Americas
The North American wine producing reputation can largely be attributed to the global fame and success of Napa Valley and Sonoma County in the United States. Although technically ‘new world’, its wines have the same devoted fan base (and often first-growth prices) as many classic European wines. Free from the shackles of European winemaking law, one can find a variety of cooler climate Cabs, Merlots, Pinots, Chardonnays and Rieslings that will entice all wine lovers.
South America is an exciting new melting pot of styles and flavours with a range of soils types and altitudes – taking international varietals and finishing with French winemaking techniques, or in the case of Argentinian Malbec, adopting a largely unloved grape and making it their own.
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Americas
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Wine Advocate (97+)
The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Missouri Hopper Vineyard is made from 100% Cabernet Sauvignon. Featuring a deep garnet-purple color, it sashays out of the glass with gregarious notions of baked plums, warm cassis and blueberry compote with suggestions of kirsch, dusty soil and Indian spices. The palate is full-bodied and laden with bright, lively, energetic black fruits, supported with firm, super ripe tannins and finishing on a persistent exotic spice note. 500 cases were made.Inc. GSTSG$2,092.15 -
James Suckling (99)
This is really focused and refined with fantastic dried flowers and dark berries. Dried-lavender and mint undertones. Medium-to full-bodied with refined and polished tannins that are all together and so focused. Really integrated and melted together on the palate. Compact and very linear. Please give this two or three years to come completely together, but it’s already breathtaking. Better to drink after 2022.Inc. GSTSG$909.58 -
James Suckling (100)
What a stunning nose of crushed berries, fresh flowers, sandalwood and light vineyard dust. Black olives, too. Very complex. Full-bodied with a beautiful, dense palate of blackberries, chocolate, walnuts and cigar box. Fantastic length and composure. The tannin just rolls over the palate. Very structured. The most classically structured wine ever from here. Goes on for minutes. Outrageous and so polished. A blend of 48% carmenere, 26% cabernet sauvignon, 25% merlot and 1% petit verdot. Try after 2025.Inc. GSTSG$959.64 -
James Suckling (98)
So aromatic and fresh with dried flowers, sweet tobacco and hints of straw. Red fruit, cloves and green peppercorns. Medium-to full-bodied with fine tannins that are very fresh and refined. Fine, silky and beautiful. Hints of minerals and granite to the dark fruit. Such gorgeous length and beauty. 64% carmenere, 18% cabernet franc and 18% merlot. Extremely long and poised. Cooler wine. From biodynamically grown grapes. Delicious to drink already, but another three to four years will make it even better.Inc. GSTSG$1,083.90 -
James Suckling (99)
A generous array of ripe black and blue fruit with pink peppercorns, green olives, dried flowers, toffee and chocolate orange. It’s full-bodied with firm, creamy and velvety tannins. Long and polished. Lovely salted caramel and olives at the end. Keeps going. Unfolds on the finish. 70% carmenere, 18% merlot, 8% cabernet sauvignon and 4% petit verdot. Drink or hold.Inc. GSTSG$1,171.10 -
Vinous (92+)
Full ruby-red. Musky dark fruits and bitter chocolate on the brooding nose, with a strong kirsch note emerging with aeration. Powerful and deep but youthfully closed, with terrific grip to the flavors of cassis, dark chocolate and minerals. Quite closed and young today, but with its fine-grained tannins and slowly building persistence this single-vineyard malbec appears to be built for a positive evolution in bottle.Inc. GSTSG$2,462.75 -
Wine Advocate (97)
I tasted three consecutive vintages of the reds from Adrianna Vineyard, including the luxury cuvée, starting with the 2014 Adrianna Vineyard Mundus Bacillus Terrae. It is from the coolest year since 2001 (but cooler will come in 2016), and it has 13.5% alcohol and very high acidity—7.5 grams measured in tartaric acid. What that all means is it's moderately ripe and very fresh, with integrated oak after fermenting in 225- and 500-liter oak barrels and an élevage of 24 months in oak. 4,200 bottles were filled in July 2016.Inc. GSTSG$2,010.40 -
Vinous (92)
From a combination of terroirs in the Uco Valley and Luján de Cuyo, fermented separately, followed by aging for 18 months in French oak, the majority Cabernet Sauvignon combined with 7% Cabernet Franc, this is a textbook wine. Complex, with aromatic notes including red and black fruit, herbs and oak, it unfolds in layers on the tight, sugary palate, where the grippy tannins provide a precise, enlivening freshness. A surprising wine.Inc. GSTSG$631.55 -
Inc. GSTSG$4,626.40 -
Wine Advocate (94)
