Catena Cabernet Sauvignon Mendoza Argentina 2007

Price: £12.49

Using grapes sourced from estate vineyards at over 3000 ft above sea level on the slopes of the Andes, this is a textbook New World cabernet with intense concentration and ripe tannins.

Grape: Cabernet Sauvignon is perhaps the most famous red grape. Its home is Bordeaux where it is was created as a cross between Cabernet Franc (red grape) and Sauvignon Blanc (white grape). Since then its popularity has spread and it is grown all around the world. What makes Cabernet so popular is not its bouquet, which can range from blackcurrants to cigar box, but its structure, typically having both tannins and acidity to create a smooth feeling in the mouth.

Region: Mendoza is the largest and most important of Argentina’s wine regions. Situated in the west of the country at the foot of the Andes, it has a hot and dry continental climate with cold nights. There is a little rain in the summer months but irrigation is necessary. Fortunately, water is plentiful, with snow melt supplying the rivers flowing from the mountains. Frost is rare so the main risk to vines is from La Piedra, hail that comes in early summer.

Style: Full-bodied with good chunky tannins that go down well with a rich hearty meal. You can tell these wines have seen oak by the toasty, vanilla aromas as opposed to full-on fruit. You’ll find Rioja and similar styles within this section.

Ratings for older vintages

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