IWR | 2009 : 95 WA | 2008 : 97 WA | 2007 : 97 WA | 2006 : 96 WA | 2005 : 97+ WA

WINES OF ARGENTINA

17