“Honeysuckle, ripe pear and some dried apple. So perfumed. Full-bodied with incredible intensity and length. So much green-apple character and lots of flowers. Dried mango, too. The touch of flor growth in the barrel gives this unique character. Goes on for minutes on the finish. Endless, vibrant acidity. Minerally texture.”

“The very minty 2019 White Bones Chardonnay comes from select rows within Block 1 of the Adrianna Vineyard in Gualtallary. The name refers to the soil underneath these rows, which is layered with calcareous deposits and limestone as well as fossilized animal bones – remnants of a river that used to pass through the region, closer to Los Cerrillos del Jaboncillo; it’s an old soil in a new formation. 2019 is a cool vintage, and the wine is only 12.6% alcohol and has notable acidity (8.1 grams), and it always has a more extroverted personality than the most austere White Stones. It has tons of aromatic herbs, thyme, lavender, lemongrass, rockrose and balsamic with some curry (the wine had some aging under flor), and it has a vibrant palate where the acidity is effervescent and lively and the finish salty. It’s vibrant and sharp, more in the style of a Chablis. Truly outstanding. This is a very recognizable wine.”  

“’Pure limestone’ is how Ale Vigil describes the soils in this part of the Adrianna Vineyard, planted in 1992. Saline, taut and focused, this stunning Chardonnay is an Uco Valley tribute to the great whites of Burgundy, with minerality to spare, chiselled acidity, stylish oak and a finish that lingers tantalisingly on the palate.”

“The 2019 Chardonnay White Bones Adrianna Vineyard is from the eponymous vineyard in Tupungato and was aged for up to 16 months in used French barrels. Pale yellow with golden flecks. The intense aromatic profile is led by herbs such as basil and a crystal-clear lavender whiff, alongside cedar, vanilla and a backdrop of green apple. Broad and creamy on the palate but with a terse texture and superb freshness, this has an unctuous feel. White fruit aromas appear at the back of the mouth. Ending with a lovely, herbal finish, this is a wine inspired by Chablis but possessing a wild purity all its own.”

“More expensive than most wines I recommend, this wine demonstrates the potential of terroirs that, to a great degree, have yet to be unlocked in Mendoza. From the Adrianna Vineyard, almost 5,000 feet high in Gualtallary, Catena Zapata makes two extraordinary chardonnays from nearby parcels that have different soils. One, White Stones, is made from an area with gravelly ground, and tends to be more floral and herbal. This wine is from a plot with more limestone, in which fossilized bones are often found, hence the name. It’s generally more stony and austere. Both wines are subtle, nuanced and elegant, sneakily and almost surprisingly intense.”