Catena Zapata, White Stones Chardonnay Adrianna 2020, Mendoza, 75cl
White Stones Chardonnay is one of Catena Zapata’s great single parcel wines, produced from just 27 rows of Chardonnay within the celebrated Adrianna Vineyard in Gualtallary, high in Argentina’s Uco Valley. Planted at around 1,450 metres above sea level, the parcel takes its name from the oval white stones covering its ancient alluvial soils. The combination of extreme altitude, cool nights and exceptionally well drained, stony soils gives the wine remarkable freshness, concentration and mineral character.
Made from 100% Chardonnay, it is fermented in French oak and matured for 12–16 months in second-, third- and fourth-use barrels, with partial malolactic fermentation. The style is intense yet beautifully precise, combining citrus and orchard fruit with floral notes, chalky minerality and a distinctive saline character, underpinned by vivid acidity and a long, focused finish.
"The 2020 Chardonnay Adrianna Vineyard White Stones from Gualtallary, Uco Valley, was barrel-aged for 16 months. Greenish-yellow in the glass. The intense, layered nose presents bold aromas of green apple, pear, hints of linden blossom and ginger with touches of lemon and herbs. In the mouth, it’s concentrated, rooted in a lively, heightened freshness while maintaining the variety’s expansive flow, which also delivers salinity and long-lasting flavor. A thrilling white that defines this nook of the Uco Valley. Drink 2022 - 2030." Joaquín Hidalgo, Vinous.com