The 2010 Catena Zapata Malbec Argentino is a blend of grapes from Adrianna and Nicasia, from the deepest, coolest soils in those vineyards, in Gualtallary and Altamira. They were looking for something that represents the essence of Malbec. The first vintage for this wine was 2004, when they finally found the blend and character they were looking for. The name they wanted to use for the wine was Malbec Puro, but they didn’t want any confusion with cigars, so they called it Malbec Argentino instead! It is very aromatic with floral notes, mainly violets and blue fruit, and is nicely defined. It is opulent with sweet tannins but with the hallmark of the freshness found in all the wines from those two vineyards, precise and long. Drink 2015-2020.Inc. GSTSG$1,063.23 -
Wine Advocate (95)
I was truly impressed with the nose of the 2011 Catena Zapata Malbec Argentino, a blend of grapes from Adrianna (Gualtallary) and Nicasia (Altamira) vineyards in the Uco Valley. Even if the grapes are sourced from the same vineyards as the Adrianna and Nicosia bottling, this wine is quite different. Here the plots are selected from the granitic parts that give it a different, austere texture. There is a seamless granularity with the tannins that go in a straight line, and keep going and going. Super! 11,000 bottles were filled.Inc. GSTSG$865.94 -
James Suckling (98)
Very dense and powerful with a tight palate of blue fruit and raspberry undertones. Salty with wonderful length and intensity. A blend of malbec from Nicasia Vineyard in Altamira and Adrianna Vineyard in Gualtallary. Drink in 2022 but so great now.Inc. GSTSG$865.94 -
Wine Advocate (95)
They blend two plots from two of their flagship vineyards, Adrianna in Gualtallary and Nicasia in Altamira to create the 2013 Catena Zapata Malbec Argentino. It is a classical Malbec with some creamy, smoky notes, juicy, polished and fresh but with enough power to stand up to food. Some 11,000 were bottles produced.Inc. GSTSG$866.38 -
James Suckling (98)
Perfumed and seductive nose of purple plums, blueberries, dried roses, violets, lemon zest, chocolate, truffles and cigar box. It’s full-bodied, yet so elegant and weightless. Seamless, finely knit tannins. Beautiful, lengthy finish. Try from 2024.Inc. GSTSG$822.36 -
Wine Advocate (96)
The 2013 Malbec Catena Zapata Nicasia Vineyard is produced with grapes from the vineyard that names it--a vineyard planted in 1997 in the Altamira zone of Valle de Uco. It's mostly Malbec with some 4% Cabernet Franc, but the two grapes fermented together. It has less Cabernet Franc than other years because 2013 was fresh enough that just that pinch provided enough of the character they are looking for. They call this the most Malbec of our Malbecs and it has the textbook aromas of violets and red berries with perfectly integrated oak. The palate is also elegant and fresh and showcases the telltale round tannins of Malbec. This is truly outstanding. Some 8,000 bottles were filled in December 2015.Inc. GSTSG$903.02 -
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. 12,000 bottles were filled in July 2016.Inc. GSTSG$903.02 -
Vinous (93+)
Bright medium ruby. Blackberry, licorice and violet on the nose. Far tighter and less sweet than the 2014 version; a more minerally and linear version of Malbec that lacks the expansiveness of the '14. Finishes with a firm edge of tannins and terrific length. A bit less ripe--and more green--than the 2014, with tighter tannins. A bit of a question mark owing to its serious tannic spine, this wine would appear to offer excellent potential longevity but it will require patience.Inc. GSTSG$903.02 -
Vinous (95+)
Bright ruby. Captivating floral and spicy high tones lift aromas of blackberry, cassis and dark chocolate on the subtle, complex nose. Juicy, penetrating Malbec with sharply delineated black fruit, violet and spice flavors carried on the back end by brisk acidity (actually 6.5 grams per liter) and strong salty, chalky minerality. In its focus and youthfully lean style, this is hardly your typical Argentina Malbec. But this wonderfully suave yet powerful wine opens out and rises spectacularly on the saline back end, where the crushed dark berry flavors are perfectly supported by noble tannins. A knockout! Winemaker Vigil's use of a bit of Cabernet Franc in his top Malbec bottlings always leaves me wondering why more of his colleagues don't take this approach.Inc. GSTSG$905.18 -
Wine Advocate (98)
The 2018 Malbec Catena Zapata Nicasia Vineyard, from a vineyard planted in Altamira in 1996 from an old massal selection, has contained ripeness, reflecting the less warm vintage (after 2017). The grapes were picked very early but with good ripeness because of the low yields in a very dry year. It fermented in open-top barrels with 100% full clusters and indigenous yeasts and matured in 500-liter oak barrels. It's a balanced and elegant Malbec with some restraint and a very fine thread in the palate, with really fine tannins. It follows the path of the phenomenal 2017, fine and elegant. 12,000 bottles produced. It was bottled in May 2020.Inc. GSTSG$629.41 -
