While I was at the Vancouver International Wine Festival 2020 I had the opportunity to interview Laura Catena, managing director of Bodega Catena Zapata, in Argentina. Plus she is a medical doctor and an author. So many skills. And a very interesting person. I am currently working on transcribing my interview with Laura and should have it for you shortly, but she did have 4 glasses of wine poured for me from their portfolio; one Chardonnay and three Malbecs. Below are my tasting notes for those wines. They are all available in BC and all are very good quality.
My Tasting Notes
Catena Alta Chardonnay 2017 ($44.27 in private stores) – It has a nice tropical fruit nose. Full-bodied, round, with a full mouthfeel. Medium acidity. Light spice, tropical fruit and butterscotch flavours. A delicious wine.
Catena Malbec 2017 ($21.99 at BC Liquor Stores) – This wine has a mix of garnet and ruby colours; it is translucent in the glass. Nice aromas of nutmeg and purple fruits. Medium-plus body, dry, semi-round, with light acidity and medium intensity tannins. Smoke and raspberries on the palate. Bright fruit flavours from the acidity in the wine. An elegant wine. –
Catena Alta Malbec 2016 ($55.99 in private stores) – This wine has a deep dull ruby colour in the glass. A nice nose, showing cloves, purple fruit and sweet spices. This wine is fuller-bodied, dry with fine chalky tannins and some minerality. Fresh purple and black fruits together with some violet floral and sweet spices. – [usr 5]
Catena Malbec Argentino 2017 ($145.99 in private stores) – 100% opaque ruby from the core to the rim. It has a light intensity purple fruit nose. It is full-bodied, round, with medium intensity fine-grained tannins. It is round and soft but does have a tannic edge. Flavours of rich ripe purple fruit. A quality wine.
Agree 100%. Love Catena wines!