Catena Zapata Malbec Nicasia 2016

Bodega Catena Zapata is one of Argentina's high-altitude Malbec pioneers. The Catena family began making wine in Mendoza in 1902. Nicolas Catena, a third-generation family vintner, was one of the first to see the potential of Mendoza's mountain vineyards for producing high-quality Malbec. In 1994, he became the first Argentine to export a world-class bottling of Malbec under the Catena label. Nicolas is joined by his daughter, Dr. Laura Catena, in their relentless pursuit of world-class quality from the family's high-altitude vineyards. Laura has done extensive work in introducing Malbec and other varietal plant selections, soil and climate analysis, and sustainable practices throughout Mendoza. Head winemaker, Alejandro Vigil, has been at Catena Zapata since 2002 and works with Laura and Nicolas to make wines that express the family's vineyards and palate.

The 2016 Malbec Catena Zapata Nicasia Vineyard is from a vineyard in the Paraje Altamira, which had the advantage of the good drainage of its soils and the benefit of the cooler year, resulting in some 30% fewer grapes. More severe sorting also seems to have paid off, returning to a fresher expression of the place. The wine combines ripeness with elegance, and it's powerful and varietal, with a textured palate showing the limestone mother rock that provides a chalky sensation. This is good!