Catena Zapata - Adrianna Vineyard White Stones Chardonnay 2019

James Suckling

A very fresh, bright white with sliced apple, pear and light cream. Full-bodied with a very pretty texture. Mineral, chalk and lightly salty mineral undertones. Intense finish. Really takes off. Drink now or hold.

Robert Parker Wine Advocate

The amazing 2019 White Stones Chardonnay comes from a select group of 27 rows planted on lot I of the Adriana Vineyard, and the composition of those rows is soil with white oval stones covered by gravel. The Adriana Vineyard is planted at an altitude of almost 1,500 meters above sea level, in the district of Gualtallary in Tupungato. The stony soil prevents deep root growth, providing optimum drainage. This soil, which is very poor in organic matter, contributes to the vines' permanent stress conditions. The cool nights allow for very slow ripening, optimal acid retention and low yields. This is always a more austere wine than the White Bones, more mineral and restrained, less aromatic, with great balance, a little higher in alcohol and with very good acidity, rounder and more Meursault than Chablis but still with citrus freshness and pungent flavors and always some spice (curry) because of the aging in barrel with flor. This year, the two whites show a more marked personality, possibly aided by the style of the cooler year but also because the winery has a better understanding of the places. It's still very young and undeveloped; it's drinkable now, but with more time in bottle, it should develop greater complexity. Now the finish shows acidity and salt, which make it very vibrant. 6,600 bottles were filled in May 2020.

Patricio Tapia - Descorchados

For White Stones, winemaker Alejandro Vigil selects blocks from the Adrianna Vineyard in the Gualtallary zone more than 1,400 meters above sea level in the northern Uco Valley. It's more of a selection of soils that, in this case, privileges those rich in gravel covered by calcium carbonate, a typical characteristic of the alluvial soils in that area. Aged for a year in barrels, some of which developed a veil of flor, this is one of the best vintages of Stones that we can remember. This year it has a special nerve marked by acidity that breaks with its usual aromas and succulent flavors and makes it seem more vertical than we are used to. The alcohol is rather low, the product of a cool year in Uco. It's a wine that's long in flavors and with a long life ahead. It's a delight today, but it will surely evolve gracefully over the next five years.

Tim Atkin