The 2019 Nicolas Catena Zapata is a classic from one of Mendoza’s best vintages in recent years, a blend of 42% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Malbec, and 28% Cabernet Franc. Only two vineyards went into the wine, Adrianna and Nicasia, grand cru-level sites that gorgeously accentuate its finer, more elegant leanings. Time in French oak, first and second use, was 18 months, with another 18 months spent in bottle. The lovely, medium-bodied layers of sage and smoky dark chocolate play along chalky tannins with undeniable minerality and a tactile energy that’s hard to resist. A baby without any baby fat, its ideal drinking window is 2029-2049.

Drinking beautifully, this shows a fresher side of Catena Zapata's flagship wine. Cranberry, pomegranate and red cherry mingle on the palate, topped with fragrant notes of violets, cedar and sage. Expressive and fluid, there's great approachability and balance but this still has significant development potential.

The 2019 Nicolas Catena Zapata is a blend of 42% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Malbec and 28% Cabernet Franc from the Uco Valley and Luján de Cuyo, Mendoza. Having spent 18 months in new French barrels, it’s garnet red in hue. The 2019 has a nose of cedar, expressive, dark fruit notes such as plum and blackcurrant, gentle traces of sweet spices and herbs and a hint of amaretti. Broad and velvety in the mouth with a juicy palate and a delicate tea-like texture, the grip lends essential structure. This is a subtle, complex red of long-lasting flavor to which the excellent year has brought an extra level of finesse.

The 2019 Nicolás Catena Zapata was produced with 42% Cabernet Sauvignon from Gualtallary (Adrianna Vineyard), 30% Malbec from Altamira (Nicasia Vineyard) and a high percentage of Cabernet Franc (28%), also from Adrianna, which took the place of Cabernet Sauvignon. It fermented in small oak barrels, concrete and stainless steel tanks with a short post-fermentative maceration. Élevage was in first and second-use French oak barrels and lasted for 18 months, including malolactic. This is always quite classical in style, with some spiciness from the barrels and hints of smoke and toast, still very young and undeveloped. It has the traditional Bordeaux-blend character and is herbal, floral and spicy, with a beautiful texture, very nice balance and very fine, chalky tannins. 2019 was a very dry year, and the berries were small, very healthy and delivered powerful wines. It has 13.7% alcohol, mellow acidity and good freshness, reflecting a relatively cool season, and comes though as elegant, with the stuffing and balance to develop nicely over the years in bottle. 66,000 bottles were filled in January 2021.

One of the classic Argentinian names, and one of the benchmark properties for the Place de Bordeaux. Very much on point in terms of estate signature - powerful, if subdued on the opening beats. This revs up through the mid palate, with grippy tannins, tons of black cherry, cassis and grilled oak, strays towards overpowered but pulls back to deliver crushed rock and black truffle on the finish. Clear ageing ability. Ungrafted vines, Fernando Buscema winemaker.

Glossy fruit with cherry and blackcurrant. Fine tannins, restrained fruit. Dense and powerful in the middle, there's a long road ahead of this wine before it reaches complexity. (RH)