Catena Zapata
Catena Alta Chardonnay 2022
| Denomination | N/A |
|---|---|
| Size | 0,75 l |
| Alcohol content | 13.0% by volume |
| Area | Mendoza (Argentina) |
| Grape varieties | 100% Chardonnay |
| Aging | 14 months in 500-litre French oak barrels; aged on the lees for 14 months; first, second and third use barrels; 30% does not undergo malolactic fermentation |
- Grape variety and vintage: 100% Chardonnay, harvested in 2022, 0.75 litre bottle
- High-altitude origin: Selected grapes from Adrianna and Domingo, Mendoza, grown up to 1,450 metres
- Vinification: Whole bunch pressing and low-temperature fermentation in oak barrels
- Ageing: 14 months in French oak; 30% without malolactic fermentation
- Profile: Dry and mineral taste, notes of peach and citrus; ideal with fish and white meats
Description
What kind of wine it is
Catena Alta Chardonnay is a still white Argentinian wine produced by Catena Zapata. This glass exemplifies the distinctive qualities that Chardonnay can develop, revealing a profound identity linked to the Mendoza region. On the palate, it is dry, with an elegant Burgundian texture and pronounced minerality, well balanced by a fresh acidity. The aromatic profile is intense, with clear notes of ripe peaches, juicy pears, figs and citrus fruits, enhanced by a delicate hint of jasmine. The tasting concludes with a savoury finish, characterised by a slight bitter nuance that lends great depth and an intriguing overall balance.
Where it comes from
The grapes are grown in the Mendoza area, from meticulous selections within two specific plots. The first is the Adrianna Vineyard, located in Gualtallary at high altitudes, where the alluvial and gravelly soil features rich surface limestone deposits. The second is the Domingo Vineyard in Villa Bastías, distinguished by a gravel-covered terrain. This particular high-altitude cultivation encourages the development of an extremely defined and profound sip. The best parcels are carefully isolated for the Alta selection, precisely reflecting a markedly unique mineral character.
How it is produced
The process begins with the gentle pressing of whole bunches to preserve the fruit's aromatic integrity. Fermentation takes place at low temperatures and uses only indigenous yeasts, inside French oak barrels. The wine then undergoes maturation on the lees for fourteen months, using first, second and third-passage barrels to ensure a measured contribution of wood notes. Part of the batch does not undergo malolactic fermentation, a technical choice aimed at maintaining the sip's acidic tension. The winery follows organic and sustainable practices.
History and Curiosities
Catena Alta Chardonnay embodies the excellence of Mendoza, born from the boldness of Nicolás Catena in revolutionising Argentine viticulture by defying every convention. The term “Alta” refers to the extreme altitudes of the Adrianna and Domingo vineyards, located up to 1,450 metres above sea level. Aged for 14 months in French oak barrels on its own lees, this white wine expresses a refined Burgundian elegance and intriguing mineral aromas. The 2022 vintage offers a profound experience, culminating in an intoxicating slightly saline finish acclaimed by critics.
Awards
-
2022
95/100
James Suckling is an influential American wine critic and journalist who worked at Wine Spectator for 30 years. He left the magazine in 2010 to start his own website and guidebook (JamesSuckling.com). He specialises in Italian and Bordeaux wines.
Tasting notes
Perlage
Perfume
Color
Taste
Serve at:
10 - 12 °C
Longevity:
05 - 10 years
Nicolás Catena would never use the word about himself - a less boastful spirit, it’s hard to imagine - but he has been the quiet revolutionary in the Catena family history book. He has charted the family’s path to the new frontier of winemaking, drawing on lessons learned from the land and in the classroom, then applying his education to dare to challenge the conventional wisdom.
Taking the reigns of the family vineyards and wineries in the mid 1960s, he concentrated on expanding distribution throughout Argentina during years of turmoil in the 1970s. But in the early 1980s, Nicolás left Argentina to become a visiting professor of economics at the University of California, on the world-renowned campus at Berkeley. The political and economic situation in Argentina was difficult, with a military government that had just declared war on the United Kingdom and inflation rates of more than 1000 per cent per year.
Nicolás set out to develop his own selection of Argentine Malbec clones planting 145 clones in the La Pirámide vineyard. Of these, he selected the best five and began to plant them in different terroirs and altitudes.
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| Name | Catena Zapata Catena Alta Chardonnay 2022 |
|---|---|
| Type | White green still |
| Denomination | N/A |
| Vintage | 2022 |
| Size | 0,75 l |
| Alcohol content | 13.0% by volume |
| Grape varieties | 100% Chardonnay |
| Country | Argentina |
| Region | Mendoza |
| Vendor | Catena Zapata |
| Story | History and Curiosities Catena Alta Chardonnay embodies the excellence of Mendoza, born from the boldness of Nicolás Catena in revolutionising Argentine viticulture by defying every convention. The term "Alta" refers to the extreme altitudes of the Adrianna and Domingo vineyards, located up to 1,450 metres above sea level. Aged for 14 months in French oak barrels on its own lees, this white wine expresses a refined Burgundian elegance and intriguing mineral aromas. The 2022 vintage offers a profound experience, culminating in an intoxicating slightly saline finish acclaimed by critics. |
| Origin | Vineyard Adrianna (Gualtallary) and Vineyard Domingo (Villa Bastías), Mendoza, Argentina |
| Soil composition | Vigneto Adrianna: alluvionale, ghiaioso con depositi calcarei nel suolo superficiale; Vigneto Domingo: superficie completamente coperta di ghiaia |
| Fermentation temperature | Low temperature |
| Production technique | Whole bunch pressing; complete fermentation in 500-litre French oak barrels at low temperature with indigenous yeasts; ageing on the lees for 14 months in French oak; 30% without malolactic fermentation |
| Wine making | The whole bunches are pressed and then 100% fermented in 500-litre French oak barrels with natural yeasts at low temperatures; aged on the lees for 14 months in French oak; 30% does not undergo malolactic fermentation; use of first, second and third fill barrels. |
| Aging | 14 months in 500-litre French oak barrels; aged on the lees for 14 months; first, second and third use barrels; 30% does not undergo malolactic fermentation |
| Total acidity | 6.8 gr/L |
| Allergens | Contains sulphites |