1. Appearance Clarity: Clear Intensity: Medium Color: Pale gold with a slight greenish hue, indicating both youthfulness and freshness.
2. Nose Condition: Clean Intensity: High Aroma/Bouquet: Fruit: Ripe lemon, green apple, pear, and hints of tropical fruits like pineapple Flower: Subtle notes of white flowers, such as jasmine or acacia Earth: Minimal earthy notes, more focused on mineral and stone qualities Mineral: Distinct wet stone and flint, reflective of the vineyard’s rocky soil Wood: Well-integrated oak, offering nuances of toast and a creamy, vanilla undertone
3. Palate Sweetness: Dry Acidity: High – lending a crisp, refreshing quality that balances the richness of the fruit Tannin: N/A – not applicable for this white wine Flavor Character: Fruit: Continuation of complex fruit flavors, with lemon and apple being prominent, alongside more exotic notes of melon and peach Flower: Floral elements are delicate, enhancing the fruit's freshness Earth: Not prominently earthy, with a focus on purity and precision Mineral: Pronounced mineral characteristics, providing a backbone and a sense of place Wood: Subtle oak that complements the wine without dominating, adding layers of brioche and spice
Body/Alcohol: Medium to full-bodied, with a moderate alcohol level that is well-integrated into the wine’s structure
Length: Long, with a lingering finish that reiterates the mineral and fruity complexity
Conclusion
Quality with Respect to Price: The 2019 Bodega Catena Zapata Chardonnay White Stones is a premium wine from a highly respected producer, reflecting its prestigious vineyard source. It offers considerable value for its price, especially for connoisseurs who appreciate a sophisticated, terroir-driven Chardonnay.
Maturity with Respect to Ageing: This wine shows beautifully now with its balance of fruit, acidity, and minerality, but it also has the potential to age gracefully, developing more nuanced and integrated flavors over the next 5-10 years.
Food and Wine Pairing: Ideal with rich seafood dishes, such as lobster or scallops, creamy risottos, or poultry in a creamy sauce. Its structure and acidity also make it suitable for pairing with dishes that have a citrus or herbal accent.
I don,t get the hype on these wines. I tried a 2020 chassagne-montrachet 1er Cru against the White Stones. For me it lacks the depth of flavours and capability of a Burgundy. With the high price point on the Zapata wines and my comparisons with numerous burgundies from village level to 1er Cru bottles I don,t see the value or satisfation in continuing to buy them.
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Reductive nose on first opening. Opened up to ripe pear, peach and green mango. Touches of wet stone and grated ginger. Expansive palate with great freshness and a long biscuit touched finish. Wait on this one ideally.
WSET Notes:
Medium gold.
Pronounced on the nose with struck flint, pear, apricot, green mango, biscuit, cream, wet stone, ginger. Developing.
Pronounced and dry on the palate. Medium plus body, medium alcohol, high acidity, long finish.
Can drink now but has potential for aging.
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2/22/2024 - ELEVAGE_PCB wrote: 97 Points
1. Appearance
Clarity: Clear
Intensity: Medium
Color: Pale gold with a slight greenish hue, indicating both youthfulness and freshness.
2. Nose
Condition: Clean
Intensity: High
Aroma/Bouquet:
Fruit: Ripe lemon, green apple, pear, and hints of tropical fruits like pineapple
Flower: Subtle notes of white flowers, such as jasmine or acacia
Earth: Minimal earthy notes, more focused on mineral and stone qualities
Mineral: Distinct wet stone and flint, reflective of the vineyard’s rocky soil
Wood: Well-integrated oak, offering nuances of toast and a creamy, vanilla undertone
3. Palate
Sweetness: Dry
Acidity: High – lending a crisp, refreshing quality that balances the richness of the fruit
Tannin: N/A – not applicable for this white wine
Flavor Character:
Fruit: Continuation of complex fruit flavors, with lemon and apple being prominent, alongside more exotic notes of melon and peach
Flower: Floral elements are delicate, enhancing the fruit's freshness
Earth: Not prominently earthy, with a focus on purity and precision
Mineral: Pronounced mineral characteristics, providing a backbone and a sense of place
Wood: Subtle oak that complements the wine without dominating, adding layers of brioche and spice
Body/Alcohol: Medium to full-bodied, with a moderate alcohol level that is well-integrated into the wine’s structure
Length: Long, with a lingering finish that reiterates the mineral and fruity complexity
Conclusion
Quality with Respect to Price: The 2019 Bodega Catena Zapata Chardonnay White Stones is a premium wine from a highly respected producer, reflecting its prestigious vineyard source. It offers considerable value for its price, especially for connoisseurs who appreciate a sophisticated, terroir-driven Chardonnay.
Maturity with Respect to Ageing: This wine shows beautifully now with its balance of fruit, acidity, and minerality, but it also has the potential to age gracefully, developing more nuanced and integrated flavors over the next 5-10 years.
Food and Wine Pairing: Ideal with rich seafood dishes, such as lobster or scallops, creamy risottos, or poultry in a creamy sauce. Its structure and acidity also make it suitable for pairing with dishes that have a citrus or herbal accent.
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1/12/2024 - Pinot Peter wrote:
I don,t get the hype on these wines. I tried a 2020 chassagne-montrachet 1er Cru against the White Stones. For me it lacks the depth of flavours and capability of a Burgundy. With the high price point on the Zapata wines and my comparisons with numerous burgundies from village level to 1er Cru bottles I don,t see the value or satisfation in continuing to buy them.
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12/31/2023 - aquacongas Likes this wine: 95 Points
blind
Amazing Chardonnay from Argentina. Elegant, no oak aromas, very difficult to detect for me. Cool cilmate and elegant. 95
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11/15/2023 - Irish_Wine Likes this wine: 93 Points
Reductive nose on first opening. Opened up to ripe pear, peach and green mango. Touches of wet stone and grated ginger. Expansive palate with great freshness and a long biscuit touched finish. Wait on this one ideally.
WSET Notes:
Medium gold.
Pronounced on the nose with struck flint, pear, apricot, green mango, biscuit, cream, wet stone, ginger. Developing.
Pronounced and dry on the palate. Medium plus body, medium alcohol, high acidity, long finish.
Can drink now but has potential for aging.
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10/3/2023 - sjfunkenhauser wrote: 94 Points
Incredible palate. Long and evolving, but still very young.
Pale gold colour.
Pronounced aromas of ripe peach, ripe apricot, candied apple, pineapple, green mango, pie crust, cream, wet slate, salinity.
Pronounced palate.
Medium (+) body, medium (+) acidity, long finish.
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