Catena Alta Cabernet Sauvignon 2022 (750ml)

High-altitude Mendoza Cabernet from Bodegas Catena Zapata, drawn from the Agrelo district of Luján de Cuyo and rounded out with a small portion (7%) of Cabernet Franc. The 2021 spent up to eighteen months in French oak, a mix of new and used barrels, and pours a deep garnet with a purple cast.

The nose leans into black fruit at its core, with blueberry and currant alongside balsamic and spice, dark olive, white pepper, and a thread of tamarind. A wash of cherry runs through it. On the palate it reads dry and plush, juicy and supple, with the oak kept to a quiet background. The finish is fragrant and firm, lightly chewy, the kind of continental Cabernet that manages to be rich and nuanced at once. Ready now, and built to hold.