Catena Zapata River Adrianna Vineyard Malbec 2020

The 2019 was a hard act to follow, but the 2020 Adrianna Vineyard River kept its poise, though it showed a little riper and with grainier tannins that gave it some faint rusticity and earthiness. This is one of three Malbecs from the Adrianna Vineyard in Gualtallary, from a stony part of the vineyard, hence its name. The wine matured in large oak foudres, and the oak is still perceptible and might need a little more time to get integrated. This tends to be the most austere of the three bottlings, even in the warmer years like 2020, and it shows a little more fruit. It’s juicy but beautifully textured with a spicy twist of curry that reminded me of some bottlings from El Enemigo in El Cepillo. It seems to open up slowly in the glass – the violet and berry aromas get complicated by some spice (curry?) – and the palate feels more layered. This is a superb expression of the austere wildness of Gualtallary. Drink date: 2024-2032. Score – 97+. (Luis Gutiérrez, robertparker.com, Nov. 30, 2022)