The "Argentino" Malbec from Bodega Catena Zapata continues to be a vanguard for the style of Argentinian red that made the country a star in the wine world. Under the leadership of head winemaker, Alejandro Vigil (also of El Enemigo fame), the 2022 edition is one of the best ever! Suiting its role as an icon, the bottle is decorated with a beautiful illustration representing the history of the grape and place: from Malbec's home near Bordeaux, through the phylloxera devastation, to its flourishing in Argentina.
The role of the Catena Zapata winery in this history is key. The old winemaking style that founder Nicolas Catena Zapata had inherited from his Italian grandfather was not working well for the Malbec that had been brought over from France. While spending time in California's Bay Area in the early 1980s, he learned the leading-edge winemaking techniques that had made Napa Valley famous. In turning Catena into the most important winery in Argentina, he became a vital leader in the country's wine renaissance.
To make this modern expression, they allow whole berries, some with stems attached, to undergo a slow fermentation in new French oak barrels. This creates a wine of intense color, fresh berry flavors driving at the fore, meshed with woodsy & cocoa-like toasted oak accents, delivered with a seductively soft texture. The fruit is grown at relatively lower levels in the Lunlunta and La Consulta areas whose sunny warmth makes for that generous, mouthfilling fruit in the resulting wine. But the signature touch of Argentina's mouthwatering brightness and a drier finish than some New World locations are keys to making this the compelling drinking experience that fans of Argentinian wine came to love!
The role of the Catena Zapata winery in this history is key. The old winemaking style that founder Nicolas Catena Zapata had inherited from his Italian grandfather was not working well for the Malbec that had been brought over from France. While spending time in California's Bay Area in the early 1980s, he learned the leading-edge winemaking techniques that had made Napa Valley famous. In turning Catena into the most important winery in Argentina, he became a vital leader in the country's wine renaissance.
To make this modern expression, they allow whole berries, some with stems attached, to undergo a slow fermentation in new French oak barrels. This creates a wine of intense color, fresh berry flavors driving at the fore, meshed with woodsy & cocoa-like toasted oak accents, delivered with a seductively soft texture. The fruit is grown at relatively lower levels in the Lunlunta and La Consulta areas whose sunny warmth makes for that generous, mouthfilling fruit in the resulting wine. But the signature touch of Argentina's mouthwatering brightness and a drier finish than some New World locations are keys to making this the compelling drinking experience that fans of Argentinian wine came to love!
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