Vinous (96)
From Paraje Altamira, the 2019 Malbec Nicasia Vineyard was made with grapes from a selected set of rows in Parcel #1 of the Nicasia Vineyard and aged for 24 months in new and second use French barrels. Dense, bright purple in the glass. The fruitiness of the complex, attractive nose is down to the region. The nose delivers a mixture of fresh plum and blackberry with lavender and violet aromas, hints of country herb and notes from the aging process. Broad but delicate in the mouth with good energy. The palate is gently sculpted by chalky tannins made juicy by the freshness. The fruity intensity is enhanced by the texture. A superb Malbec.Inc. GSTSG$819.03 -
Vinous (90)
(13.8% alcohol; 6.0 g/l acidity; 3.45 pH): Healthy dark red. Highly aromatic scents of dark plum, chocolate and smoke. Rounder and sweeter than the 1997 bottling but showing a bit less lift and detail than the earlier vintage. The plum and chocolate notes carry through onto the palate. Finishes with good density and length, an intriguing saline note and chewy, ripe tannins. (There was no 1998 bottling as this was a disastrous El Niño vintage in Argentina during which steady rainfall led to rot before the fruit ripened properly. In fact, Catena bottled only their inexpensive, entry-level Alamos wines in '98.)Inc. GSTSG$1,890.50 -
James Suckling (95)
Complex aromas of dark berry, shaved chocolate and minerals. Full-bodied, bright and fruity with a beautiful balance and length. It's so polished and gorgeous. A blend of 80% cabernet sauvignon and 20% malbec.Inc. GSTSG$794.02 -
Vinous (93+)
Bright, dark ruby-red. Reticent aromas of blackcurrant, blueberry, licorice and spicy oak are a bit less expressive than those of the 2015 bottling. Impressively rich, pliant and sweet but with excellent vinosity too. A bit more muscular than the 2015 version, as much saline as sweet, with its substantial tannins saturating the entire palate and building. This will take at least a few more years to deliver on its inherent complexity. (Incidentally, the old Agrelo vineyard--La Piramide--from which much of the Cabernet Sauvignon comes has many Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc vines interspersed in it, but the vineyard is registered as Cabernet Sauvignon so this is what goes on the technical sheet.)Inc. GSTSG$800.50 -
James Suckling (96)
A giant. Not only in Argentina’s strong suit in terms of power, it also shows finesse and aromatic complexity. There are all manner of blackberries, smoke, chocolate and spicy notes. Built on a panoramic scale, but full of energy and enormous refinement. The finish cascades on and on. A blend of 83% cabernet sauvignon and 17% malbec. Try in 2021.Inc. GSTSG$578.20 -
Decanter (97)
The 2016 vintage is a classic example, a superb blend of Cabernet Sauvignon with 31% Malbec and 8% Cabernet Franc that’s still in its infancy. Subdued aromas of cassis, black cherries and nuanced herbaceous and tobacco notes. A lovely fluid entrance builds on concentration and complexity. Malbec’s seductive juiciness joins a vertical Cabernet structure, tannins and integrated oak, with a long, lingering finish. A wine to wait for.Inc. GSTSG$586.92 -
James Suckling (97)
Sweet tobacco, walnuts, blackberries and dried flowers on the nose. Full body, yet ultra-fine tannins and a super long finish. Superb finesse and polish. Drink after 2023, but already fabulous.Inc. GSTSG$709.00 -
Jane Anson Inside Bordeaux (97)
A sit up and take notice wine. Inky colour, smooth tannins, still young and crouched but already combining subtlety and confidence. On the palate, you get a wall of liquorice, crushed cardamom, rosemary, cassis, liqueur, all expertly delivered by winemaker Fernando Buscema. Sensational wine. Tasted twice, same impression each time, of a wine full of life and interest. Bottled unfiltered and unfined.Inc. GSTSG$718.79 -
James Suckling (98)
This has a complex nose of baked blackberries, grilled plums, dried earth, moss, pine cones, sandalwood, charcoal and cloves. It’s medium-bodied with firm, tightly knit tannins. Wow. So much going on. Layered, seamless and silky. Incredible length. Keeps going. 42% cabernet sauvignon, 30% malbec and 28% cabernet franc. Try this from 2024.Inc. GSTSG$707.68 -
Tantalise your palate with the exquisite Ceritas Peter Martin Ray Chardonnay 2020. Hailing from the lofty ridges of Santa Cruz, California, it epitomises precision, balance, and terroir expression. The prestigious Ceritas winery, renowned for its minimalist approach, ensures each vintage mirrors the unique character of its vineyard. Its meticulous craftsmanship involves native fermentation in neutral French oak barrels, lending unusual depth and complexity.
