Catena Zapata White Stones Chardonnay 2020

Catena Zapata White Stones Chardonnay 2020

 

Zoom Mouse over image to zoom
Catena Zapata
White Stones Chardonnay 2020
  • Vintage : 2020
  • Country : Argentina
  • Region : Mendoza
  • Subregion
  • Type : White
  • Style Creamy Full Bodied White
  • Format : 75cl
  • Alcohol : 12,9°
  • Grappes : 100% Chardonnay

Experts Score Vintage
JS James Suckling 97 2020
VN Vinous (Antonio Galloni) 97 2020
RP Robert Parker 96 2020
DCT Decanter 95 2020
WS Wine Spectator 90 2020
JD Jeb Dunnuck 94 2016
TA Tim Atkin 94 2016
W&S Wines & Spirits 94 2015
More information on wine critics and ratings

White Stones Chardonnay comes from a select 27 rows within Block 1 of the Adrianna Vineyard. The wine is then fermented in French oak barrels at low temperatures to preserve the aromatics. A little over two-thirds of the wine undergoes malolactic fermentation.

The name refers to the gravelly ground beneath the vines, which is covered with oval, white stones.

Tasting Notes : The White Stones Chardonnay has a bright lemon yellow color with gold highlights. Aromas of pears and apples are underscored by notes of vanilla and white flowers and a stony minerality. On the palate, the wine has flavors of baked red apples, Bosc pears, and quince along with notes of creamy vanilla and baking spices. The finish is crisp and bright with a stony minerality that lingers on the palate.

Nicola Catena planted his first Malbec vineyards in Mendoza in 1902. Malbec had been a blending grape in Bordeaux, but Nicola suspected it would find its hidden splendor in the Argentine Andes. Fast forward sixty years and Nicola’s grandson Nicolas took the reigns of the family firm. Since the mid-1960s, Nicolas has spent his career building Catena in to one of the world’s best wineries, emulating what his mentor Robert Mondavi achieved in California. Nicolas was a pioneer of… Read more

James Suckling (JS) : 97 Points (2020)
Lemon zest, pineapple, white pepper, cloves, jasmine, crushed stones and chalk on the nose. Medium-bodied, focused and phenolic. Very fine, mineral and tight with persistent energy and vivid acidity. Creamy, with salted-almond notes at the end. Drink from 2023.

Vinous (Antonio Galloni) (VN) : 97 Points (2020)
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.

Robert Parker (RP) : 96 Points (2020)
I had the opportunity to taste two vintages (2020 and 2021) of the top whites side by side and could see the differences of the two years quite clearly, as the wines express the natural conditions of the year quite faithfully. The 2020 White Stones Chardonnay is riper than the other three wines; it's a very good wine, but it shows the warmer year with a rounder mouthfeel, faintly creamy, still a little closed in the nose, which slowly reveals yellow fruit and some spice. The palate is quite gentle, with 13% alcohol and very good balance. Best after 2023.

Decanter (DCT) : 95 Points (2020)
Catena Zapata was founded in 1902, with a focus on high altitude plantings in Mendoza. Its famed Adrianna vineyard sits above 1,450m, ensuring a quality crop with good acid retention as a result of the cool night-time temperatures. The wine is 100% Chardonnay from a small selection of vines on stony, free-draining soils with a topsoil of oval-shaped white stones. Fermented in French oak, the wine also goes through partial malolactic fermentation before ageing 12-16 months in seasoned French oak barrels with batonnage throughout. Amanda Barnes: Great purity and wet stone character. Vibrant acidity and great tension on the finish. Ben Gubbins MW: Fresh, light and vibrant with red apple skin, lemon, good intensity and tension. Dirceu Vianna Junior MW: Graceful and attractive with lovely aromas of citrus fruits, yellow plum, star fruit, fresh dough and hints of sweet spices. Refined, silky texture and beautiful underlining freshness. (AB) (7/2022)

Wine Spectator (WS) : 90 Points (2020)
Restrained and elegant, with floral citrus and melon flavors and powerful minerality adding texture and expanding its presence. Ends with spicy details and hints of cream. Drink now through 2026.

