2018 Catena Zapata Catena Cabernet Sauvignon Mendoza 750 ml

We can’t talk about Argentinian wine without mentioning the stalwarts at Catena Zapata.

The century-old pioneering producer was the first Argentine winery to earn a perfect score from Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate, and has been named New World Winery of the Year by Wine Enthusiast as well as Winery of the Year by Wine & Spirits Magazine. Their 2018 Catena Cabernet Sauvignon is a textbook example of Mendoza’s grace and beauty. 

Much of what makes Mendoza great for Malbecs makes it great for Cabernet Sauvignon. Dry as a bone and watered by the mountain rivers that course through it, the grapes here are grown at heights of up to 6,000 feet. These extreme elevations—some of the highest in the world—means tons of exposure to UV light, while the rocky Andean soil is dry and free-draining—perfect for vines that produce powerfully concentrated grapes.

The intensity of this environment shows in the 2018 Catena Cabernet. The grapes that go into the Catena are exposed to long days of sun, and the result is a wine that is robust and plush on the palate. With a deep ruby color and firm structure, this wine bursts with notes of ripe, dark fruit that softly give way to nuanced tones of fresh herbs, sweet flowers, plus a kiss of Madagascar vanilla and barrel smoke.

With such boldness, you can bank on a bottle of Catena to delight guests at your next asado. It packs a punch, and shows a crowd why Mendoza is one of the most exciting wine regions right now. James Suckling called it another “delicious” wine of 2018, the year that he called “the best ever for Argentinian wines.”

Hats off to Catena Zapata. With this bottle, they’ve given us a gift that showcases everything that is beautiful about Mendoza.