The Ceritas Peter Martin Ray Chardonnay 2020 presents a tantalising meld of citrus zest, orchard fruits and saline minerality, underpinned by subtle oak nuances. Its vibrant acidity and linear profile provide an elegant structure that unfurls into a persistent, cool-climate finish. This quintessential Chardonnay proffers a purity of fruit and eloquent expression of place rarely encountered. A true connoisseur's delight, the Ceritas Peter Martin Ray Chardonnay 2020 will not disappoint.
Inc. GSTSG$851.20 -
Renowned for its exceptional character, the Ceritas Bailhache Sauvignon Blanc 2020 hails from the prestigious winemaker Ceritas, set within the heart of California's esteemed Sonoma Coast. Each bottle encapsulates the ideal maritime climate and diverse soil, which culminate to produce nuanced acidity levels and complex flavour profiles. The Ceritas Bailhache Sauvignon Blanc 2020 boasts a vibrant mix of ripe citrus, stone fruits, and subtle mineral undertones, underpinned by a lively crispness that makes it exceedingly palatable.
The esteemed winemaker, John Raytek, adheres strictly to organic farming methods and minimalist winemaking; this approach lets the unique terroir of each carefully chosen vineyard express itself fully within the wine. Grown on mature vines that grace the high slopes of the Bailhache Vineyard, each grape is meticulously handpicked at peak ripeness, simultaneously ensuring the utmost quality and preserving the delicate balance of the wine.
Indulge in the Ceritas Bailhache Sauvignon Blanc 2020, an embodiment of the complexity and elegance of Californian terroir.
Inc. GSTSG$898.71
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Wine Advocate (97+)
The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Missouri Hopper Vineyard is made from 100% Cabernet Sauvignon. Featuring a deep garnet-purple color, it sashays out of the glass with gregarious notions of baked plums, warm cassis and blueberry compote with suggestions of kirsch, dusty soil and Indian spices. The palate is full-bodied and laden with bright, lively, energetic black fruits, supported with firm, super ripe tannins and finishing on a persistent exotic spice note. 500 cases were made.In BondSG$1,860.00 -
James Suckling (99)
This is really focused and refined with fantastic dried flowers and dark berries. Dried-lavender and mint undertones. Medium-to full-bodied with refined and polished tannins that are all together and so focused. Really integrated and melted together on the palate. Compact and very linear. Please give this two or three years to come completely together, but it’s already breathtaking. Better to drink after 2022.In BondSG$783.00 -
James Suckling (100)
What a stunning nose of crushed berries, fresh flowers, sandalwood and light vineyard dust. Black olives, too. Very complex. Full-bodied with a beautiful, dense palate of blackberries, chocolate, walnuts and cigar box. Fantastic length and composure. The tannin just rolls over the palate. Very structured. The most classically structured wine ever from here. Goes on for minutes. Outrageous and so polished. A blend of 48% carmenere, 26% cabernet sauvignon, 25% merlot and 1% petit verdot. Try after 2025.In BondSG$821.00 -
James Suckling (98)
So aromatic and fresh with dried flowers, sweet tobacco and hints of straw. Red fruit, cloves and green peppercorns. Medium-to full-bodied with fine tannins that are very fresh and refined. Fine, silky and beautiful. Hints of minerals and granite to the dark fruit. Such gorgeous length and beauty. 64% carmenere, 18% cabernet franc and 18% merlot. Extremely long and poised. Cooler wine. From biodynamically grown grapes. Delicious to drink already, but another three to four years will make it even better.In BondSG$935.00 -
James Suckling (99)
A generous array of ripe black and blue fruit with pink peppercorns, green olives, dried flowers, toffee and chocolate orange. It’s full-bodied with firm, creamy and velvety tannins. Long and polished. Lovely salted caramel and olives at the end. Keeps going. Unfolds on the finish. 70% carmenere, 18% merlot, 8% cabernet sauvignon and 4% petit verdot. Drink or hold.In BondSG$1,015.00 -
Vinous (92+)
