95pts James Suckling

This has an intriguing combination of violets, crushed stones, underripe plums and a subtle touch of pepper on the nose. The palate is firm, with blue fruit, tight focused tannins and impressive concentration and depth. Structured yet long and beautiful. So harmonious. Drink now or hold.

94pts Wine Advocate

A decidedly riper and more forward style than many of Catena Zapata's offerings, the 2023 Malbec Argentino combines ungrafted massal selections from two polar-opposite vineyard sources: the Angélica Vineyard in Maipú's Lunlunta district and Paraje Altamira's Nicasia Vineyard. It was vinified entirely in foudre with 20% whole clusters and aged for 12 months. The nose is deep and dark-fruited, welcomely lifted by a lovely floral component that builds with oxygen exposure. On the palate, it is velvety and rich yet impressively buoyant, transitioning to an explosive, ripe and powerful finish dominated by luscious fruits.

94pts Vinous

The 2023 Malbec Argentino is intense on the nose, with defined, clear and expressive red fruit aromas of cherry and plum. This has fine-grained tannins, soft, chalky texture and compact grip. The finish is all fruit, juicy and bright. The 2023 handles the vintage with vibrant energy.

Winemaker Notes

No matter what the vintage, this wine is really more than 100 years old. It represents a family's journey to produce an Argentine Malbec that can stand with the great wines of the world.

Aromas of cassis, blackberries, and distinct notes of earth. Gripping flavors of mocha, dark berries, minerality, and spice blend with lightly saline notes and velvety tannins.

About the Wine

The epic tale of the noble Malbec grape is like no other, and the label for Catena Zapata Malbec Argentino pays tribute to the variety’s history in France and its rise in Argentina. Four female figures embody different landmarks in the history of the grape. Eleanor of Aquitaine represents the birth of Malbec. She is a strong, Old-World presence, lingering at the bridge in Cahors, where Malbec came into its own. Next, the Immigrant symbolizes the movement to the New World and the unknown explorers and adventurers who connected Europe with the Americas. Phylloxera personifies the death of Malbec in the Old World, which enabled its rebirth in the new. Finally, there is Bodega Catena Zapata, represented by Adrianna Catena, who depicts birth, earth, and motherhood, sharing the riches of the New World. Today, the Catena family’s fourth generation leads the high-altitude renaissance in Argentina. We are returning Malbec to the sky... where it belongs.

Catena Zapata Malbec Argentino is made from a meticulous vine selection in the best lots of the Catena family’s estate vineyards. These Zapata vines are carefully hand tended and produce extremely low yields. The grapes are micro-fermented in new French oak barriques and the wine is then aged for 24 months in new French oak. This wine is made in very limited quantities.

No matter what the vintage, this wine is really more than 100 years old. It represents a family's journey to produce an Argentine Malbec that can stand with the great wines of the world.