Catena Alta Chardonnay Λευκός Ξηρός Chardonnay 2020 750ml / Bodega Catena Zapata | Mendoza

Χρώμα: Λευκός

Ποικιλιακή Σύνθεση: Chardonnay

Γεωγραφική Ένδειξη: Mendoza

Περιοχή: Mendoza

Τύπος: Ξηρός

WINE DESCRIPTION

At almost 5,000 feet elevation in the Andean foothills, the Adrianna vineyard's calcareous soils and cool climate are the promised land of Chardonnay. The fruit from the Adrianna vineyard has a purity of flavors and a minerality that is particular to this vineyard and can not be found anywhere else in Mendoza. The nearby, gravel-covered Domingo Vineyard makes up 20% of the blend. Elevage: 14 months in French oak barrels.

VINIFICATION

Whole clusters are pressed, and then 100% fermented in 500 L French oak barrels with natural yeasts at low temperatures. Wild yeasts. Aged for 14 months in French oak. 30% does not undergo malolactic fermentation. First, second and third use barrels used.

HISTORIC ROWS

Catena Alta is an assemblage of historic rows within the Catena family State vineyards. The blend of these historic rows, like the combination of sounds that create a symphony, gives us highly aromatic and elegant wine that speaks for the terroir and the vines that have been tended by the four generations of the Catena Family. "Alta" means high in Spanish. This makes reference to the high altitude vineyards from where the grapes are sourced, and to the high end wines that are produced with this special grapes.

HARVEST REPORT - 2020

The summer of 2019 started with warmer than usual temperatures and then cooled off in February. Decreased snow in the winter months resulted in water shortages which led to overall yields being down 20-30%. The lack of summer rains resulted in perfectly healthy grapes. The big scare of the season came on March 19th, 2020, when the Argentine government declared an obligatory quarantine and we feared that harvest would have to stop with some of our best grapes still on the vine. Late in the day, an order exempting wine as an essential food product came through, allowing us to continue harvesting through the first week of April.

Prepared by Dr. Laura Catena, Chief Winemaker Alejandro Vigil and Viticulturist Luis Reginato

Weather

The 2019-2020 harvest season was extremely dry. Rainfall was between 40% and 70% lower than the historical average depending on the region. River flows were between 40% and 60% lower than the historical average and 11% lower compared to the 2019 harvest season. The 2020 vintage began with a warm summer which cooled off towards the end, in February.

Grape Quality

This vintage has been characterized by perfectly healthy grapes. Harvest dates have been crucial in obtaining such quality of grapes, considering the particular weather conditions of this season. We have thus obtained wines of great concentration and color, and of splendid acidity. We also predict an extraordinary aging potential.