Catena Zapata Adrianna Vineyard White Bones

Catena Zapata White Bones Chardonnay bottle image

Wine Description

For four generations, the Catena family has cultivated vines at the foot of the Andes, in Mendoza, Argentina. In order to produce wines that could compete with the best in the world, Nicolas Catena was able to identify the best lots and rows within the family vineyards.
The Vineyard "Adrianna" is planted at an altitude of almost 1,500 meters above sea level, in the district of Gualtallary in Tupungato.
The grapes for Chardonnay White Bones come from a select group of rows planted on the lot I Vineyard "Adrianna". The term "White bones" refers to the composition of said rows of soil, calcareous animals with fossil remains deposited by an ancient river used through the region.
There are many theories about the cause for which the grapes of these rows have distinctive floral aromas with a particular mineral note referring to ground, both in the nose and on the palate. This may be due to the mineral soil or limescale effect on root penetration.
In these microclimates height, the nights are very cold, with temperatures slightly above 0ºC, even during the summer. The temperature difference between day and night is between 15 and 20 ° C. The light intensity is also higher because of the height.

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
“Extraordinary quality that rivals many grand cru Chablis. This is an intense, focused Chardonnay sourced from a 2-hectacre site, growing on limestone-rich soils located at 1,450m altitude. Great structure, laser-like focus, purity and ageing potential for a minimum of 10 years from this benchmark white.”
— Decanter, Jul 2018
BEST WHITES OF THE YEAR/BEST CHARDONNAYS OF THE YEAR/BEST VALLEY CHOICE GUALTALLARY: “The Adrianna Vineyard was planted in the highlands of Gualtallary in 1996 and was one of the first to be planted in what has since become one of Argentina’s very fashionable origins. The vineyard has a diverse array of soils that are predominantly alluvial with a strong presence of chalk. Winemaker Alejandro Vigil selects the fruit for this White Bones from 2.2 hectares of the vineyard’s chalkiest sector. The wine is then aged in six 500-liter barrels, all under a veil of flor, and although it’s not too prominent, there’s a saline component to that aging that lends complexity to this chardonnay. But it’s the stony mouthfeel that rules here, to the point where the wine seems to be made not of fruit, but of limestone and chalk. This Bones reaches far beyond the variety to create a vision of a very special place. With minerality like few other Argentine wines.”
— Patricio Tapia, Jun 2018
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Vineyard & Production Info
Vineyard name
The Adrianna Vineyard (Block 1)
Vineyard size
267 acres
Soil composition
Calcareous, Sand, and Stony
Training method
VSP
Elevation:
4,575 feet
Vines/acre:
2200
Yield/acre:
1.2 tons
Exposure:
Northwestern
Year vineyard planted:
1992
Harvest time:
March - April
First vintage of this wine:
2009
Average Vine Age:
23
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Winemaking & Aging
Prefermentation Technique:
Cold maceration
Varietal composition:
100% Chardonnay
Fermentation container:
Barriques
Length of alcoholic fermentation:
45 days
Maceration technique:
Battonage
Malolactic fermentation:
Yes
Size of aging container:
225L
Type of oak:
French
Length of aging before bottling:
12-16 months
Length of bottle aging:
12
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Analytical Data
pH level:
3.2
Alcohol:
13 %