CATENA ZAPATA | Tupungato | Chardonnay | 2021
chardonnay

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Family vintners for over 100 years, the Catena family is recognized for its pioneering role in high-altitude viticulture and in leading Argentina’s malbec revolution. In the 1950’s, Don Domingo Catena began sourcing malbec grapes from the vineyards of La Consulta, where the combination of intense sunlight and cool nights resulted in a wine that Domingo Catena prized for its deep purple color, vibrant black fruit aromatics and velvety-rich tannins – a wine that might be considered as the blueprint for argentinian high-altitude malbec.
Today we are going to review a single varietal, high-altitude chardonnay wine from the world’s famous Mendoza wine region of Argentina – Tupungato Chardonnay 2021 by Catena Zapata. Chardonnay is one of the world’s most popular grape varieties, regarded by many as the ‘Queen of Whites‘ and is prized for its flexibility and for the ability to produce top-notch wines in a wide range of climates and terroirs. Stylistically, there are two main types of chardonnay wines: on one hand we have the classic, creamy and rich, oak-aged style, that is backed up by winemakers in Napa Valley and most of the Grand Cru in Bourgogne, whereas on the other hand there’s the crisp, zingy and citrusy, unoaked style, that is mainly promoted by the new-world producers and most of the winemakers in the Chablis region.

Today’s wine is a bit of both, as it has been aged for 8 months in French oak barrels, from which 35% new oak, which means that the wine went through the malolactic conversion – a process where the crisp, malic acid in the wine is converted into a more softer, lactic acid, thus the wine becomes less tart and more silky, gaining more structure and complexity, thus rounding up the palate and enhancing its aromatic allure. The grapes for this wine were sourced from the slopes of Tupungato vineyard, planted at high altitude (at 1450 meters above sea level) in Uco Valley on gravely, pebble-covered limestone-rich soils of alluvial origin, with sandy-loam subsoil at the foothills of the Andes Mountains.

The  unique geographical conditions of the Uco Valley contribute significantly to the distinctiveness of most of the wines produced here. The arid, almost desert-like climate, coupled with the high-altitudes is ideal for viticulture, promoting the production of high-quality grapes. The vineyards benefit from abundant sunlight during the day and extremely cool temperatures at night, thus creating a high diurnal range, which preserves natural acidity and enhances aromatic complexity in the grapes. The soil is predominantly alluvial, rich in sand and loam, with good drainage that supports deep root growth.

Situated at elevations ranging from 1000 to 1500 meters above sea level, Tupungato benefits from its unique high-altitude positioning. This elevation results in a pronounced diurnal temperature variation, with warm days and significantly cooler nights as compared to the rest of Mendoza, fostering balanced sugar and acidity levels in the grapes while promoting full phenolic ripeness. The region experiences a dry continental climate, receiving less than 200 mm of annual rainfall, which requires controlled irrigation sourced from Andean meltwater. The soils composition in Tupungato are predominantly alluvial, formed by clay and rock base, with sandy and stony surface that often includes large boulders and small pebbles. A key component is the presence of limestone, which retains water effectively, facilitating beneficial interactions between grapevine roots and soil microflora. This contributes to the production of quite concentrated wines with notable minerality, reflecting the textbook cool-climate elegance and finesse.

color: medium-deep yellow color
clarity: bright lemon hues

In the glass, the wine presents a lovely, medium-deep yellow color, clear and bright, with vibrant, lemon hues shimmering at the rim, hinting at its freshness and concentration.

intensity: pronounced & citrusy
fruit character: ripe

The olfactory profile is pronounced, led by a bright, citrusy character layered over ripe fruit notes. The foreground reveals notes of lemon, pomelo, and white grapefruit, complemented by nuances of crisp orchard fruits like green apple, green pear, and a subtle touch of underripe apricot. The background hides a compelling minerality, evoking notes of chalk, limestone, flint, and wet slate, supported by delicate herbal notes of lemongrass, wheat, hay, and meadow flowers, alongside an elegant floral touch of chamomile and daisy, subtly complemented by well-integrated, oak-derived hints of sun-dried wood.

sweetness: bone dry | acidity: high | alcohol: high | tannin: medium- | balance: good
finish: long | aftertaste: crisp & heady

On the palate, the wine feels firm, rich, and nicely structured, revealing a zesty and vibrant mouthfeel. It tastes bone dry, with mouth-watering acidity that provides exceptional freshness, and a noticeable touch of alcoholic warmth, lending weight, though it slightly dominates the overall balance, leading to a somewhat heady finale. The wine tastes ample and well-structured, with a subtle phenolic bitterness that emerges on the mid-palate, adding an interesting textural element and leading to a crisp aftertaste.

maturity: in its prime | do not age| drink now or within a year
verdict: great | benchmark wine | a wine that has all the traits to become legendary

Overall, this is a quite complex and ample wine that showcases a firm, zesty, and nicely structured profile – a textbook, cool-climate, high-altitude chardonnay that displays excellent varietal typicity with its vibrant acidity and pronounced citrus notes. This is a wine that skillfully blends the old world finesse with the new world expressivity. The high alcohol content in the wine creates a slightly heady and warm finish, that detracts from the overall harmony, suggesting that this wine has already reached its prime form and is best enjoyed today rather than tomorrow, therefore further ageing is not recommended.

The wine’s high acidity and citrusy-rich profile make it a versatile food partner for a large range of dishes. It would pair beautifully with grilled sea bass or halibut served with a lemon-butter sauce, where the wine’s acidity would cut through the richness of the fish and sauce, while complementing the citrusy elements. Another excellent pairing suggestion would be roasted chicken with herbs like thyme and rosemary, where the wine’s zestiness would provide a refreshing counterpoint to the creaminess of the dish. Enjoy!

CATENA ZAPATA | Tupungato | Chardonnay | 2021
variety: chardonnay
country: Argentina
region: Mendoza | Valle de Uco | Tupungato
rating: 94.5

Catena Zapata has been a family-owned winery for over a century, led by a pioneering spirit in high-altitude viticulture. Their commitment to quality has elevated the image of Argentine’s wines globally, particularly in the development of the Malbec grape variety. The winery’s vision blends tradition with innovation, focusing on expressing the true potential of the unique Mendoza’s terroir.

© The WineStatistics ratings are based solely on our own knowledge of the world of wine and on our personal wine tastes, which may, or may not, differ from yours – the reader. Just remember that there are no absolutes of right and wrong in wine appreciation. Cheers!