Catena Zapata Adrianna Vineyard White Stones Chardonnay 2022

Drink now or cellar for up to 13 years. Serve chilled. Arguably Argentina’s finest Chardonnay, this stunning wine proves that the land of Malbec is equally at home crafting top quality whites. The Catena family have been making wine in Argentina for four generations and thanks to the hard work of Nicolas Catena and his daughter Laura today their exquisite wines are famed all over the world. Nicolas helped put Argentina on the map for Malbec and now his daughter is doing the same for elegant Burgundian-style Chardonnays like this benchmark example. The fruit for this single vineyard Chardonnay is sourced from just 27 rows in the family’s legendary Adrianna Vineyard which sits at 1450 metres above sea level in Gualtallary in the Uco Valley. The vineyard sits on an old river bed and is peppered with gravel and white stones which give the wine its name. These conditions are ideal for premium winemaking thanks to the hot sunny days, cool nights and excellent drainage which allows for a long, slow ripening period. Once in the winery the must is fermented in French oak barrels and then aged in the barrel for 12 to 16 months depending on the vintage. This helps to create a rich, creamy texture with notes of brioche, toasted almonds and fresh pastries mingling with ripe tropical and stone fruit from the grape variety. A magnificent addition to any cellar or partner for creamy fish or chicken dishes.

Price: £102.02 from 8wines UK