One of the standouts in this stacked lineup is the 2014 Nicolas Catena Zapata, 75% Cabernet Sauvignon and 25% Malbec sourced from a multitude of vineyards (La Pirámide, Domingo, Adrianna and Nicasia Vineyards) that spent two years in new French oak. Boasting a deep ruby/purple color as well as blockbuster notes of crème de cassis, damp earth, classy oak, white flowers, and tobacco leaf, this beauty is full-bodied, deep, and layered on the palate, with both richness and freshness. Made in a semi-classic style, with textbook Cabernet notes as well as a polished, pure, ripe style, it’s a brilliant wine from this estate that will keep for two decades or more.
February 2019