Ernesto Catena 'Padrillos' Malbec 2020

James Suckling 91
Aromas of ripe cherries, strawberries, plum pie and citrus zest. It’s medium-bodied with firm, creamy tannins. Velvety and succulent with pretty spice notes on the finish.

A young profile wine, it has a fresh style with violet floral aromas and flavors of plum, cherries, dried berries, and an aftertaste of white peppercorns. Ideal to consume now for its robust and untameable vitality.

"Tikal is owned by Ernesto Catena, son of Argentine wine pioneer Nicolás Catena, and is named after his son. Ernesto spent his childhood in the vineyards of Mendoza among wine-growers and local pundits. Since then, he has experienced a kaleidoscope of cultures, living in New York, Buenos Aires, Berkeley, Cambridge (MA), Milan and London. But his heart remains in his homeland of Argentina (where he now lives), with its natural beauty of mountains, streams and vineyards, its wines, and its people who hold a special passion for living.

There are few wine brands that reflect the sensibilities of their owner more than Tikal. A skilled horseman, fashion designer, software developer, and book editor, Ernesto pursues all that gives pleasure in life. This hedonism (in the best sense of the word) shows through in the wines. It is a style meant to provide enormous pleasure rather than provoke contemplation; an expression of emotion rather than intellect. He has named his wines with passion in mind: Patriota (Patriot), Amorio (Love Affair), Jubilo (Rejoice). Please click on any of the underlined wines to view notes on the current releases.

Luis Reginato is the winemaker at Tikal as of the 2002 vintage. Luis is young, but is already a highly trained and respected vineyard consultant and winemaker with long experience at his family's winery in Mendoza. Truly an up and coming talent, Luis and his wines are already garnering high praise from U.S. wine critics. Definitely a winemaker to watch."