It was Nicolás Catena who brought Argentinian wine kicking and screaming into the modern era. As a widely travelled academic economist, he learned from his exposure in the 1970s both to great Bordeaux and the huge promise of Napa wines. In the early 1980s, Catena agreed the key was to plant the right varieties in the right location, specifically cooler, higher sites which led him to Mendoza.
The inaugural 1997 vintage of this Cabernet Sauvignon and Malbec blend set a new standard of quality for South America when it won a series of blind tastings against first growths and other prestigious wines from around the world.

Tasting Note:
The 2019 Nicolás Catena Zapata is a blend of 42% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Malbec and 28% Cabernet Franc from the La Pirámide, Adrianna and Nicasia vineyards.
It is clean and focused. The Cabernet Sauvignon from this cool vintage seems to have a more restrained character very classical and serious. They have been harvesting earlier and earlier in search of balance and freshness, and the strategy has definitely worked. The wine has great freshness and focus, and the lower alcohol and acidity seem to make the wine integrate the oak very nicely.