Description

Score: 96 pts - James Suckling | 96 pts - Descorchados | 

Catena Zapata Birth of Cabernet 2022 is Bodega Catena Zapata's tribute to the origin of Cabernet Sauvignon, the grape that was born when bees carried pollen from the flowers of a Cabernet Franc vine to those of a Sauvignon Blanc vine. Years later a vintner returning to his abandoned vineyard found the new vine, tasted its grapes and fell in love. The label tells the story as an allegory: the fox, with the attributes of Cardinal Richelieu, is Cabernet Franc; the siren, part woman and part bird, is Sauvignon Blanc; and their child, Cabernet Sauvignon, is a world traveller who journeys from the French Pyrenees to the Catena Zapata pyramid at the foothills of the Andes. Crafted by Alejandro Vigil from the La Pirámide Vineyard in Agrelo, Luján de Cuyo, at 950 meters above sea level, it is hand harvested, fermented in concrete eggs, small stainless-steel tanks and French oak roll-fermentors, and aged 18 to 24 months in French oak.

"Deep, opaque purple, it opens with black cherry, blackberry and dark fruit layered with cedar, tobacco leaf, a hint of black olive and balsamic spice. The palate is velvety and creamy, with notes of cocoa and sandalwood, fine yet firm tannins and a long, persistent finish."

Technical Sheet

• Winery: Catena Zapata

• Score: 96 pts - James Suckling | 96 pts - Descorchados 

• Type: Red Wine

• Varietal: Cabernet Sauvignon

• Blend: 90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Cabernet Franc

• Vintage: 2022

• Region: La Pirámide Vineyard, Agrelo, Luján de Cuyo, Mendoza

• Altitude: 950 m a.s.l.

• Aging: 18–24 months in French oak barrels (first, second and third use)

• Winemaker: Alejandro Vigil

• Alcohol: 13.8%

• Total Acidity: 6.5 g/L

• pH: 3.7

• Serving Temperature: 16–18°C (61–64°F)

• Country: Argentina

• Food Pairing: Beef tenderloin, rack of lamb, Argentine asado, empanadas, grilled vegetables

• Aging Potential: Through 2038