2023 Catena Zapata Adrianna White Stones Chardonnay | 100 Points | Argentina

🏆 100 Points | The Chardonnay Grown Nearly 1,500 Metres Above Sea Level – Argentina's Extraordinary White Stones!

100 Points – Wilfred Wong | 97 Points – James Suckling | 97 Points – Vinous | 96+ Points – The Wine Advocate

Just 27 Rows of Vines in the Andes – One of the World's Most Extraordinary Chardonnay Vineyards!

2023 Catena Zapata Adrianna Vineyard White Stones Chardonnay

Gualtallary, Uco Valley, Mendoza, Argentina

RRP $223

What happens when one of the world's most ambitious wine families plants Chardonnay almost 1,500 metres above sea level, among ancient river stones in the foothills of the Andes?

You get one of the most extraordinary Chardonnays on the planet!

And this wine is absolutely fascinating.

2023 Catena Zapata Adrianna Vineyard White Stones Chardonnay.

Just look at the scores!

100 POINTS – WILFRED WONG!

97 POINTS – JAMES SUCKLING!

97 POINTS – VINOUS!

96+ POINTS – THE WINE ADVOCATE!

But here's the part I find particularly extraordinary.

This Chardonnay comes from just 27 selected rows of vines within one of the most intensely researched vineyards in the world.

The vines grow at approximately 1,450 metres above sea level.

The ground is covered in white stones deposited by an ancient river.

And the wine develops a remarkable combination of white flowers, green apple, mountain herbs, chalky minerality and almost electric acidity.

This is Chardonnay that challenges everything you thought you knew about Argentina.

Forget the idea that Mendoza is simply about big, powerful Malbec.

The finest high-altitude vineyards are producing some of the most precise, mineral-driven white wines anywhere.

And White Stones is one of their greatest achievements.

Catena Zapata – The Family That Changed Argentine Wine

The Catena family has been growing grapes in Argentina since 1902.

But the modern story of Catena Zapata really begins with Nicolás Catena.

Nicolás believed that Argentina could produce wines capable of competing with the finest in the world.

At the time, many people considered Mendoza too warm for truly elegant, age-worthy wines.

His solution was revolutionary.

Go higher.

Much higher.

He began exploring vineyards in the foothills of the Andes, where the elevation could compensate for Mendoza's intense sunshine.

The days would provide enough warmth for grapes to ripen.

But the cold mountain nights would preserve acidity and aromatic freshness.

It was an ambitious experiment.

And one that transformed Argentine wine.

Today, Catena Zapata is internationally recognised as one of South America's most important wine producers.

And the Adrianna Vineyard is central to that reputation.

Adrianna Vineyard – South America's Grand Cru

The Adrianna Vineyard was planted in 1992 in Gualtallary, within the Tupungato district of Mendoza's Uco Valley.

It sits at extraordinary elevation.

Approximately 1,450 metres above sea level.

And here's why that matters.

At this altitude, sunlight is intense.

But the nights can be exceptionally cold.

That creates an unusual combination of growing conditions.

The grapes can develop flavour concentration during the day while retaining remarkable natural acidity through the cooler nights.

Ripening is slow.

Yields are carefully controlled.

And the wines can display extraordinary aromatic detail.

But the elevation is only part of the story.

The vineyard's soils are astonishingly diverse.

Some parcels contain limestone-rich stones.

Others have different combinations of alluvial gravel, sand and rock.

And the Catena family has spent years studying how these individual parcels influence the wines.

The result?

A vineyard capable of producing several completely different expressions of Chardonnay.

White Stones.

White Bones.

And other exceptional wines from individually selected parcels.

This is the sort of detailed vineyard exploration normally associated with the great estates of Burgundy.

Just 27 Rows – The Extraordinary White Stones Parcel

Here's something most people wouldn't know.

White Stones Chardonnay comes from just 27 selected rows within Block 1 of the Adrianna Vineyard.

That's an extraordinarily precise vineyard selection.

The parcel covers approximately 2.5 hectares.

And the name comes from the remarkable stones covering the vineyard floor.

These are pale, oval stones deposited by an ancient river.

Many are coated with calcium carbonate.

The soils are exceptionally stony and free-draining.

That matters enormously.

The vines cannot simply grow vigorously in deep, fertile soil.

Instead, they must contend with a challenging environment where water availability and root development are naturally constrained.

These conditions can help limit yields and concentrate the character of the fruit.

But here's what makes the wine particularly fascinating.

White Stones is not about enormous richness.

It's about precision.

Purity.

Mineral tension.

And extraordinary acidity.

It's a completely different expression of Chardonnay from many of the rich, buttery styles people associate with the variety.

The Difference Between White Stones and White Bones

This is one of the most fascinating comparisons in the world of Chardonnay.

Catena Zapata produces two celebrated single-parcel Chardonnays from Adrianna Vineyard.

