2016 Catena Zapata Nicolas Catena Zapata, Mendoza

The 2016 Nicolás Catena Zapata is a blend of 61% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31% Malbec and 8% Cabernet Franc from Gualtallary and Paraje Altamira, Uco Valley. It was aged with painstaking precision and presents an alcohol content that reflects the cool year. Perhaps its best quality is the delicate nose of red fruit and floral aromas, which features blackcurrant, plum and lavender notes. Relaxed on the palate with thoroughly polished tannins and measured juice, the texture grows even silkier when the well-integrated freshness comes into play. A dusting of chalk makes a late entrance to coincide with the return of the fruity flavors. This is a layered, increasingly profound and nuanced wine.

96 points Joaquín Hidalgo winecompanion.com.au

The 2016 Nicolás Catena Zapata has not been released, and they are going to sell the 2017 before it. This is the one wine, together with the Adrianna Vineyard Mundus Bacillus Terrae Malbec, that is sold through the négoce in Bordeaux for Europe and Asia. This is backward, serious and austere, with terrific balance and great length. This is a blend of 61% Cabernet Sauvignon from Gualtallary and 31% Malbec from Nicasia. There is also some 8% Cabernet Franc that seems to add a touch, and in 2016, it didn't need irrigation because there was enough rain. This seems to follow the style of the 2013, a little tight, perhaps because of the Cabernets. This is nuanced and complex, with very good integration of the varieties and the oak, fruit, acidity and mineral texture. One of the best vintages for this bottling. 74,400 bottles produced. It was bottled in November 2017.

96 points Luis Gutierrez robertparker.com

Catena is one of the quality leaders in Argentina and it's also a large winery, so they combine quality and quantity. Furthermore, they are one of the pioneers: They were the first to plant vineyards in Gualtallary, which is nowadays considered one of the highest potential zones in the country, but they were deemed crazy when they planted there. The wines are phenomenal, true to their place and vintage, and the accompanying notes merit reading to see what each of their wines is. Comparing 2016 and 2017, it seems like 2017 was better in Altamira and 2016 was a great success in Gualtallary, but there's a lot more information on each wine. They also have a new range of non-sulfur wines called La Marchigiana.