- 97 points -

Few red wines can rival grand Argentinian Malbec for drama and grandeur, and this version from the Altamira zone of La Consulta (in the Uco Valley) stood out even amongst its dramatic, strikingly profiled peers. It is jet black, just shot with purple at the rim. Soaringly expressive Malbec rose and tea leaf lifts from the glass with enviable purity, without a trace of distorting oak. In the mouth, it is deep and long: an arrow of fruit yet elegant, deftly textured with a snow of fine tannins, and devoid of alcoholic heat or intrusive, strenuous acidity. A sumptuous, haute-couture Malbec where the vineyard’s untrammeled fruit and inner radiance has been given voice.
 

- 97 points -

A mixture of black and blue fruit, very perfumed and elegant. Cherries, plums and blueberries with a peppery undertone. Crushed violets, too. Bone-dry on the palate with abundant, silky tannins and a juicy, lengthy finish.

- 97 points -

The 2022 Malbec Nicasia Vineyard was sourced from Paraje Altamira and aged for up to 21 months in oak barrels. Aromas of violets and lavender blend with cassis and intense blue fruit notes. Delicate yet juicy with a plush texture, it shows fine oak integration. It's precise in its fruit expression, finishing long with refined structure and a polished impression. The fresh, dry 2022 vintage lends additional nuance to this delicious wine. Compared to Catena Zapata’s single-vineyard wines, Nicasia typically receives less attention, but this is a distinctive, captivating Malbec in and of itself.

- 97 points -

The Nicasia Vineyard was planted in 1998 in the La Consulta zone at an altitude of 1,300 meters in the Uco Valley. It’s made entirely from whole-cluster grapes to enhance the fruit, plus 7% cabernet franc to boost the acidity and especially the tannins. The ripe fruit flavors are intoxicating, but the intense acidity shifts everything upward to a much fresher place. The fruit is deep and dense, with notes of violets, pencil lead, and black cherries. This wine needs a couple of years in the bottle, although it’s delicious today with charcuterie.

- 97 points -

Enormously spicy with a dense tannin structure that makes this Malbec spectacular and slightly erotic, too. A breathtakingly long finish that makes you want more. The balance of this is so good that you can drink it right now and if you can resist it then this probably has a couple of decades of ageing potential

- 97 points -

“A singular wine that offers the best of Malbec and Paraje Altamira, this was crafted in a pristinely aged style. Balance is the word.”

The 2021 Malbec Nicasia Vineyard originates from a small plot nestled within Paraje Altamira, Uco Valley. It was aged up to 16 months in concrete vats and foudres and boasts a deep purple color. The complex nose unveils layers of crushed plums, blueberries, herbs, curry, lavender and graphite. Initially dry and plush, the palate transitions into a taut, chalky, overwhelming, and juicy texture, as if embodying structure and suppleness. This unique and flavorful Malbec offers a high-pitched intensity of flavor that lingers, showcasing a prolonged focus on the fruit.

- 96 points -

The Nicasia Vineyard is located in Paraje Altamira and was planted in 1996. The grapes are from Lot 1 and fermented in foudres with whole bunches, then aged for 24 months in French barrels before being kept for a further 24 months. The involved process explains its charm. A perfumed red with a nose of herbal and lavender notes at first followed by sage and violet as part of a reductive approach that gives way to no-nonsense sour cherry. In the mouth, it delivers everything you could want: juicy and expressive, gentle but powerful with hints of chalk wrapped in a slightly fleshy feel and enlivened by just enough acid. A finely tuned mechanism full of fascinatingly subtle gears and clockwork.

- 96 points -

This is rich and decadent with crushed berries, light chocolate, meat and blueberries. Full body, polished and chewy tannins and an extremely long, flavourful finish. Fresh and beautiful. Love the coolness to the flavours here.

- 96 points -

A complex, layered malbec that shows a touch of white pepper and cigar box. Blackberries, chiles, chocolate and fine spices. Really juicy and compact, but nothing hefty. Quintessential flavors with dusty tannins that keep growing.

