2018 Catena Zapata D.V. Catena Tinto Historico Red Blend Mendoza 750 ml

Catena Zapata’s 94-point D.V. Catena Tinto Historico is one of the best values in red wine, and one you can bank on. We thought it would be tough to match the previous edition, but the 2018 is positively stellar.

The reason for the D.V. Catena’s absurd level of quality is simple: It’s made by Alejandro Vigil, the quality-obsessed winemaking wizard who earned the first 100-point score from The Wine Advocate for a South American wine. 

Vigil makes the D.V. Catena Tinto Historico to honor Domingo Vicente Catena, one of the patriarchs of the family, who became famous in the 1930s for his deep, bold red wines. As was the custom at the time, the wines were blends of multiple grapes, so the Tinto Historico is composed of 75% powerful and structured Malbec and 19% rich-fruited Bonarda, with 6% Petit Verdot chipping in color and aromatic intensity.

Those grapes are sourced from four beautiful estate vineyards—Lunlunta, Gualtallary, Eugenio Bustos, and El Mirador—planted at an average of nearly 3500 feet of elevation. The magic and grandeur of these sites comes through in the glass in striking fashion, resulting in a dramatic, rich wine.

Add it all up and you get a bottle that has earned every one of its 94 points. Something tells us that when it comes to our members and Catena Zapata, we’re looking at another year of intense enthusiasm.