Catena Zapata Adrianna White Stones Chardonnay 2019 (750ML)

99 WA / 97 JS / 95 VM

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.—Luiz Gutierrez, The Wine Advocate

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.—James Suckling

The 2019 Chardonnay White Stones Adrianna Vineyard is from the eponymous vineyard in Tupungato, Uco Valley, and was aged for up to 16 months in used French barrels. Bright yellow in the glass. The nose offers hazelnuts, herbs and a whiff of oak alongside hints of linden blossom and acacia. Intense and concentrated in the mouth, this has a skeletal structure and a compact, saline, tangy palate before powerful aromas of fruit and oak gather at the back of the throat to deliver an elongated finish helped along by the acidity.—Joaquin Hidalgo, Vinous Media