Catena Zapata Nicasia Vineyard Malbec 2021

Cellar for up to 16 years No need to decant before serving. The Catenas are easily Argentina’s most famous winemaking family thanks to their key role in establishing the country’s reputation for quality winemaking. The family have been making wine in Argentina for four generations, and Nicolas Catena is especially respected as the maker of the first premium Malbec wine to be exported around the world in 1994. Along with his daughter, Laura, Nicolas has spent years studying Mendoza’s unique high altitude vineyards and learning how to make top quality wine in the foothills of the Andes Mountains. This iconic wine is a single vineyard Malbec from the legendary Nicasia site which was planted in 1996 at 1095 metres above sea level. The grapes are fermented in open barriques and stainless steel tanks and then aged for 24 months in French oak barrels. The wine is then aged for an additional 24 months in the bottle before release. Cassis, crushed blackberries and plums characterise the nose while the first sip reveals multiple layers of flavours moving from ripe dark berries and cherries to cigar box spice, leather and dark chocolate. The ripe, refined tannins and smooth texture make this a very approachable wine now, although it will continue to develop and evolve in the cellar over the next decade or so.

Price: £59.50 from 8wines UK