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Catena Zapata Wine Tasting at ris
On Saturday afternoon, October 6th from 1pm-3pm...
RIS will be pouring 9 of the best wines that Catena Zapata has to offer. These wines are very hard to find and a tasting of this caliber is simply unheard of. RIS will create delicious Argentine food that will pair beautifully with these big, bold Burgundian Style wines.
Founded in 1902, Argentina’s Bodega Catena Zapata is known for its pioneering role in resurrecting Malbec and in discovering extreme high altitude terroirs in the Andean foothills of Mendoza.The family’s Adrianna Vineyard at almost 5,000 feet elevation has been called the Grand Cru of South America.
Recently, they earned the first perfect 100 point score for any Argentine wine from Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate, on not one, but TWO of their wines.
MENU
Argentine Asado with Chimichurri Sauce
Sweetbreads
Beef ribs
Blood sausage
Lamb
Squid
Beef and Sweet Potato Empanadas
Pisa
Milanesa Sandwiches
Picadas Argentinas
Croquetas
Alfajores
Here are the reviews of the wines:
TABLE ONE – Catena Zapata Alta
Catena Alta Chardonnay 2015 Wine Advocate – 93- “The super fresh and elegant 2015 Catena Alta Chardonnay has penetrating aromas and I could swear I smelled wet stones, a soil-driven white that feels cleaner and sharper than the 2014. The palate has electric acidity, moderate alcohol and great freshness. It finishes with an austere, mineral-driven sensation. It would be fun to put this wine as a ringer in a blind white Burgundy tasting.” -- 12/01/2016
Catena Alta Cabernet Sauvignon 2014 Wine Advocate – 91 - “The 2014 Catena Alta Cabernet Sauvignon changed the blend slightly and was harvested earlier to preserve freshness. The idea worked nicely, obtaining a balanced and fresh varietal wine, still a little young, and even if the puppy fat is still there, the underlying acidity and freshness is great.” -- 12/30/2016
Catena Alta Malbec 2014 Jamessuckling.com – 95 - “Aromas of graphite and dark fruit with hints of spice and tea bag. Mushroom too. Full body, yet refined and beautifully textured. Love the low oak impression. Made in mostly concrete eggs. Fantastic. Drink now.” -- 06/21/2017
TABLE TWO – Nicolas Catena Zapata Every emerging growing region needs an Iconic wine to thrust it onto the international stage; In Mendoza, this wine was the 1997 vintage of Catena Zapata Nicolas Red. Standing shoulder to should with the great wines of the world in multiple blind tastings, this powerful Cabernet Sauvignon-dominated blend announced to the world that Argentina had arrived. Achieving the same quality in a purely Argentinian style, the Nicasia & Argentino showcase the potential for combining multiple sites of high altitude Malbec vineyards.
Catena Zapata Nicolas Red 2013 Argentino & Nicasia Wine Advocate – 96 - “The 2013 Nicolás Catena Zapata is a blend of 72% Cabernet Sauvignon and 28% Malbec from the La Pirámide, Adrianna and Nicasia vineyards. It is perfectly clean and focused, a noticeable improvement over the 2012 vintage. The Cabernet Sauvignon from this cool vintage seems to have a more restrained character that made me think of Cabernet Franc, very classical and serious. They have been harvesting earlier and earlier in search of balance and freshness, and the strategy has definitely worked. It has great freshness and focus, and the lower alcohol and acidity seem to make the wine integrate the oak very nicely. This has to be one of the finest vintages of Nicolás Catena Zapata.” -- 12/30/2016
Catena Malbec Nicasia 2014 Wine Advocate – 96 - “The Catena Zapata range comprises some single-vineyard wines, like the 2014 Malbec Catena Zapata Nicasia Vineyard that comes from a plot of ungrafted vines planted in Altamira in 1996 using Malbec cuttings from the ancient Angélica vineyard. Cropped from a year that delivered moderate alcohol and notable acidity, it fermented with full clusters in 2,000- and 5,000-liter oak foudres with indigenous yeasts. It matured in French oak barrels for 24 months. This shows superbly and is open and expressive, very classical and elegant, floral and mineral, with no excess whatsoever. The palate reveals superb balance, really harmonious and elegant. This one might be overlooked because there is a lot of attention given to the Malbecs from Adrianna vineyard, but this is really at the same quality level.” -- 06/29/2018
Catena Malbec Argentino 2015 Wine Advocate - 95 - “The 2015 Catena Zapata Malbec Argentino blends grapes from Angélica Vineyard in Lunlunta and Nicasia Vineyard in Altamira. It's a classical Malbec that fermented in 225- and 500-liter rolling oak fermentors and matured in French barrique for 18 months. They have changed the image and also the blend for this wine, which is now all from old vines. The label shows the history of Malbec with four relevant women (including Madam Phylloxera!) from the 12th century to the rebirth in the 20th century. This is ripe and heady, very open and expressive, with violets and juicy fruit. This is a new blend to break the tendency of so many single-vineyard bottlings and goes back to the blending traditions of the past. It shows really well—expressive, open and ready. It kept growing and growing in the glass, becoming more focused and even more fresh, at one point getting very close to the freshness of the 2016!” -- 06/29/2018
TABLE THREE – Catena Zapata Icons This trio of wines are all from the iconic Adrianna vineyard. The highest in Mendoza, and the most thoroughly researched growing site in the world.
Catena Zapata White Bones 2015 Decanter – 97 - “Extraordinary quality that rivals many grand cru Chablis. This is an intense, focused Chardonnay sourced from a 2-hectacre site, growing on limestone-rich soils located at 1,450m altitude. Great structure, laser-like focus, purity and ageing potential for a minimum of 10 years from this benchmark white.” -- 07/01/2018
Catena Fortuna Terrae 2013 Wine Advocate – 96 - “There are three separate bottling from the Adrianna vineyard, one of them the 2013 Adrianna Vineyard Fortuna Terrae, sourced from the part of the vineyard with slightly deeper soils (we're talking only about 70 centimeters here!) that has limestone underneath, is flatter and provides very aromatic, slightly lighter wines, more feminine if you like. It's very floral, gentle, with fine tannins with a good structure based on a combination with superb acidity. This is also lighter colored, the more Pinot of the three.” -- 12/30/2016
Catena Adrianna River Stones 2013 Wine Advocate – 98 - “There are three separate bottlings from the Adrianna vineyard, one of them the 2013 Adrianna Vineyard River Stones, sourced from the stonier part, close to the dry river, the equivalent to the White Stones white, with a north-facing exposure, the warmer exposure, which in cooler years like 2013 works nicely. This has the combination of power and elegance, of flowers and fruit, minerality and spice, precise, focused, harmonious, all about finesse. This seems to be the one that worked better with the cool year. 2,000 bottles produced. I was shown some 20+ wines blind while visiting the Catena Institute and I could immediately find this wine even if I had only tasted it a couple of times before. Such is the strong personality of this wine...” -- 12/30/2016
About RIS. RIS is a high-end neighborhood bistro serving seasonal upscale New American fare in a modern, sophisticated space, created by executive chef and owner Ris Lacoste. RIS is located in the heart of Washington, DC's West End neighborhood. We hope you'll join us for a great afternoon of delicous.
