CATENA ZAPATA Chardonnay 'White Bones' Adrianna Vineyard - Gualtallary 2016 Bottle (los)

Description

The 2016 White Bones Chardonnay is an exceptional wine that has received outstanding acclaim, including 98 points from James Suckling and Decanter. This dense, bright Chardonnay showcases remarkable depth and freshness, with aromas of dried pineapple, licorice, aniseed, and lemongrass. It presents a full-bodied, layered profile that is linear and exciting, with a long finish. Decanter highlights its pungent acidity, akin to a freshly sharpened razor, and notes that 80% of the wine is matured under flor, introducing saline, iodised nuances. The Wine Advocate rates it 97 points, emphasising its structure and high acidity. Vinous awards 95 points for its complex notes of white peach and citrus zest, making this precise and mineral-driven Chardonnay enjoyable from 2018 to 2028.

*****

JAMES SUCKLING 98 points
A dense and bright chardonnay that shows incredible depth and freshness with dried pineapple, licorice, aniseed and lemongrass. Full-bodied, layered and very, very long. Linear and exciting. Goes on for minutes. Release in October 2018. Drink or hold.

DECANTER 98 points
Tasted by: Patricio Tapia
Drinking Window: 2019 - 2024
From the Adrianna Vineyard’s most chalk-rich soils. Pungent acidity, like a freshly sharpened razor. 80% of the wine is matured under flor, accounting for the saline, almost iodised notes. Notes of white fruit and intense minerality in a complex yet delicious and refreshing white.

THE WINE ADVOCATE 97 points
Drink Date 2018 - 2028
The slow ripening provided the 2016 White Bones Chardonnay with a little more structure while retaining very high acidity. The vines, at 1,500 meters in altitude, are planted on limestone-rich soils and didn't need watering in 2016, as it rained a lot more than usual and allowed for a more natural balanced crop. This has 13.1% alcohol and an amazing eight grams of acidity measured in tartaric acid. It's a lot more serious, like an austere version of the 2015, with the balsamic and floral aromas more in the background. It has a sharper palate, with pungent flavors and superb delineation and purity. This is precise like a laser cut, mineral, salty and veeeery serious and compact. Superb! 4,800 bottles were filled in July 2017.

VINOUS 95 points
Full, bright yellow-gold with a green tinge. Very sexy mineral accents enliven complex scents of white peach, apple and citrus zest. Wonderfully dense and palate-saturating, with superb mineral-driven acidity giving the wine superb inner-mouth tension and lift, not to mention sharp definition to its flavors of lemon and orange peel, quince and vanillin oak. Like the 2015 White Stones, this is a bit Chablis-like but in a grand cru way. Very long and alive on the aftertaste. Truly exciting Argentine Chardonnay. - Stephen Tanzer

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Catena Zapata is a renowned winery located in Mendoza, Argentina, celebrated for producing high-quality wines, especially its exceptional Malbec. Founded in 1902 by Nicola Catena, the winery has played a pivotal role in establishing Argentina's wine industry, focusing on the significance of terroir and altitude in grape cultivation. Catena Zapata emphasizes sustainable farming practices and meticulous vineyard management, with vineyards situated at various altitudes in the Andes foothills. The winery is known for its single-vineyard wines, which highlight the unique characteristics of each site. Its flagship wine, Catena Zapata Malbec Argentino, is praised for its depth, complexity, and rich flavors of dark fruit and spice, solidifying Catena Zapata's reputation as a top choice for wine enthusiasts and collectors.