Catena Chardonnay

Catena Chardonnay bottle image

Wine Description

For over four generations, the Catena family has grown vines in the foothills of the Andes Mountains in Mendoza, Argentina. Laura Catena, great-granddaughter of winery founder Nicola Catena, has created a richly textured Chardonnay blend with floral notes, ripe tropical-fruit flavors, a strong mineral character and excellent acidity. Catena Chardonnay is sourced from three of the family´s vineyards in Luján de Cuyo and Tupungato. In Agrelo, in Luján de Cuyo, the La Pirámide Vineyard grapes lend the wine ripe citrus and stone fruit aromas and flavors. Fruit from the Domingo Vineyard in the Villa Bastías district of Tupungato emphasizes those stone fruit flavors and gives the wine its rich texture and mouthfeel. The high-altitude Adrianna Vineyard in the Gualtallary district of Tupungato produces grapes with lively floral notes, a pronounced minerality, and a crisp, cool-climate acidity. From the marriage of these historic parcels emerges a wine of a unique character that has natural balance, concentration, and a distinct varietal identity.

Remington-Mendoza
Laura Catena sits at a table with a glass of wine
Malbec Grapes
Alejandro Vigil (Chief Winemaker) and Laura Catena Tasting
Malbec Clone in La Piramide Vineyard
Nicolás Catena
Bodega Catena Zapata
Bodega Catena Zapata
accordion plus icons
Acclaim
The enticing nose offers up hints of toast, pear, and tropical fruits, leading to a well-balanced wine with the fruit buttressed by vibrant acidity. Drink this tasty effort over the next 3-4 years. It is an outstanding value.
— Wine Advocate, Dec 2011
Pale bright yellow. Citrus peel, stone fruits, sweet herbs and spicy oak notes of ginger and cinnamon on the nose. Ripe, smooth and peachy, with a strong component of vanillin oak. A bit soft in the middle but quite dry and uncompromising, with a saline nuance on the back.
— International Wine Cellar, Mar 2012
View more acclaim Arrow Right
accordion plus icons
Vineyard & Production Info
Vineyard name
La Pirámide, Domingo and Adrianna vineyards
Soil composition
Depending on site - sandy loam with round rocks, calcareous deposits and clay
Training method
VSP
Elevation:
3,100 - 4,856 feet
Vines/acre:
2200
Yield/acre:
2.5 - 3 tons tons
Exposure:
Northwestern
Year vineyard planted:
Various
Harvest time:
March - April
First vintage of this wine:
1991
accordion plus icons
Winemaking & Aging
Varietal composition:
100% Chardonnay
Fermentation container:
Stainless steel tanks and French oak barrels
Length of alcoholic fermentation:
25 days
Fermentation temperature:
64.4 °F
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:
9 months
Age of Aging Container:
30% New
Length of bottle aging:
12 months
accordion plus icons
Analytical Data
pH level:
3.21
Acidity:
6.25 g/L
Alcohol:
13.9 %