Meet the Malbec that proves the Andes know how to party. Bodega Catena Zapata's 2020 Nicasia Vineyard sits impossibly high in Mendoza, where intense sun and cool mountain air conspire to create something genuinely special. Blackberry, plum, and violet leap from the glass, joined by cocoa, spice, and whispers of stone. The palate? Rich, vibrant, silky, a wine that balances power with finesse and refuses to take itself too seriously. This is Argentina's soul in a bottle, ready to turn any moment into something worth remembering.

The juicy and peachy 2020 Malbec Catena Zapata Nicasia Vineyard in Paraje Altamira is the result of a warm year in a warmish place, but the wine shows no excess and comes through as balanced, slightly riper and rounder than the 2019 I tasted next to it but keeping the poise and elegance. It has a medium to full-bodied palate with juicy and abundant tannins. 20,004 bottles produced. It was bottled in November 2021. 96Pts, Drink 2024-2030 - Luis Gutiérrez, The Wine Advocate