1997 Bodega Catena Zapata Uxmal Estiba Reservada

Bodega Catena Zapata, in Mendoza, Argentina, traces its establishment to 1902, when Italian immigrant Nicola Catena planted his first Malbec vineyard in Mendoza. The family grew grapes for more than 50 years, although the tumultuous Argentine political and economic scene of the 1960s and 1970s made it difficult for the winery to stay afloat. In the late 1980s Nicolas Catena, a professor of economics and heir to the winery, refocused the winery on making higher quality wines rather than the bulk wines it had made for most of the century. By the early 1990s the winery’s Bordeaux-style Cabernet Sauvignon blends, Chardonnays and Malbecs were earning high praise from such critics as Robert M. Parker Jr. who awarded the 1996 Catena Alta Malbec 94 pts. More recent vintages have earned 98+ pts from Parker. In 2009 Decanter magazine named Nicolas Catena “man of the year” for his success in producing world class wines in Argentina.

Luján de Cuyo was Argentina’s first official wine appellation when it was established in 1993. The appellation is named for the city of Luján de Cuyo, the department capital. Vineyards in this appellation are in the upper Mendoza Valley, and they are often at altitudes of 3,300 feet or more. The soil is sandy and alluvial with clay underneath and moderate rainfall encourages growth. Historically the area grew pink skin grapes for slightly sweet pink or white wines. Since the late 1980s, however, Malbec has been Mendoza’s most important grape, since it makes a rich, dark, robust, age-worth red. The second most important red grape is Bonarda, which is thought to be the same grape that California growers know as Charbono. Italian and Spanish red grapes including Sangiovese, Barbera and Tempranillo were brought by immigrants, and they are grown today. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Chardonnay, Torrontés and numerous other red and white grapes are also grown successfully. Considered by many to be the most desirable wine appellation in Argentina, Luján de Cuyo has attracted attention from international winemakers and producers.