Ernesto Catena
Bodega Catena Zapata
Angelica Zapata Alta Cabernet Franc 2021
Dark purple with near black core. Sweet blackberry, herbs, and light baseball bat on the inviting nose. Confirmed on the medium full palate with a hint of marzipan and medium plus acidity. Tannins are mild but present. Oak is present but mild. This food-friendly (I had with beef Wellington) red is an excellent example of why Cabernet of the Franc kind is rapidly gaining ground in the market. New World fruit but surrounded by Old World finesse and none of that SB-induced pyrazine to throw things off. Drink now through 2027. — a month ago
Bodega Catena Zapata
The Immigrant Malbec
Blueberries, blackberries, nutmeg, chocolate, ample bodied, polished tannins, length…maybe lacking some acidity, yet great — 2 months ago
Bodega Catena Zapata
Argentino Mendoza Malbec
One the most sophisticated Malbec tasted in recent times. An absolutely complex and powerful Malbec from the old vines of Catena Family vineyards where elevation surpasses 3,000-3,000ft above sea level. Intense aromas of blackberries, black currants, velvety and persistent. A great mouthfeel, smooth and multilayered on the mid range of the palate. Delicate on the finish, toasty and woody, with cinnamons, but not overly lingering. Beautifully balanced. Can’t enough of it! — 17 days ago
Bodega Catena Zapata
Mendoza Malbec 2021
Medium ruby in color; black cherries, graphite, and dried herbs on the nose; medium acidity; medium tannins; tastes like blackberries, red plums, and clay pots with a long finish. — a month ago
Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego
2023 vintage. Concentrated, light-medium body with fruit darting amongst the layers of acidity. Crisp, slightly mineral and refreshing with a reminder that CA has just a bit more than chard and sauv blanc out there. These “old vines” planted in 1966. 01.08.25. — 22 days ago