Full ruby-red. Musky dark fruits and bitter chocolate on the brooding nose, with a strong kirsch note emerging with aeration. Powerful and deep but youthfully closed, with terrific grip to the flavors of cassis, dark chocolate and minerals. Quite closed and young today, but with its fine-grained tannins and slowly building persistence this single-vineyard malbec appears to be built for a positive evolution in bottle.In BondSG$2,200.00 -
Wine Advocate (97)
I tasted three consecutive vintages of the reds from Adrianna Vineyard, including the luxury cuvée, starting with the 2014 Adrianna Vineyard Mundus Bacillus Terrae. It is from the coolest year since 2001 (but cooler will come in 2016), and it has 13.5% alcohol and very high acidity—7.5 grams measured in tartaric acid. What that all means is it's moderately ripe and very fresh, with integrated oak after fermenting in 225- and 500-liter oak barrels and an élevage of 24 months in oak. 4,200 bottles were filled in July 2016.In BondSG$1,785.00 -
Vinous (92)
From a combination of terroirs in the Uco Valley and Luján de Cuyo, fermented separately, followed by aging for 18 months in French oak, the majority Cabernet Sauvignon combined with 7% Cabernet Franc, this is a textbook wine. Complex, with aromatic notes including red and black fruit, herbs and oak, it unfolds in layers on the tight, sugary palate, where the grippy tannins provide a precise, enlivening freshness. A surprising wine.In BondSG$520.00 -
In BondSG$4,185.00
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Wine Advocate (94)
The 2010 Catena Zapata Malbec Argentino is a blend of grapes from Adrianna and Nicasia, from the deepest, coolest soils in those vineyards, in Gualtallary and Altamira. They were looking for something that represents the essence of Malbec. The first vintage for this wine was 2004, when they finally found the blend and character they were looking for. The name they wanted to use for the wine was Malbec Puro, but they didn’t want any confusion with cigars, so they called it Malbec Argentino instead! It is very aromatic with floral notes, mainly violets and blue fruit, and is nicely defined. It is opulent with sweet tannins but with the hallmark of the freshness found in all the wines from those two vineyards, precise and long. Drink 2015-2020.In BondSG$920.00 -
Wine Advocate (95)
I was truly impressed with the nose of the 2011 Catena Zapata Malbec Argentino, a blend of grapes from Adrianna (Gualtallary) and Nicasia (Altamira) vineyards in the Uco Valley. Even if the grapes are sourced from the same vineyards as the Adrianna and Nicosia bottling, this wine is quite different. Here the plots are selected from the granitic parts that give it a different, austere texture. There is a seamless granularity with the tannins that go in a straight line, and keep going and going. Super! 11,000 bottles were filled.In BondSG$739.00 -
James Suckling (98)
Very dense and powerful with a tight palate of blue fruit and raspberry undertones. Salty with wonderful length and intensity. A blend of malbec from Nicasia Vineyard in Altamira and Adrianna Vineyard in Gualtallary. Drink in 2022 but so great now.In BondSG$739.00 -
Wine Advocate (95)
They blend two plots from two of their flagship vineyards, Adrianna in Gualtallary and Nicasia in Altamira to create the 2013 Catena Zapata Malbec Argentino. It is a classical Malbec with some creamy, smoky notes, juicy, polished and fresh but with enough power to stand up to food. Some 11,000 were bottles produced.In BondSG$739.00 -
James Suckling (98)
Perfumed and seductive nose of purple plums, blueberries, dried roses, violets, lemon zest, chocolate, truffles and cigar box. It’s full-bodied, yet so elegant and weightless. Seamless, finely knit tannins. Beautiful, lengthy finish. Try from 2024.In BondSG$701.00 -
Wine Advocate (96)
The 2013 Malbec Catena Zapata Nicasia Vineyard is produced with grapes from the vineyard that names it--a vineyard planted in 1997 in the Altamira zone of Valle de Uco. It's mostly Malbec with some 4% Cabernet Franc, but the two grapes fermented together. It has less Cabernet Franc than other years because 2013 was fresh enough that just that pinch provided enough of the character they are looking for. They call this the most Malbec of our Malbecs and it has the textbook aromas of violets and red berries with perfectly integrated oak. The palate is also elegant and fresh and showcases the telltale round tannins of Malbec. This is truly outstanding. Some 8,000 bottles were filled in December 2015.In BondSG$775.00 -
