Histoire D'A
2020
Armed with the vision of elevating Catena and Argentine wines to stand with the best in the world, Catena’s high standard of excellence has brought them much acclaim over the years, for their wines and for their work. Most recently, Nicolás Catena Zapata was the recipient of Wine Enthusiast’s Lifetime Achievement Award in 2021, while his daughter Laura Catena, fourth generation vintner, as well as physician and author, has been called “the face of Argentine wine” and was awarded 2022...
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A play on the famous pornographic novel Histoire d’O by Pauline Réage - this parcel makes a very “sexy” wine and the name seemed appropriate. In both La Savante and Histoire d’A we use whole clusters during fermentantion to highlight the texture and graininess of the wines. La Savante is more mineral, vertical, with spicy red fruits. Histoire d’A is more generous due to the greater sun exposure, with cinnamon, clove and a perceived sweetness to the tannins.
Red fruit and presence of herbs such as thyme, spices and clove. Medium-high acidity. Low alcohol. Slightly mineral and vertical mouth. Integrated oak. Grainy tannins.
This has aromas of strawberries, raspberries, crushed stones, vanilla pods, dried flowers, spice box and sweet licorice. Medium-bodied with silky tannins and a juicy, succulent palate, filled with sweet berries and spices. So much joy. Drink or hold.
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I still noticed the influence from the élevage in the 2020 Histoire d’A Pinot Noir. The wine comes from a warmer year and is riper and has slightly higher but still moderate alcohol at 13.5%. Pinot Noir is quite sensitive to heat and shows quite differently in cooler and warmer years. The palate also shows abundant, grainy-textured tannins that give it a faint rusticity. 5,160 bottles produced. It was bottled in December 2021.
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