Jeb Dunnuck (JD) : 94 Points (2016)
One of the flagship whites is the 2016 Chardonnay Adrianna Vineyard White Stones, which comes from a single block in the Adrianna Vineyard. It has a vibrant, incredibly juicy, Chablis-like style in its tart citrus, white flowers, white grapefruit, and crushed rock-laced bouquet. With medium body, nicely integrated yet high acidity, and a great finish, it’s not a heavyweight and shines for its precision and purity. It should benefit from a year in bottle and keep for a decade.

Tim Atkin (TA) : 94 Points (2016)
White Stones is always sourced from the alluvial soils of Lot 1 in an old riverbed. Peachy, ripe and textured, with subtle oak, hints of tangerine and baking spices and a zesty, limestoneedged finish, it’s got more acidity than you think at first. One of two superb Chardonnays from the Adrianna site. 2018-24. Alcohol: 13.2%

Wines & Spirits (W&S) : 94 Points (2015)
This comes from a six-acre block in the Adrianna Vineyard, at elevations reaching 4,600 feet in Gualtallary. The soil is chalky, with a layer of sand, the wine translating the region’s heat into unctuous notes of white fruit. The acid structure is impressive, supporting the wine’s ripeness with tense freshness while the fruit flavors fill in every corner of the mouth. Today it’s a perfect white for a grilled halibut steak; with five years in the bottle, it will gain much more in complexity.

Catena Zapata Catena Alta Cabernet Sauvignon 2019
Catena Zapata Catena Alta Cabernet Sauvignon 2019
Catena Zapata
Catena Alta Cabernet Sauvignon 2019
JS
93
RP
93
JD
92
Lush blackcurrant, mint and chocolate notes with chewy ripe tannins and a racy, fresh feel. A balance between the restraint of Bordeaux and the Uber-Cabs of California.
47,00 €
Quantity : moins plus
Catena Zapata Catena Alta Malbec 2019
Catena Zapata Catena Alta Malbec 2019
Catena Zapata
Catena Alta Malbec 2019
VN
95
JS
94
WS
91
Ripe berry fruits with layers of cinnamon and spice. This is a world class Malbec.
50,90 €
Quantity : moins plus
Catena Zapata Nicasia Malbec 2019
Catena Zapata Nicasia Malbec 2019
Catena Zapata
Nicasia Malbec 2019
TA
94
JS
95
W&S
91
From high altitude vineyards, Catena produce this aromatic wine full of ripe black fruits, sweet spices and thyme. The palate is packed full of dark berries, liquorice and bitter chocolate.
82,00 €
Quantity : moins plus
Catena Zapata Argentino Malbec 2020
Catena Zapata Argentino Malbec 2020
Catena Zapata
Argentino Malbec 2020
91,90 €
Quantity : moins plus
Catena Zapata Catena Alta Chardonnay 2020
Catena Zapata Catena Alta Chardonnay 2020
Catena Zapata
Catena Alta Chardonnay 2020
RP
92
JS
92
WS
92
The wine has a wonderful viscosity, mouth coating and pleasantly creamy, but with an exciting streak of minerally acidity that leaves us wanting more.
31,50 €
Quantity : moins plus
Catena Zapata Catena Malbec 2020
Catena Zapata Catena Malbec 2020
Catena Zapata
Catena Malbec 2020
W&S
90
RP
90
JS
91
Catena put Malbec from Mendoza firmly on the winemaking map - this wine is a great example of their continued quality and purity of fruit.
22,90 €
Quantity : moins plus
Catena Zapata Catena Chardonnay 2021
Catena Zapata Catena Chardonnay 2021
Catena Zapata
Catena Chardonnay 2021
JS
92
RP
92
WE
88
The world famous producers at Catena have brought Argentinean Chardonnay into another level - crisp pineapple and citrus fruits with an elegant finish.
20,50 €
Quantity : moins plus
Catena Zapata Nicolas Catena Zapata 2019
Catena Zapata Nicolas Catena Zapata 2019
Catena Zapata
Nicolas Catena Zapata 2019
VN
96
DCT
96
JS
98
A full-bodied, powerful yet elegant effort with great depth and volume, precision balance, and a voluptuous personality.
99,90 €
Quantity : moins plus
Catena Zapata Adrianna Fortuna Terrae 2019
Catena Zapata Adrianna Fortuna Terrae 2019
Catena Zapata
Adrianna Fortuna Terrae 2019
JS
99
VN
95
WS
96
Fortuna Terrae means luck of the land in Latin,and indeed, the vines from this parcel of the Adrianna Vineyard are lucky. The loamy soils are home to many varieties of native grasses wich…
109,90 €
Quantity : moins plus
Catena Zapata River Malbec 2019
Catena Zapata River Malbec 2019
Catena Zapata
River Malbec 2019
JS
98
RP
99
WS
93
The River Stones sector of Adrianna is planted in the path of a dried river filled with white stones covered with lime - limestone. These stones make for optimal drainage and extreme temperatures…
190,00 €
Quantity : moins plus
Catena Zapata Mundus Bacillus Terrae Malbec 2019
Catena Zapata Mundus Bacillus Terrae Malbec 2019
Catena Zapata
Mundus Bacillus Terrae Malbec 2019
270,00 €
Quantity : moins plus
Catena Zapata White Bones Chardonnay 2020
Catena Zapata White Bones Chardonnay 2020
Catena Zapata
White Bones Chardonnay 2020
VN
96
JS
99
WE
94
White Bones Chardonnay comes from select rows within Block 1 of the Adrianna Vineyard. The wine is fermented and aged in French oak barrels with about two-thirds undergoing…
125,00 €
Quantity : moins plus
Catena Zapata Catena Alta Chardonnay 2019
Catena Zapata Catena Alta Chardonnay 2019
Catena Zapata
Catena Alta Chardonnay 2019
33,50 €
Quantity : moins plus
Wine regions guide
125,00 €
Quantity : Moins     Plus
 
