Zapata Adrianna Vineyard Chardonnay White Bones
2015
$201.53*
Out of stock
At heart, Catena is a story about family. Family who poured their lives, passion, and spirit into transforming scrub-laden desert into some of the most beautiful and unique vineyards in the world. Family that passed their knowledge from generation to generation, blending collective memory with state-of-the-art science from the new world of viticulture. Family who, through risk-taking, faith, and a little luck, transformed their treasured Mendoza terroir into the fountainhead of the...
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The Adrianna vineyard is located at almost 5,000’ elevation in the Gualtallary sub-district of the Tupungato region. White Bones Chardonnay comes from select rows within Block 1 of the Adrianna Vineyard. 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. There are many theories about why the grapes coming from these rows have such distinctive floral aromatics with an earthy minerality in the nose and palate. It may be related to the minerals in the soil or to the effects that the calcareous deposits have on root penetration.
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
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I had two vintages to taste from the two whites from Adrianna Vineyard, which provided a fascinating comparison. Like all the rest, the 2015 White Bones Chardonnay had a long fermentation with wild yeasts and aged in French barriques for some 12 to 16 months, depending on the lot. It's fascinating to compare this with the 2016 and with both years from the White Stones. This is the more exuberant, open, aromatic and balsamic of the four wines, while it is still very young and fresh. The palate is also very expressive and combines power with elegance and freshness. It's long, tasty and mineral, with a salty finish.
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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
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