2022 Catena Zapata Alta Historic Rows Chardonnay, Mendoza

Pie crust, smoked pineapple, lemon curd and zesty citrus on the palate. Medium-bodied, showing fresh, creamy fruit and a lengthy finish. Drink or hold.

94 points jamessuckling.com

The base of this Catena Alta Chardonnay is in the Adrianna Vineyard, located on the heights of Gualtallary, about 1,450 meters above sea level on soils rich in sand and limestone. The blend also includes fruit from the Domingo Vineyard, further down the slopes of the Andes, at about 1,220 meters. Both are in the Uco Valley and offer here a succulent and very fruity interpretation of the variety—the flavors of ripe fruits fill the palate, and the saline sensation that's typical of the area's wines adds complexity and character. A generous-bodied wine for baked fatty fish.

93 points guiadescorchados.com

The 2022 Catena ‘Alta Historic Rows’ was stored for 2 months in a third new 500-liter barrels prior to bottling. Golden in the glass, this delivers plenty of viscosity and verve with toasty brioche notes and lemon cream on the palate, alongside freshly cut peaches. Full-bodied and showing good length, enjoy now and over the next eight to ten years.

93 points owenbargreen.com

Catena Zapata Alta Historic Rows Chardonnay from Mendoza is a wine that blends Argentina’s high-altitude terroir with Burgundian elegance. This is a single-varietal Chardonnay that draws its complexity from the Catena family's meticulous vineyard selections across historic rows in the Adrianna and Domingo vineyards, perched at elevations of up to 1,500 metres above sea level in the Uco Valley.

Crafted by fourth-generation winemaker Laura Catena and chief winemaker Alejandro Vigil, this Chardonnay is all about precision and layering. It is fermented in French oak barriques, then aged on lees for around 14 months with periodic bâtonnage. The result is a wine that is rich yet focused, showing Mendoza’s signature crystalline acidity along with lush texture.

On the nose, expect lifted aromas of white peach, lemon curd, flint and chamomile, with background hints of hazelnut and toasty oak. The palate is powerful but refined, full of stone fruit, citrus and saline minerality, with a cool-climate tension that defies its sunny origins.

Food-wise, this pairs beautifully with roast chicken, seared scallops, or a rich pumpkin risotto with sage and parmesan. While drinking superbly now, it has the structure to cellar gracefully for five to eight years.