2024 Catena Zapata Catena High Mountain Vines Chardonnay, Mendoza

Catena Zapata Catena High Mountain Vines Chardonnay is one of the wines that changed how the world sees Argentine white wine, proving that Chardonnay grown at extreme altitude can deliver precision, minerality and real elegance. The fruit comes from a selection of high elevation vineyards in Mendoza, particularly in the Uco Valley, where vines grow between around 1000 and 1500 metres above sea level. At these heights, sunlight is intense but temperatures drop sharply at night, preserving acidity and aromatic purity. The soils are alluvial with limestone and stones, giving the wine tension and a distinctive mineral edge.

The Catena family has been at the heart of Argentina’s wine story since 1902, and under the leadership of Nicolás Catena Zapata and his daughter Laura Catena, the focus on high altitude terroir has transformed the country’s reputation. This Chardonnay is all about showcasing those mountain sites and how they shape the grape.

In the glass, the wine shows ripe pear, apple and white peach, layered with citrus, subtle hazelnut and a gentle creamy note from time on lees. There is also a chalky, saline thread that runs through it, a signature of those limestone rich mountain soils. The palate is medium to full bodied but beautifully balanced, with bright acidity giving lift and a long, clean finish.

This is a superb food wine. Roast chicken, grilled seafood, creamy pasta, pork with apple, or rich vegetable dishes all work beautifully with its combination of texture and freshness.

Catena High Mountain Vines Chardonnay drinks well now, but it will also develop nicely over five to eight years, gaining more nutty and savoury complexity as it ages. It is a confident, world class expression of Chardonnay from the Andes and a great introduction to the magic of Mendoza’s high altitude vineyards.