Catena Zapata - Adrianna Vineyard White Stones Chardonnay 2017

Tim Atkin

Patricio Tapia - Descorchados

This comes from a selection of blocks with very calcareous soils more than 1,450 meters up in the Adrianna Vineyard, in the zone now known as Monasterio in the heart of Gualtallary. And those limestone soils come through in the skeleton of this wine. There’s acidic and mineral force as well as an aromatic complexity from the veil of flor. 50% of this wine was aged under a light veil that transforms the flavors. A mountain white with all of the freshness of the cool Andean breezes.

Robert Parker Wine Advocate

I tasted two vintages of the top whites, 2017 and 2018, and the wines perfectly show the conditions of each of the vintages, which were very different. Harvested very early to compensate the low yields and the warm end of the ripening season, the 2017 White Stones Chardonnay is a tad riper than the 2018, but it's a lot subtler and less ripe than I'd have expected from a warm year like 2017, like this part of the Adrianna vineyard is able to cushion the effect of the temperatures. The palate combines great intensity and pungent minerality, which is a texture and mouthfeel rather than a flavor. This has a contained 12.9% alcohol and very good freshness. 6,600 bottles were filled in July 2018.

Catena is one of the quality leaders in Argentina and it's also a large winery, so they combine quality and quantity. Furthermore, they are one of the pioneers: They were the first to plant vineyards in Gualtallary, which is nowadays considered one of the highest potential zones in the country, but they were deemed crazy when they planted there. The wines are phenomenal, true to their place and vintage, and the accompanying notes merit reading to see what each of their wines is. Comparing 2016 and 2017, it seems like 2017 was better in Altamira and 2016 was a great success in Gualtallary, but there's a lot more information on each wine. They also have a new range of non-sulfur wines called La Marchigiana.

James Suckling

Aromas of cooked pears, apples, lemons and crushed stones. Salty, too. Full and deep with a solid core of fruit and a bright and citric finish. Very minerally and bright. Starts off slowly and then takes off. Drink or hold.