Bodega Catena Zapata : Adrianna "White Bones" Chardonnay 2024

Characteristics and tasting tips for the Adrianna "White Bones" Chardonnay 2024 from Bodega Catena Zapata

Tasting

Appearance
Bright and clear, it reveals a lovely pale yellow hue enhanced by delicate silvery highlights.

Nose
Highly intense, the bouquet shows great complexity, blending citrus notes such as mandarin with herbaceous hints of fennel and white tea. The whole is elevated by a deep minerality reminiscent of wet stone.

Palate
The attack is lively and remarkably precise, carried by a finely chiselled acidity. The texture, both sleek and slightly chalky, stretches out thanks to a remarkable vertical minerality. The tasting ends on a vibrant, saline finish of exceptional length.

Food and wine pairings

This fine white wine will pair beautifully with seafood and delicate fish, such as sea bass ceviche, roasted langoustines or seared scallops. It will also be a superb match for white meats such as roast poultry with fresh herbs, or for white asparagus dishes enhanced by a yuzu beurre blanc sauce.

Serving and cellaring

To fully appreciate the complexity of the Adrianna "White Bones" Chardonnay 2024, it is best served at a temperature of 10–12°C. With superb ageing potential estimated at 15 years, this vintage can be enjoyed until around 2039.

An exceptionally pure high-altitude Chardonnay from Bodega Catena Zapata in Mendoza

The estate

Founded in 1902 by Nicola Catena, Bodega Catena Zapata is a true institution located in Agrelo, Argentina. Now run by its owner Nicolás Catena Zapata and his daughter Laura, the house has established itself as a pioneer of high-altitude viticulture. Thanks to in-depth research conducted by the Catena Institute of Wine, the estate combines family tradition with a rigorous scientific approach. This pursuit of excellence brings out the character of unique Andean terroirs, placing the estate among the world's essential benchmarks.

The vineyard

This cuvée comes from a 2.2-hectare micro-plot within the Adrianna vineyard, in the Gualtallary sub-district of Tupungato, in the Mendoza region. Rising to almost 1,450 metres above sea level, this extreme terroir enjoys a semi-arid climate with abundant sunshine and cool nights. The alluvial soil stands out for its high limestone content and the unusual presence of animal fossils, which give the wine its name and its highly distinctive aromatic profile.

The vintage

2024 was marked by particularly mild weather conditions, sparing the vines from any extreme heat spikes. These favourable conditions allowed the harvest to take place later than usual. The growing season thus benefited from a slow, gradual ripening of the berries, ensuring optimal health and perfect balance at harvest.

Winemaking and ageing

The Adrianna "White Bones" Chardonnay 2024 is crafted using a minimal-intervention approach to preserve the purity of the fruit. Driven by indigenous yeasts, fermentation proceeds slowly on the lees over a period of 45 to 95 days. The wine is then aged for 12 to 16 months in second- to fourth-fill French oak barrels, thereby avoiding the aromatic influence of new wood. Finally, the cuvée is bottled without fining or filtration.

Grape variety

This wine is made from 100% Chardonnay.