 
We also suggest...
Argentina
98 James Suckling
Catena Zapata Nicolas Catena Zapata 2019
Catena Zapata Nicolas Catena Zapata 2019
A full-bodied, powerful yet elegant effort with great depth and volume, precision balance, and a voluptuous personality.
Nicolas Catena Zapata 2019
99,90 €
Argentina
95 Tim Atkin
Otronia Block III & VI Chardonnay 2019
Otronia Block III & VI Chardonnay 2019
Block III & VI Chardonnay 2019
76,00 €
South Africa
92 Vinous (Antonio Galloni)
Crystallum The Agnes Chardonnay 2022
Crystallum The Agnes Chardonnay 2022
The sixth vintage of The Agnes is concentrated and beautifully balanced. The nose is wonderfully expressive with notes of lime, grapefruit, nectarine and ripe peach. The palate is intense and layered…
The Agnes Chardonnay 2022
34,00 €
Australia
93 Vinous (Antonio Galloni)
Penfolds Bin 407 Cabernet Sauvignon 2019
Penfolds Bin 407 Cabernet Sauvignon 2019

“All French oak used was new… to good effect! No 2011 Bin 707. No 2011 Bin 169. A silver-lining, relegational bonus for this wine!” - Peter Gago – Penfolds Chief Winemaker

Bin 407 Cabernet Sauvignon 2019
105,00 €
USA
98 James Suckling
Quilceda Creek Cabernet Sauvignon 2020
Quilceda Creek Cabernet Sauvignon 2020
Cabernet Sauvignon 2020
315,00 €
Italy
96 James Suckling
Azelia Barolo San Rocco 2017
Azelia Barolo San Rocco 2017
A cuirassier. Fleshy, extremely focused. Here Serralunga is present with signs of licorice, spices and dark fruits. Cherry, currant and blueberry melt harmoniously together. Velvety…
Barolo San Rocco 2017
119,00 €
Catena Zapata White Stones Chardonnay 2020 Reviewed by Robert Parker 06-09-2023 . Score: 5