Catena Alta Chardonnay
Wine Description
In the 1990s, Catena set a new standard for Argentine wine by investigating the yields from specially selected, high-altitude vineyards and identifying the individual rows that produce the best fruit. These vines undergo a careful thinning process, leaving only a select few clusters, resulting in remarkably complex, aromatic, and flavorful fruit.
With these wines, Catena Zapata continued their pioneering efforts, being the first to release Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Chardonnay of this quality from Mendoza’s high-altitude wine country. The Alta wines are unfined and unfiltered. They can typically be drunk starting three years after harvest but continue to develop for another ten to twenty years.
Acclaim
Vineyard & Production Info
Vineyard name
The Adrianna (Lot 1) and Domingo (Lot 7) Vineyards
Vineyard size
296 acres
Soil composition
Depending on vineyard - Sandy loam with calcareous layer, sandy limestone with clay, surface stones
Training method
VSP
Elevation:
3,675-4757 feet
Vines/acre:
2200
Yield/acre:
1.2 ton tons
Exposure:
Northwestern
Year vineyard planted:
1992
Harvest time:
March - April
First vintage of this wine:
1995
Winemaking & Aging
Varietal composition:
100% Chardonnay
Fermentation container:
French oak barrels
Length of alcoholic fermentation:
50 days
Maceration technique:
Battonage
Malolactic fermentation:
Yes
Type of aging container:
Barriques
Size of aging container:
225 L
Type of oak:
French oak
Length of aging before bottling:
14 months
Age of Aging Container:
45% New
Analytical Data
pH level:
3.3
Acidity:
6.68 g/L
Alcohol:
13.8 %
Residual sugar:
<2 g/L
See Brand
