Zapata Birth of Cabernet
2022
$149.51*
10 case(s) available
At heart, Catena is a story about family. Family who poured their lives, passion, and spirit into transforming scrub-laden desert into some of the most beautiful and unique vineyards in the world. Family that passed their knowledge from generation to generation, blending collective memory with state-of-the-art science from the new world of viticulture. Family who, through risk-taking, faith, and a little luck, transformed their treasured Mendoza terroir into the fountainhead of the...
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Sourced from 2 vineyards: the Angélica Sur Vineyard, Paraje El Cepillo, San Carlos, Valle de Uco, Mendoza. An elevation of 1.100m, on loamy alluvial with dense surface gravel. La Pirámide Vineyard, Agrelo, Luján de Cuyo, Mendoza. An elevation of 950m, alluvial origin, lay topsoil with rounded rocks on the bottom.
The harvest is done by hand, and the fermentation takes place in concrete eggs, small stainless-steel tanks and French oak roll-fermentors, at temperatures of 26-28°C for about 12-18 days. Total maceration of around 18-22 days. Aged in French oak for 18-24 months. First, second and third use barrels.
This has a very elegant nose of cassis and fresh, tight fruit. The palate is medium- to full-bodied, juicy, incisive and saline, with a fresh side. This comes from a 17-year-old vineyard planted in Agrelo.
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This wine is a selection from Catena’s premier vineyards—primarily La Pirámide in Agrelo, the source of the winery's finest Cabernet Sauvignon, complemented by fruit from El Cepillo in the southern Uco Valley. La Pirámide, with its alluvial soils of clay and stone, serves as the foundation for this red. Its planting began in the mid-1980s, an era when Malbec was not yet the primary focus. Today, while Malbec leads, Cabernet remains central to the winery’s DNA. As Catena's most ambitious expression of the grape, this wine offers an elegant, balanced vision. It is a sun-drenched Cabernet, evident in its abundant red fruit and subtle sweetness, layered with herbal and floral notes. The texture is crisp, with tannins that are remarkably delicate for the variety yet possess the firm grip required for food pairing.
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A bit richer and more classically informed than much of the contemporary Catena Zapata portfolio, the 2022 Birth of Cabernet comprises 90% Cabernet Sauvignon (sourced from Angélica Sur Vineyard in El Cepillo and La Pirámide Vineyard in Luján de Cuyo) and 10% Cabernet Franc from El Cepillo. It fermented in a combination of concrete eggs, stainless steel tanks and rolling French barriques before aging in first-, second- and third-use barrels. Opening with an herbal and balsamic profile enhanced by notes of toasted tobacco, the palate is round, rich and enveloping, culminating in a creamy, lush finish supported by a firm, stony undercurrent.
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The 2022 Birth of Cabernet is 90% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Cabernet Franc from El Cepillo and Agrelo. Purple with garnet glints in hue, it opens with cassis, blackberry and a touch of subtle oak. Juicy, plush and fine-grained, the palate gains depth and finishes with sustained fruit. The 2022 is a fresh, fruit-forward Cabernet with a clear, elegant expression.
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