Catena Zapata Nicolás Catena Zapata Mendoza (Stained bottle) 2018

96 points Tim Atkin, MW: "(13.9%) Nicolás, as aficionados know it, is an Argentinian red that ages brilliantly in bottle, easily surpassing a decade or more. A harmonious marriage of Cabernet Sauvignon and 35% Malbec, it is detailed, elegant, polished, complex and effortlessly refined, with subtle 50% new wood, cassis, bramble and black cherry fruit, some leafy undertones and a long, tapering finish. 2023-35. (2020)"

96 points Luis Gutiérrez (Wine Advocate): "[$125 list] The 2018 Nicolás Catena Zapata was produced with 65% Cabernet Sauvignon from Gualtallary (Adrianna vineyard, with the Cabernet Sauvignon interplanted with some Cabernet Franc) and 35% Malbec from Altamira (Nicasia vineyard). They no longer use grapes from Agrelo, and this is also a lot higher in Malbec than in other recent vintages. So, it has a very different profile, a change that started in 2017, with more contained ripeness and more freshness, and the wine is intense, keeping some of the Cabernet character (tobacco, blackberries) and the floral notes from Malbec. It comes through as balanced and harmonious, with very fine tannins and a long finish and perfect ripeness. This aims to revive the style of Bordeaux before phylloxera, from massal selection of ungrafted vines... It was bottled in December 2019. Drink: 2021-2028. (Mar 2021)"

96 points Joaquín Hidalgo (Vinous): "[$125 list] A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Malbec (35%) made from 210 micro-productions whose end result is approved by Nicolás Catena. A kind of summation of a long history, the grapes come from specific parcels of vineyards that Catena planted in the Uco Valley and Luján. The results are breathtaking. Purple in the glass with garnet flecks, this wine delivers layers of aroma, beginning with black currant and moving on to intense, precise notes of lavender and mint along with hints of black tea, sage and cigar box. In the mouth, austerity vies for supremacy with sheer power, a balance overseen by polished, grippy tannins placed into relief by a well-judged freshness that keeps the whole package light on its feet. This is a wine of tension foregrounded by the blend: the Malbec smooths out the Cabernet Sauvignon, which in turn brings energy to a red with an extremely long finish. Drink: 2020-2032. (Oct 2020)"

96 points James Suckling: "Aromas of blackberries, grilled meat, blackcurrants and wet earth. Full-bodied, tight and compact with dense dark berries and currants. Linear and long with a tight, focused palate. A blend of cabernet sauvignon and malbec. Drink after 2022. (4/22/21)"

96 points Decanter: "From pre-phylloxera massal selection, this blend of Malbec and Cabernet Sauvignon was fermented in oak, cement and steel and aged for 18 months in French oak barrels. Complex aromas of red and dark fruit, sweet spices, Earl Grey tea, gunpowder, cedar, violet and eucalyptus. Broad and expressive, the compact core offers fine tannins and intruguing cellar potential. Drink 2022-2033. (Apr 2022)"