Catena Zapata 2017 Mundus Bacillus Terrae Malbec

Name: Catena Zapata 2017 Mundus Bacillus Terrae Malbec
Brand: Taylor's Wine Shop
Price: 280.00 USD
Availability: InStock

$ 280⁰⁰

NET PRICED WINE - NO FURTHER DISCOUNT

The Catena family has been making wine in Mendoza since 1902, but it was Nicolás Catena, the third generation, who changed Argentina's place in the wine world entirely. In the 1990s he became convinced that Mendoza's high-altitude vineyards, planted well above where most people thought fine wine could be grown, held the key to something special. In 1994 he became the first Argentine producer to export a world-class Malbec under his own name, and in 1997 he released the inaugural vintage of his flagship wine, a Cabernet Sauvignon and Malbec blend that beat out prestigious Bordeaux and Napa bottlings in a series of blind tastings. That wine put Argentina on the map the way the Judgment of Paris did for California two decades earlier, and it's been the family's benchmark ever since. Today Nicolás works alongside his daughter, Dr. Laura Catena, and longtime winemaker Alejandro Vigil, who has led the cellar since 2002.

97pts Robert Parker, 96pts James Suckling

Tasting Notes

The 2017 Mundus Bacillus Terrae opens with intense aromas of black cherry, blueberry, violets, crushed stone, and subtle spice, reflecting the cool, high‑elevation Adrianna Vineyard. On the palate it is concentrated yet refined, offering layers of dark berry fruit, graphite, cocoa, and savory earth wrapped in firm, chalky tannins and vibrant natural acidity. The wine is made entirely from Malbec grown at nearly 1,400 meters in the limestone‑rich “Mundus Bacillus Terrae” parcel, a site known for producing Malbec with remarkable structure and minerality. Its depth and freshness make it an excellent partner for grilled lamb, ribeye, venison, mushroom dishes, truffle risotto, and aged cheeses, where its acidity and tannic backbone complement richness and umami.

Drinking window:
This one runs a little behind its Adrianna Vineyard siblings on purpose, it's typically released later and built to reward more patience. At around 9 years old, it's in a good middle stretch: approachable now, but not yet at its ceiling. Comparable vintages from this same parcel have been estimated to cellar gracefully out toward 2030 and sometimes beyond, so there's no need to rush through the last bottles.

If you're opening tonight, decant for 1 to 2 hours to soften the tannins and let the earth and dark fruit fully show. If you'd rather hold, another 3 to 5 years will likely deepen the savory, truffle-and-forest-floor side of the wine even further.

750ml

Catena Zapata 2017 Mundus Bacillus Terrae Malbec

Tasting Notes