Third Coast Cuisine

Catena Crush Hour - Featuring Wines From Decanter's "Man of the Year"
Bern's Fine Wines & Spirits
Fri, October 30th 6:30 PM - 8:30 PM



Please join Bern's Fine Wines & Spirits on Friday, October 30th from 6:30-8:30PM for a special seated seminar styled Crush Hour featuring the wines of Nicolas Catena. In April of 2009, Nicolas Catena was named Decanter Magazine's prestigious "Man of the Year"! Past honorees include Christian Moueix of Petrus, Ernst Loosen of Dr. Loosen, Jean-Michel Cazes of Lynch Bages, Paul Draper of Ridge, Angelo Gaja of Gaja, Michael Broadbent, Andre Tchelistcheff and Robert Mondavi, to name a few. Nicolas Catena is credited with putting Argentina on the wine map. Very special guest Alfredo Bartholomaus (Catena Brand Ambassador) will be here to present the wines in a classroom styled seated tasting. We will sample 3 wines from the Classic Series (2007 Chardonnay, 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon and 2007 Malbec) as well as 3 from the Alta Series (2006 Chardonnay, 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon and 2006 Malbec) and 2 very special and limited wines: 2006 Catena Zapata Adrianna Vineyards Malbec (95 points Robert Parker) and the 2006 Nicolas Catena Zapata Cabernet Sauvignon (97 points Robert Parker)! Five cheeses from the Bern's Cave du Fromage will be paired with the wines. The price is $25.00 per person. Reservations are requested and can be made by calling Bern's Fine Wines & Spirits at (813) 250-9463. Do not miss this special event! Please see below for the featured wines:

2006 Nicolas Catena Zapata $109.95
"The 2006 Nicolas Catena Zapata is composed of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon and 30% Malbec and spent 26 months in new French oak. It displays a superb perfume of pain grille, spice box, truffle, wild flowers, black cherry, and black currant. Rich, layered, dense, and complex, it too, combines elegance and power. The wine is structured for the long haul and should easily see its 25th birthday, with 50 not out of the question." 97 Points Robert Parker


2006 Catena Zapata Adriana Vineyards Malbec $109.95
"The 2006 Malbec Adrianna Vineyard received the identical elevage as the Nicasia cuvee. It has a racier personality with a silky palate feel, sweet flavors, and exceptional length. It, too, merits 6-8 years of cellaring and will present a drinking window extending from 2013 to 2026." 95 Points Robert Parker

2006 Catena Alta Malbec $55.95
"Catena Alta Malbec is dark and lush, with a gorgeous mouthfeel to the exotic fig, boysenberry and blueberry fruit flavors backed by intense spice, mocha, loam and licorice notes. Superlong, showing great drive and purity on the finish. Drink now through 2010." 93 Points Wine Spectator

"The 2006 Alta Malbec was sourced from small lots in several estate vineyards. It spent 18 months in 70% new French oak. Dark purple-colored, it displays a splendid nose of wild flowers, spice box, incense, black cherry and plum. This leads to an elegant, medium-bodied rendition of Malbec with a velvety texture, superb depth and concentration, succulent flavors with notes of chocolate and black pepper making an appearance, and a pure, silky finish. While it will continue to blossom for several more years, it can be enjoyed now." 93 Points Robert Parker

2006 Catena Alta Chardonnay $35.95
"The nose reveals pain grille, baking spices, floral notes, baked apple and tropical fruits. This leads to a layered wine with a creamy texture, ripe, complex flavors and a lengthy finish." 93 Points Robert Parker

2006 Catena Alta Cabernet Sauvignon $55.95
"The 2006 Alta Cabernet Sauvignon was ourced from three estate vineyards and spent 18 months in 80% new French oak. Opaque violet in color, it delivers a fragrant bouquet of cinnamon, fresh herbs, tobacco, cassis, and black currant. This is followed by a medium-bodied Cabernet with an elegant personality. On the palate notes of cigar box and leather emerge from the wine's velvety texture. It conceals enough fine-grained tannin to evolve for 4-6 years. This lengthy effort will offer prime drinking from 2013 to 2021. 91 Points Robert Parker

2007 Catena Malbec $24.95
"The purple-colored 2007 Catena Malbec spent 12 months in 35% new French and American oak. The nose reveals balsam wood, vanilla, mocha, cassis, and black cherry. Plush on the palate, this medium-bodied Malbec has layered, spicy flavors, with a touch of tobacco and leather making an appearance. Balanced and lengthy, it will evolve for 2-3 years and offer prime drinking from 2011 to 2019." 91 Points Robert Parker

2006 Catena Cabernet Sauvignon $21.95
"It exhibits an enticing perfume of wood smoke, cedar, tobacco, black currant and blackberry. On the palate it is medium to full-bodied with ample spicy black fruits, integrated tannins, complex flavors and a lengthy finish. It is an outstanding Cabernet value." 90 Points Robert Parker

2007 Catena Chardonnay $21.95
"The 2007 Chardonnay received some barrel fermentation but was aged in stainless steel. It offers a sophisticated bouquet with a touch of toasty oak, mineral, poached pear, and tropical notes. This is followed by a smooth-textured wine with spicy, savory white fruits, bright acidity, excellent concentration, and a fruit-filled finish. Drink this great value over the next 2-3 years." 90 Points Robert Parker

More about our very special guest speaker - Alfredo Bartolomaus from Robert Parker:

"I first met Alfredo over 20 years ago, when he was essentially selling South American wines from the trunk of his car. Since then, he has become the premier importer and promoter of South American wines. His dogged determination to expose the American market to not only many terrific wine values but also the potential greatness of the best Malbecs of Argentina and the up and coming wines of Chile has paid extraordinary dividends, and he is largely responsible for the enormous success and acceptance the wines of Chile and Argentina have had in this country. I should add one other thing - it couldn't happen to a nicer guy!" Robert Parker