Bright medium yellow. Aromas of passion fruit, white peach and menthol are complicated by subtle floral and saline nuances. Quite refined in its grain, with pronounced saline minerality and tangy acidity nicely buffering its subtle fruit sweetness. Lovely silky umami texture and a long finish. There's a lot going on here, but this very rich, silky, classically dry wine is still youthfully inexpressive, with its fruit a bit suppressed in the early going. Winemaker Alejandro Vigil notes that this is a perfect wine to serve with sweetbreads. (6.95 g/l total acidity)
The excellent, subtle and elegant 2018 Catena Alta Chardonnay had a shy nose that took some time in the glass to take off. It's more subtle than in-your-face, and the palate is super elegant, with much better integrated oak than previous vintages. There is great freshness and very good acidity that comes through as pure, crystalline and focused, with a mineral mouthfeel. 60,000 bottles were filled in May 2019.
92+ pts - Luis Gutierrez, The Wine Advocate, Nov 2019, Drink 2019 - 2024