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. 12,000 bottles were filled in July 2016.In BondSG$775.00 -
Vinous (93+)
Bright medium ruby. Blackberry, licorice and violet on the nose. Far tighter and less sweet than the 2014 version; a more minerally and linear version of Malbec that lacks the expansiveness of the '14. Finishes with a firm edge of tannins and terrific length. A bit less ripe--and more green--than the 2014, with tighter tannins. A bit of a question mark owing to its serious tannic spine, this wine would appear to offer excellent potential longevity but it will require patience.In BondSG$775.00 -
Vinous (95+)
Bright ruby. Captivating floral and spicy high tones lift aromas of blackberry, cassis and dark chocolate on the subtle, complex nose. Juicy, penetrating Malbec with sharply delineated black fruit, violet and spice flavors carried on the back end by brisk acidity (actually 6.5 grams per liter) and strong salty, chalky minerality. In its focus and youthfully lean style, this is hardly your typical Argentina Malbec. But this wonderfully suave yet powerful wine opens out and rises spectacularly on the saline back end, where the crushed dark berry flavors are perfectly supported by noble tannins. A knockout! Winemaker Vigil's use of a bit of Cabernet Franc in his top Malbec bottlings always leaves me wondering why more of his colleagues don't take this approach.In BondSG$775.00 -
Wine Advocate (98)
The 2018 Malbec Catena Zapata Nicasia Vineyard, from a vineyard planted in Altamira in 1996 from an old massal selection, has contained ripeness, reflecting the less warm vintage (after 2017). The grapes were picked very early but with good ripeness because of the low yields in a very dry year. It fermented in open-top barrels with 100% full clusters and indigenous yeasts and matured in 500-liter oak barrels. It's a balanced and elegant Malbec with some restraint and a very fine thread in the palate, with really fine tannins. It follows the path of the phenomenal 2017, fine and elegant. 12,000 bottles produced. It was bottled in May 2020.In BondSG$522.00 -
Vinous (96)
From Paraje Altamira, the 2019 Malbec Nicasia Vineyard was made with grapes from a selected set of rows in Parcel #1 of the Nicasia Vineyard and aged for 24 months in new and second use French barrels. Dense, bright purple in the glass. The fruitiness of the complex, attractive nose is down to the region. The nose delivers a mixture of fresh plum and blackberry with lavender and violet aromas, hints of country herb and notes from the aging process. Broad but delicate in the mouth with good energy. The palate is gently sculpted by chalky tannins made juicy by the freshness. The fruity intensity is enhanced by the texture. A superb Malbec.In BondSG$692.00 -
Vinous (90)
(13.8% alcohol; 6.0 g/l acidity; 3.45 pH): Healthy dark red. Highly aromatic scents of dark plum, chocolate and smoke. Rounder and sweeter than the 1997 bottling but showing a bit less lift and detail than the earlier vintage. The plum and chocolate notes carry through onto the palate. Finishes with good density and length, an intriguing saline note and chewy, ripe tannins. (There was no 1998 bottling as this was a disastrous El Niño vintage in Argentina during which steady rainfall led to rot before the fruit ripened properly. In fact, Catena bottled only their inexpensive, entry-level Alamos wines in '98.)In BondSG$1,675.00 -
James Suckling (95)
Complex aromas of dark berry, shaved chocolate and minerals. Full-bodied, bright and fruity with a beautiful balance and length. It's so polished and gorgeous. A blend of 80% cabernet sauvignon and 20% malbec.In BondSG$675.00 -
Vinous (93+)
Bright, dark ruby-red. Reticent aromas of blackcurrant, blueberry, licorice and spicy oak are a bit less expressive than those of the 2015 bottling. Impressively rich, pliant and sweet but with excellent vinosity too. A bit more muscular than the 2015 version, as much saline as sweet, with its substantial tannins saturating the entire palate and building. This will take at least a few more years to deliver on its inherent complexity. (Incidentally, the old Agrelo vineyard--La Piramide--from which much of the Cabernet Sauvignon comes has many Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc vines interspersed in it, but the vineyard is registered as Cabernet Sauvignon so this is what goes on the technical sheet.)In BondSG$675.00 -
