Virtuoso Life - May/June 2008 - (Page 62) TASTING NOTES often considered Argentina’s most significant winery. “When all is said and done,” remarks Moncho, “Catena Zapata is Argentina’s winery of reference – the standard of excellence for comparing all others.” Nicolás Catena produced the first varietal malbec in 1994, reestablishing this red grape as Argentina’s signature varietal and putting Argentine wine on the world map. In 2000 he released the first of his eponymous vintage, a cabernet sauvignon-malbec blend that raised the bar for Argentine wine once again. “The current 2004 has an aristocratic perfume of pain grillé, mineral, espresso, saddle leather, cassis, and black currant,” offers Moncho, who also notes that it “maintains a sense of elegance as well as power. It strikes me as being Argentina’s equivalent of a great vintage of Lafite Rothschild.” Central OtagO, new Zealand Blanket Bay French-born wine director Eric Contrucci selects the 2006 Clos Henri Sauvignon Blanc ($22 retail), a star on his list at the stunning Blanket Bay resort in Otago, on New Zealand’s spectacular South Island. The sprawling Lodge at Blanket Bay is crafted from local stone and timber, and its Lake View Evening Dining Room provides an atmospheric setting for exploring New Zealand wine and cuisine. In the stoneclad Wine Cave guests can enjoy any of the 150 wines on the carefully edited list in an intimate setting. “Chef Jason Dell’s food at Blanket Bay concentrates on just two or three distinctive flavors on each plate,” explains Contrucci, “and this Marlborough sauvignon blanc, with its complex bouquet but clean, simple flavors, works beautifully with the cuisine.” Clos Henri is proof that New Zealand has world-class terroir: It’s the New World outpost of French producer Henri Bourgeois, the famed sancerre producer from the Loire Valley. The Bourgeois family was drawn to Marlborough for its reputation for sauvignon blanc (the grape of sancerre) and its pristine natural soils. Debuting only in 2003, this fledgling 98-acre estate’s wines have quickly gained an international following. “The 2006 Clos Henri has a nose of exotic fruit with a predominance of pineapple, citrus skin, and a hint of chalk,” remarks “Catena Zapata is Argentina’s winery of reference – the standard of excellence for comparing all others.” 62 V I RT U O S O L I F E
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