Nicolás Catena Zapata
ニコラス・カテナ・サパータ
Catena Zapata
Cabernet Sauvignon · Malbec · Cabernet Franc
About this wine
Nicolás Catena Zapata is the winery's flagship icon wine, first released with the 1997 vintage as Dr. Nicolás Catena's answer to the great First Growths of Bordeaux and the top wines of Napa Valley. A Cabernet Sauvignon-led blend with Malbec and Cabernet Franc, it sources fruit from two contrasting high-altitude terroirs — the limestone-rich Adrianna Vineyard in Gualtallary and the alluvial soils of Paraje Altamira, both in the Uco Valley above 1,400 meters. The wine is celebrated for its structure, precision, and ability to age for decades, and is widely regarded as Argentina's most important fine wine.
A serious, structured wine best enjoyed after decanting — a benchmark for what Argentine fine wine can achieve at the top level.
Sommelier's Note
"The wine that proved Argentina could compete with Bordeaux and Napa on the world stage — still the country's most benchmarked red."
Food Pairings
Best suited to grilled or roasted red meats — bone-in ribeye, prime rib, or leg of lamb — where the wine's firm tannin and dark fruit can stand up to char and fat. Aged hard cheeses like Manchego or Parmigiano-Reggiano also work well.
When to drink it
Milestone celebrations, formal dinners, cellar-worthy investment purchases
Specs
- Grape Varieties
- Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Cabernet Franc
- Style
- Red
- Alcohol
- 14%
- Price Range
- $90-150
Terroir & Winemaking
Blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, and Cabernet Franc sourced from the Adrianna Vineyard (Gualtallary, limestone soils, ~1,450m) and Paraje Altamira (alluvial soils, Uco Valley). Fermented in small lots by parcel with indigenous yeasts, aged approximately 18-24 months in new French oak barrels. Composition and vineyard weighting vary by vintage.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What grapes are in Nicolás Catena Zapata?
- It is a Bordeaux-style blend led by Cabernet Sauvignon, with Malbec and Cabernet Franc, sourced from the Adrianna and Paraje Altamira vineyards in Argentina's Uco Valley.
- How long can Nicolás Catena Zapata age?
- Thanks to its firm tannin structure and high-altitude fruit concentration, well-stored bottles can develop gracefully for 15-25 years or more.
- What food pairs best with Nicolás Catena Zapata?
- Grilled or roasted red meats such as ribeye, prime rib, or lamb are the classic match, along with aged hard cheeses.
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Talk to the SommelierMore wines from this producer
カテナ・アルタ マルベック
Catena Alta Malbec
RedMalbec
Catena Alta Malbec is a single-varietal expression drawn from a selection of the family's oldest and most distinguished Malbec rows — Lot 18 of Angélica Vineyard, Lot 4 of La Pirámide, Lot 1 of Nicasia, Lot 6 of Angélica Sur, and Lot 9 of Adrianna — planted between 920 and 1,450 meters above sea level. Each parcel is fermented separately using whole berries and wild yeasts in small vats, preserving the distinct character of each historic vineyard row before final blending.
カテナ マルベック
Catena Malbec
RedMalbec
Catena Malbec (also labeled 'High Mountain Vines') is the winery's flagship varietal wine, crafted from high-altitude estate vineyards in Mendoza planted up to 1,500 meters in the Andean foothills. Fourth-generation vintner Dr. Laura Catena and chief winemaker Alejandro Vigil built this wine to showcase the freshness and mineral character that high-altitude Malbec is famous for, at an accessible price point that introduces drinkers worldwide to Argentina's signature grape.
カテナ・サパータ アドリアナ・ヴィンヤード ムンドゥス・バチルス・テラエ
Catena Zapata Adrianna Vineyard Mundus Bacillus Terrae
RedMalbec
Mundus Bacillus Terrae is a pinnacle expression of Malbec from the Adrianna Vineyard, located at nearly 1,500 meters in Gualtallary. The name, meaning 'microbes of the earth,' refers to the specific limestone-rich soil parcels where the vines grow. This wine is celebrated for its extraordinary precision, intense floral aromatics, and a distinct mineral backbone. It undergoes fermentation in small concrete vats and aging in French oak, resulting in a wine of profound complexity, silky tannins, and remarkable aging potential. It is widely considered one of the finest Malbecs produced in Argentina, showcasing the unique terroir of the Uco Valley.
カテナ・サパータ アドリアナ・ヴィンヤード ホワイト・ボーンズ
Catena Zapata Adrianna Vineyard White Bones
WhiteChardonnay
Catena Zapata Adrianna Vineyard White Bones is an iconic Chardonnay sourced from a specific parcel within the high-altitude Adrianna Vineyard in Gualtallary, Uco Valley. The soil is rich in limestone and fossilized bones, which gives the wine its distinctive name and mineral-driven profile. It is renowned for its intense acidity, precision, and complex layers of white flowers, citrus, and chalky minerality. This wine represents the pinnacle of Argentine Chardonnay, showcasing elegance and terroir expression that rivals the finest Grand Cru Burgundies.
カテナ・サパータ マルベック・アルヘンティーノ
Catena Zapata Malbec Argentino
RedMalbec
Malbec Argentino is Catena Zapata's most structured single-varietal Malbec, made exclusively from pre-phylloxera massale selections planted in the family's historic Angélica Vineyard (Lunlunta) and Nicasia Vineyard (Paraje Altamira). These century-old genetic material vines yield small, concentrated berries that give the wine exceptional depth, opulence, and remarkable aging potential — critics have noted the wine can develop gracefully for 25 to 40 years.