Nicolás Catena Zapata 2018

Powerfully aromatic on the nose and palate with blackcurrants, liquorice, aniseed and herbal elements. Dark fruits fill the mouth with chewy, juicy tannins. This has such a lovely eucalyptus freshness that just drives the wine from start to finish allowing the intense fruit to shine but also giving a feeling of coolness on the tongue. Really delicious with excellent structure and precision. The wine first joined the Place de Bordeaux in 2018. First produced in 1997 and now made by the father-daughter team Nicolás Catena Zapata and Dr. Laura Catena. Fermentation takes place in 500l oak barrels, concrete and stainless-steel tanks, at temperatures of 26-28ºC for about 10-15 days. The post-fermentation maceration lasts between 5 and 10 days. The wine carries out its malolactic fermentation and is then aged in French oak barrels for 18 months. A blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon and 35% Malbec.

The 2018 Nicolás Catena Zapata was produced with 65% Cabernet Sauvignon from Gualtallary (Adrianna vineyard, with the Cabernet Sauvignon interplanted with some Cabernet Franc) and 35% Malbec from Altamira (Nicasia vineyard). They no longer use grapes from Agrelo, and this is also a lot higher in Malbec than in other recent vintages. So, it has a very different profile, a change that started in 2017, with more contained ripeness and more freshness, and the wine is intense, keeping some of the Cabernet character (tobacco, blackberries) and the floral notes from Malbec. It comes through as balanced and harmonious, with very fine tannins and a long finish and perfect ripeness. This aims to revive the style of Bordeaux before phylloxera, from massal selection of ungrafted vines... 62,400 bottles produced. It was bottled in December 2019.

Aromas of blackberries, grilled meat, blackcurrants and wet earth. Full-bodied, tight and compact with dense dark berries and currants. Linear and long with a tight, focused palate. A blend of cabernet sauvignon and malbec. Drink after 2022.