White Stones and White Bones.

Both come from the same extraordinary high-altitude vineyard.

Both are made from Chardonnay.

Both are internationally acclaimed.

But they have distinctly different personalities.

White Stones is celebrated for its remarkable linearity, citrus purity, chalky texture and mineral precision.

White Bones often displays a more overtly aromatic personality, with distinctive herbal, floral and savoury complexity.

The differences are a wonderful demonstration of the influence of individual vineyard parcels.

And it's precisely why the Catena family has invested so heavily in understanding the geology and biology of Adrianna.

Two great Chardonnays. One remarkable vineyard. Two completely different expressions.

One of the World's Most Intensively Studied Vineyards

Here's another extraordinary detail.

The Catena Institute of Wine has undertaken extensive scientific research at Adrianna Vineyard.

The research includes studies of vineyard microorganisms, native vegetation, pollinators, birds and the relationship between vineyard environments and wine quality.

The estate has also invested in habitat protection and biodiversity.

According to its distributor, approximately 39% of the vineyard land remains in a natural, uncultivated state.

This isn't simply a vineyard producing expensive wine.

It's an extraordinary agricultural research project.

And the knowledge gained has helped challenge conventional thinking about high-altitude viticulture.

For anyone fascinated by the science of wine, Adrianna is one of the most interesting vineyards in the world.

The Winemaking – Precision, Restraint and Biological Ageing

The 2023 White Stones Chardonnay is made with an approach designed to preserve the character of its remarkable vineyard.

The winery reports:

100% Chardonnay.

Fermentation in French oak.

Extended fermentation lasting approximately 45–95 days.

Biological ageing.

12–16 months in second-, third- and fourth-use French oak.

Unfined and unfiltered.

The use of older oak is particularly important.

The aim isn't to overwhelm the wine with vanilla or toasted wood.

It's to provide a vessel for fermentation and maturation while preserving the extraordinary purity of the fruit.

And the biological ageing is another fascinating detail.

The wine can develop a layer of naturally occurring yeast, known as flor, during maturation.

Flor is more commonly associated with certain styles of Sherry.

But in this context, it can contribute subtle savoury and textural complexity.

That's a remarkable feature in a premium Argentine Chardonnay.

Tasting Notes – White Peach, Mountain Herbs and Extraordinary Chalky Precision

The 2023 White Stones Chardonnay is a wine of remarkable purity.

The aromas are beautifully detailed.

Expect:

• White peach

• Green apple

• Fresh lemon zest

• Green ginger

• Jasmine

• Acacia blossom

• Chamomile

• Mountain herbs

• Subtle hazelnut

• Flint and crushed stone

• Fine savoury complexity

But the palate is where this wine becomes truly extraordinary.

There's beautiful white peach and citrus fruit.

Yet the wine isn't dominated by richness.

Instead, it has a wonderfully precise, almost sculpted structure.

The acidity is vibrant.

The texture is chalky.

The mineral character is persistent.

And the finish has extraordinary tension.

White peach. Green apple. Jasmine. Green ginger. Mountain herbs. Flint. Chalky minerality. Incredible length.

This is a Chardonnay that combines delicacy with remarkable intensity.

And that's what makes it so compelling.

100 Points – Wilfred Wong

Wilfred Wong awarded the 2023 White Stones Chardonnay a perfect:

100 POINTS!

His assessment highlights the wine's extraordinary clarity and precision.

Beautiful white peach.

Aromas reminiscent of wet stone.

Remarkably vibrant acidity.

And a long, lively mineral finish.

What makes this wine so special is the way it combines intensity with restraint.

It's powerful without being heavy.

Precise without being thin.

And incredibly persistent.

A perfect 100-point Chardonnay from Argentina!

That is an extraordinary achievement.

97 Points – James Suckling

James Suckling awarded the wine:

97 POINTS!

His review emphasises green ginger, stone fruit, herbs and the wine's striking mineral character.

He describes an exceptionally focused palate built around chalky texture and tension.

And he also notes the wine's unusual biological ageing, which adds another dimension of complexity.

This is not a Chardonnay designed around obvious fruit sweetness.

It's a wine of structure, freshness and precision.

97 Points – Vinous

Vinous also awarded the 2023 White Stones:

97 POINTS!

The review highlights green apple, mountain herbs, acacia, chamomile, subtle nuttiness and flinty complexity.

The palate is dry, vibrant and beautifully structured.

And the finish is long, chalky and remarkably refined.

Another extraordinary endorsement for this remarkable vineyard.

96+ Points – The Wine Advocate

The Wine Advocate's review of the 2023 vintage highlights the wine's aromatic purity and exceptional focus.

Citrus peel.

Iodine.

Dried herbs.

Subtle pastry cream.

And an extraordinarily precise palate.

The review particularly praises the way the wine develops additional texture and length as it opens.

