It has been interesting to see where these ancillary Catena family projects have gone since we first started with the 99 vintage. Just so you get the family picture, Ernesto, who owns Tikal, is the son of the esteemed Nicolas Catena, and ‘Tikal’ is the name of Ernesto’s son. That being said, this Advocate 92 is a typically showy effort with great weight, glossy, pure currant and plum fruit and the characteristic spice that this grape seems to exhibit in its best Argentine incarnations. Toast, vanilla bean, and a little coffee round out the profile. Some might say this is too internationally styled but, in truth, most of the wine in Argentina was pretty ordinary until the Catenas came along and decided to make Argentine wine that would compete on the world stage. We’ll take quality over ‘tradition’ any time if that is the choice. This is all Malbec from a great vintage that sees French oak, 60% new. Flashy and engaging.From The Wine Advocate: The 2006 Amorio (100% Malbec), from a great vintage, spent 12 months in French oak, 60% new. It is opaque purple-colored with a splendid perfume of pain grille, vanilla, spice box, black cherry, and blackberry. Medium to full-bodied, it has a plush palate feel, excellent balance, and nicely combines elegance with power. It has enough silky tannin to evolve for 4-6 years and should drink well through 2020. Tikal is owned by Ernesto Catena of the renowned Argentine wine family.