- 96 points -

The Catena Zapata range comprises some single-vineyard wines, like the 2014 Malbec Catena Zapata Nicasia Vineyard that comes from a plot of ungrafted vines planted in Altamira in 1996 using Malbec cuttings from the ancient Angélica vineyard. Cropped from a year that delivered moderate alcohol and notable acidity, it fermented with full clusters in 2,000- and 5,000-liter oak foudres with indigenous yeasts. It matured in French oak barrels for 24 months. This shows superbly and is open and expressive, very classical and elegant, floral and mineral, with no excess whatsoever. The palate reveals superb balance, really harmonious and elegant. This one might be overlooked because there is a lot of attention given to the Malbecs from Adrianna vineyard, but this is really at the same quality level. 12,000 bottles were filled in July 2016.

- 96 points -

This is concentrated, with dense dark fruit. The nose shows blue fruit, tar and tapenade. The palate is juicy and medium- to full-bodied, with delineated concentration, dark fruit flavors and voluminous presence balanced by precise tannins.

- 96 points -

The juicy and peachy 2020 Malbec Catena Zapata Nicasia Vineyard in Paraje Altamira is the result of a warm year in a warmish place, but the wine shows no excess and comes through as balanced, slightly riper and rounder than the 2019 I tasted next to it but keeping the poise and elegance. It has a medium to full-bodied palate with juicy and abundant tannins.

- 96 points -

The 2020 Malbec Catena Zapata Nicasia Vineyard was fermented in barrels, 10% with stems and finished in used foudres. Purple in color. The nose offers notes of violet, lavender, plum and hints of sour cherry followed by aromas from the aging process which enhance the next wave of mint and orange peel. Fluid with gentle, well-polished tannins and a delicate expression, the flow is juicy and expansive before the languorous finish. A well-made wine for 2020.

- 96 points -

The 2023 Malbec Nicasia Vineyard underwent 60 days of maceration with whole clusters in concrete before aging in first-, second- and third-use barriques. It perfectly captures the distinctively floral, energetic and refined profile of Paraje Altamira, with hints of savory, meaty complexity that develop quickly in the glass. The palate is silky, pure and lively yet retains depth and textural power, culminating in a saturated, vibrant and intensely focused finish that continually expands with further aeration. It's a fantastic contrast to the Gualtallary bottlings from Adrianna Vineyard.

- 95 points -

Intense nose of blackberries, dark plums, stones, tar, tea leaves and licorice. Full-bodied with firm, focused tannins. Compact and precise. Mineral yet caressing finish. Give this time. A little viognier co-fermented with malbec. Best after 2024.

- 95 points -

The complex violet, clove and savory nose doesn’t leave you in any doubt. The deep and concentrated palate confirms that you’re right. Serious tannins at the long finish, but somehow it manages to be silky.

- 95 points -

This Paraje Altamira wine showcases the region's character in an elegant style. The nose begins with floral aromas, cherries and sweet spices. Silky tannins support intense notes of black and red fruit, complemented by delicate floral notes. It's vibrant and has a long finish with a dash of chocolate and rosemary

- 94 points -

In the mid-1990s, Catena began exploring the Uco Valley and interpreting it through malbec. To do this, they used massal selections from its historic Angélica Vineyard, planted in the 1920s on the alluvial terraces of the Mendoza River. Nicasia, in Altamira, comes from that selection and this is their most ambitious wine, which is, in turn, another even more specific selection from certain rows of Lot 1, which yields the most concentrated fruit for a wine of the stature that Nicasia aims for. You'll need to be patient here. In the beginning, it's just a compact block of ripe fruit, but it slowly opens toward notes of flowers and spices that finally evolve into an irresistible nose. The palate is firm in tannins, but with that sweetness of the malbec that makes it very approachable, leaving a juicy sensation. A wine for a long period in the cellar.

- 94 points -

The Nicasia vineyard is not as famous as the Catenas’ Adrianna vineyard in Gualtallary, but it can produce wines that are every bit as good. Fermented with 100% whole clusters, this is an engagingly fresh, well-balanced style of Malbec with plenty of stony minerality, subtle wood integration and a macedoine of plum, blueberry and blackberry flavours. Very true to its terroir.

- 93 points -

Offers an alluring entry of loam, wood spice and fresh thyme, while the palate is fresh and enlivened by mineral acidity. Rich and full, with flavors of mocha-accented blackberry and plum that linger nicely around velvety tannins. Drink now through 2032. 950 cases made, 200 cases imported.

- 92 points -

Gamy aromas of berry fruits, leather, latex and mulch are more earthy than fresh. Chewy tannins make the palate rough and rugged, while this single-vineyard Malbec tastes of blackberry, baking spices and smoky barbecued meat. On the finish, this is ripe and tasty but a bit flat. Drink through 2026