96+ POINTS – THE WINE ADVOCATE!

And the plus sign is important.

It indicates the reviewer's belief that the wine may deserve an even higher assessment with additional time in bottle.

Why This Chardonnay Is So Different

What makes White Stones extraordinary isn't simply the scores.

It's the combination of factors behind the wine.

An extreme-altitude vineyard.

Ancient alluvial stones.

A tiny, individually selected parcel.

A long, cool ripening season.

Meticulous vineyard research.

Restrained oak.

Biological ageing.

And an almost extraordinary level of acidity.

Consider the wine's technical figures.

Alcohol: 12.5%.

Total acidity: 8 grams per litre.

pH: 3.1.

Those figures help explain its remarkable freshness and structural tension.

This is not a big, heavy Chardonnay.

It's a wine with incredible concentration, but also elegance.

And that balance is extraordinarily difficult to achieve.

Argentina's Answer to Grand Cru Burgundy?

I think this is one of the most exciting comparisons in the world of Chardonnay.

When we talk about the greatest Chardonnays on earth, the conversation naturally turns to Burgundy.

Meursault.

Puligny-Montrachet.

Chassagne-Montrachet.

Corton-Charlemagne.

And the great Grand Cru vineyards of the Côte de Beaune.

But wines such as White Stones demonstrate that extraordinary Chardonnay can come from completely different environments.

Instead of Burgundy's limestone hillsides, we have ancient alluvial deposits high in the Andes.

Instead of a relatively low-altitude continental vineyard, we have a site nearly 1,500 metres above sea level.

Different geology.

Different climate.

Different viticulture.

Yet the finished wine can achieve a similarly remarkable combination of purity, complexity, texture and length.

This isn't Burgundy.

It's something completely different – and equally fascinating.

Cellaring Potential

The 2023 White Stones Chardonnay is built for serious cellaring.

Its concentrated fruit, vibrant acidity and remarkable structure provide excellent ageing potential.

Vinous suggests a drinking window extending to approximately 2038.

I'd happily open a bottle now, particularly with some time in the glass.

But this is also a Chardonnay I'd love to revisit over the next decade.

With age, the youthful citrus, white peach and floral characters should develop deeper savoury, nutty and complex secondary aromas.

And that extraordinary acidity should continue to provide freshness.

Suggested drinking window: 2026–2038.

Food Pairings

This is a magnificent Chardonnay for food.

I'd recommend:

• Fresh scallops with lemon and olive oil

• Southern rock lobster

• King George whiting

• Grilled snapper

• Oysters

• Roast chicken with lemon and herbs

• Mushroom risotto

• Goat's cheese

• Comté

Personally, I'd love this with freshly grilled scallops and a little brown butter.

The wine's citrus purity and chalky mineral tension would be absolutely sensational.

Why We Love It at Liquid Vibe

Because this is one of the most extraordinary Chardonnay stories in the world.

A pioneering Argentine wine family.

One of the highest-profile vineyards in South America.

Just 27 selected rows of vines.

Ancient white stones from a former riverbed.

An altitude of approximately 1,450 metres.

A vineyard studied in extraordinary scientific detail.

Biological ageing.

Beautifully restrained oak.

And four remarkable critic scores.

Look at what you're getting.

2023 Catena Zapata Adrianna Vineyard White Stones Chardonnay

Gualtallary, Uco Valley, Mendoza, Argentina

Adrianna Vineyard – Planted 1992

White Stones Parcel – 27 Selected Rows

Altitude – Approximately 1,450 Metres

100% Chardonnay

12.5% Alcohol

Unfined and Unfiltered

100 Points – Wilfred Wong

97 Points – James Suckling

97 Points – Vinous

96+ Points – The Wine Advocate

RRP $223

This is serious Chardonnay.

A wine with extraordinary purity, remarkable mineral precision and genuine world-class pedigree.

And for anyone who loves discovering the greatest Chardonnays from around the world, White Stones deserves a place on the list.

2023 CATENA ZAPATA ADRIANNA VINEYARD WHITE STONES CHARDONNAY

GUALTALLARY, UCO VALLEY, MENDOZA, ARGENTINA

100 POINTS – WILFRED WONG!

97 POINTS – JAMES SUCKLING!

97 POINTS – VINOUS!

96+ POINTS – THE WINE ADVOCATE!

RRP $223

JUST 27 ROWS OF VINES – APPROXIMATELY 1,450 METRES ABOVE SEA LEVEL!

WHITE PEACH. GREEN APPLE. JASMINE. GREEN GINGER. MOUNTAIN HERBS. FLINT. CHALKY MINERALITY. EXTRAORDINARY LENGTH.

ONE OF THE WORLD'S MOST EXTRAORDINARY HIGH-ALTITUDE CHARDONNAYS – AND A WINE THAT BELONGS IN THE COMPANY OF THE GREAT WHITES OF BURGUNDY!