James Suckling (96)
A giant. Not only in Argentina’s strong suit in terms of power, it also shows finesse and aromatic complexity. There are all manner of blackberries, smoke, chocolate and spicy notes. Built on a panoramic scale, but full of energy and enormous refinement. The finish cascades on and on. A blend of 83% cabernet sauvignon and 17% malbec. Try in 2021.In BondSG$477.00 -
Decanter (97)
The 2016 vintage is a classic example, a superb blend of Cabernet Sauvignon with 31% Malbec and 8% Cabernet Franc that’s still in its infancy. Subdued aromas of cassis, black cherries and nuanced herbaceous and tobacco notes. A lovely fluid entrance builds on concentration and complexity. Malbec’s seductive juiciness joins a vertical Cabernet structure, tannins and integrated oak, with a long, lingering finish. A wine to wait for.In BondSG$485.00 -
James Suckling (97)
Sweet tobacco, walnuts, blackberries and dried flowers on the nose. Full body, yet ultra-fine tannins and a super long finish. Superb finesse and polish. Drink after 2023, but already fabulous.In BondSG$597.00 -
Jane Anson Inside Bordeaux (97)
A sit up and take notice wine. Inky colour, smooth tannins, still young and crouched but already combining subtlety and confidence. On the palate, you get a wall of liquorice, crushed cardamom, rosemary, cassis, liqueur, all expertly delivered by winemaker Fernando Buscema. Sensational wine. Tasted twice, same impression each time, of a wine full of life and interest. Bottled unfiltered and unfined.In BondSG$604.00 -
James Suckling (98)
This has a complex nose of baked blackberries, grilled plums, dried earth, moss, pine cones, sandalwood, charcoal and cloves. It’s medium-bodied with firm, tightly knit tannins. Wow. So much going on. Layered, seamless and silky. Incredible length. Keeps going. 42% cabernet sauvignon, 30% malbec and 28% cabernet franc. Try this from 2024.In BondSG$595.00 -
Tantalise your palate with the exquisite Ceritas Peter Martin Ray Chardonnay 2020. Hailing from the lofty ridges of Santa Cruz, California, it epitomises precision, balance, and terroir expression. The prestigious Ceritas winery, renowned for its minimalist approach, ensures each vintage mirrors the unique character of its vineyard. Its meticulous craftsmanship involves native fermentation in neutral French oak barrels, lending unusual depth and complexity.
The Ceritas Peter Martin Ray Chardonnay 2020 presents a tantalising meld of citrus zest, orchard fruits and saline minerality, underpinned by subtle oak nuances. Its vibrant acidity and linear profile provide an elegant structure that unfurls into a persistent, cool-climate finish. This quintessential Chardonnay proffers a purity of fruit and eloquent expression of place rarely encountered. A true connoisseur's delight, the Ceritas Peter Martin Ray Chardonnay 2020 will not disappoint.
In BondSG$733.00 -
Renowned for its exceptional character, the Ceritas Bailhache Sauvignon Blanc 2020 hails from the prestigious winemaker Ceritas, set within the heart of California's esteemed Sonoma Coast. Each bottle encapsulates the ideal maritime climate and diverse soil, which culminate to produce nuanced acidity levels and complex flavour profiles. The Ceritas Bailhache Sauvignon Blanc 2020 boasts a vibrant mix of ripe citrus, stone fruits, and subtle mineral undertones, underpinned by a lively crispness that makes it exceedingly palatable.
The esteemed winemaker, John Raytek, adheres strictly to organic farming methods and minimalist winemaking; this approach lets the unique terroir of each carefully chosen vineyard express itself fully within the wine. Grown on mature vines that grace the high slopes of the Bailhache Vineyard, each grape is meticulously handpicked at peak ripeness, simultaneously ensuring the utmost quality and preserving the delicate balance of the wine.
Indulge in the Ceritas Bailhache Sauvignon Blanc 2020, an embodiment of the complexity and elegance of Californian terroir.
In BondSG$775.00
