Vinous about DOMAINE NICO
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Founded by Laura Catena, Domaine Nico makes Pinot Noir using grapes from family vineyards in Tupungato, Uco Valley. The winery is located in Gualtallary and overseen by the oenologist Roy Urvieta. Their five reds, which are grown at altitudes ranging between 3,900 and 4,900 feet above sea level in different soil types, have raised the bar for the variety in Argentina.
Joaquín Hidalgo, November 2021 See detailed press review
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DOMAINE NICO
La Savante 2023
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Product code
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869627
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Format
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6 x 750ml
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Country
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Argentina
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Regulated designation
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Dénomination origine (DOC)
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Region
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Mendoza
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Varietal(s)
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Pinot Noir 100%
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Colour
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Red
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- 96 points -
James Suckling, April 2025 (Vintage 2023)
This is floral yet subtle, with enveloping aromas of rose petals and red fruit. The palate is chalky, with incisive yet blurry tannins, delicate red fruit and a fresh lift that adds dimension. This comes from a 1.44-hectare plot planted in 1994 in Gualtallary.
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DOMAINE NICO
Histoire D'A 2023
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Argentina, Mendoza
869626 | 6 x 750ml
See detailed product page
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- 95 points -
James Suckling, April 2025 (Vintage 2023)
Made with 100% whole clusters, this wine opens with a lovely nose of dried flowers, subtle vanilla and red fruit wrapped in a round, enveloping character that’s highly attractive. The palate is subtle and chalky, with bright yet subdued fruit that’s evenly distributed. Precise, with a beautifully refined finish. Truly mind-blowing pinot from the Adrianna Vineyard.
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DOMAINE NICO
Grand Père 2023
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Argentina, Mendoza
869624 | 6 x 750ml
See detailed product page
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- 95 points -
James Suckling, April 2025 (Vintage 2023)
Red nervy fruit, pepper and oregano on the nose. The palate is juicy but incisive, with red bramble fruit. The palate is saline, succulent and focused, with so much harmony. From a 2-hectare plot planted in 1993 in Villa Bastías.
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DOMAINE NICO
Grand Mère 2023
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Argentina, Mendoza
869623 | 6 x 750ml
See detailed product page
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- 94 points -
James Suckling, March 2025 (Vintage 2023)
This shows aromas of plums and cola candy. The palate is medium- to full-bodied, round yet incisive, delicate and subtle. Reminiscent of Oregon rather than Central Otago in style. Lovely balance.
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DOMAINE NICO
Le Paradis 2020
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Argentina, Mendoza
869628 | 3 x 750ml
3 case(s) available See detailed product page
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- 97 points -
James Suckling, November 2022 (Vintage 2020)
Seductive, beautifully scented and nuanced, with fascinating aromas of smoky raspberries, thyme, blood orange, sous-bois and sea urchins. There’s a faint caramel undertone, too. This is a round, full-bodied, extremely serious and tense pinot with taut, chalky tannins. Savory, complex and transparent. It keeps going for minutes. Incredibly attractive now, but you can lay it down for 5-7 years, to wait for more complexity coming ahead. Mind-blowing!
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About DOMAINE NICO
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 Woman of the Year by the Drinks Business.
It is this same dedication and passion the Catena family and team have brought to Domaine Nico, the world’s first extreme high altitude single parcel Pinot Noirs.
Domaine Nico was born from the Catena family’s affinity to the great wines of Burgundy and was inspired by Laura’s teenage years in France where she first learned of regionality. The journey began in the early 1990’s when Nicolás planted Pinot Noir Dijon clones in the high-altitude vineyards in Mendoza, located in three different areas in Tupungato in the Uco Valley.
In 2008, the Domaine Nico project officially started. “We didn’t speak the Pinot Noir language and we had to learn it,” Laura pointed out in an interview. Unlike Burgundians, they didn’t have the long history of how Pinot Noir performs in Mendoza. In the pursuit of excellence and to “catch up” she and her team extensively researched and studied the soils and microbial life of these sites for years, with the same focus and intensity they dedicated to Malbec for which they’re recognized.
Equipped with their discoveries and countless micro vinifications to define parcels and winemaking methods, they released the first bottlings in 2016. Today, there are five different parcels of Pinot Noir coming from vineyards that range in elevation from 1120-1500 metres (3675-4921 ft) above sea level: Grand Mère and Grand Père in Villa Bastías, Histoire d’A and La Savante in Gualtallary, and Le Paradis in Gualtallary Alto. The resulting Pinot Noirs are elegant and beautifully achieve the goal of giving voice to the unique high altitude terriors of the Uco valley.
The labels pay homage to one of Burgundy’s most famous estates and the Catena family. Domaine Nico is named after Laura’s youngest daughter Nicola, whose nickname is Nico. Nicola is named after Laura’s great grandfather who founded Bodega Catena Zapata in 1902.
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