2010 Catena Zapata Nicasia Vineyard Altamira Malbec

The 2010 Catena Zapata Nicasia Vineyard Malbec is dark and brooding with an opaque glass- staining color. The sweet cassis and dark cherry reduction is ripe, concentrated and layered with exotic spices, kirsch liquor, fresh violets and dark chocolate. This is powerful and voluptuous with gorgeous round tannins that burst on the long, mouth-coating, supple finish. The Nicasia Vineyard is located in the La Consulta district of Mendoza, at an elevation of 3593 feet. The grapes for this wine are made from a meticulous vine selection from the best vineyard lots, and are carefully hand tended, producing extremely low yields resulting in limited production. (Best 2014-2025).

The 2010 Catena Zapata Nicasia Vineyard is a single-vineyard Malbec from their vines from Nicasia in Altamira (La Consulta) in the south of the Uco Valley, a chalk-rich zone that is quickly gaining ground on the terroir map of Mendoza. The grapes were barrel fermented with 5% Cabernet Franc. The grapes were harvested at six different points in time, depending on the difference of soils in the vineyard. I see quite ripe fruit here, a round wine, with some black fruit, notes of ripe melon, very spicy, and also flavors of sweet ripe fruit with round and polished, sweet tannins, very tasty but also with very good freshness and high acidity (it has 6.1 grams of acidity).

Concentrated, showing buried acidity behind the jammy crushed black cherry, cassis and plum sauce flavors, featuring a range of graphite, fine tobacco and licorice notes. Structured, with a long, fruit-driven finish. Drink now through 2020.- N.W.

Vines; blended with 8% cabernet franc and vinified with 30% whole clusters): Bright ruby. Aromas of black fruits, licorice and bitter chocolate. Large-scaled, velvety and deep; really spreads out horizontally to coat the palate with creamy-sweet dark berry and chocolate flavors. Finishes very broad, with fully ripe, building tannins.

This single vineyard Malbec hails entirely from Altamira and it's typical of the Catena style, albeit with the addition of 3% Viognier for extra perfume. Vibrant, juicy and plush with lots of sweet new oak, but showing enough acidity and freshness for balance, it has the structure and tannins to develop further in bottle. Drink: 2014-20.

"Laser-like cassis and black cherry aromas come with an accent of toasted oak. A pure, well-balanced palate isn't at all pushy or heavy, while snappy, fresh flavors of raspberry and spiced plum finish racy, toasty and the slightest bit herbal. Drink through 2022. - M.S.