Catena Zapata Adrianna Vineyard White Stones

Wine Description

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. 

Remington-Mendoza
Laura Catena sits at a table with a glass of wine
Malbec Grapes
Alejandro Vigil (Chief Winemaker) and Laura Catena Tasting
Malbec Clone in La Piramide Vineyard
Nicolás Catena
Bodega Catena Zapata
Bodega Catena Zapata
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Acclaim
“100% Chardonnay from the Adrianna Vineyard in the Gualtallary in the southwest wine region of Valle de Uco in Mendoza located over 4,800 feet in elevation. A real intense minerality and hence the name, with notes of wet stones and limestone minerality that had rich lemon custard and juicy white peach flavors on the palate.”
— Forbes, Oct 2021
“More than 1,350 meters above sea level, the soils for this chardonnay are rich in calcium carbonate and have walls of limestone, sand, and compact gravel in the Gualtallary zone in the north of the Uco Valley, in what is known as Monasterio, a place whose mountain climate and those special soils have made it one of the great sources of whites and reds today. In this case, the strong presence of calcium carbonate and the cold climate give the impression that it's a wine made of stones instead of fruit. It's sharp and vertical and acts like an arrow shooting across the palate. It was aged beneath a thin veil of flor, which winemaker Alejandro Vigil says reduces fat and removes glycerol and that broad sensation. All this explains the style and the architecture of this white, one of the greats in South America.”   (One of the Best Whites of the Year)
— Descorchados, Aug 2021
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Vineyard & Production Info
Production area/appellation:
Gualtallary
Vineyard name
The Adrianna Vineyard (Block 1)
Soil composition
Stony
Training method
VSP
Elevation:
4,575 feet
Exposure:
Northwestern
Year vineyard planted:
1992
Harvest time:
March - April
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Winemaking & Aging
Varietal composition:
100% Chardonnay
Fermentation container:
Barriques
Malolactic fermentation:
Yes
Type of aging container:
Barrels
Size of aging container:
225 L
Type of oak:
French
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Analytical Data
pH level:
3.1
Acidity:
8 g/L
Alcohol:
12.8 %
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Wine Production

Cold settling for 12 hours in stainless steel tanks at 6º C. Fermentation in French oak barrels for 45 - 95 days at 16°C. Battonage. Partial malolactic fermentation.  Aged for 12-16 months in 2nd, 3d and 4th use French oak barrels.

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About the Vineyard

"White Stones"  makes reference to a spot of vines that is completely covered with oval stones covered with a thin white layer of calcium. This oval white stones deposists found on the creek bed area are the result of an aluvium that came down the mountain eroding the original stones and making them rounded .