Mission Codename Rocks all day
One of the world’s greatest white wines at an unbelievable, unbeatable price!!
From Catena’s ultra-rare, tiny production Parcelas Series. These are not your average Chardonnays as they consistently rank high amongst the greatest globally…we’re talking epiphany level stuff!
In fact, Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate has often compared them to the top wines of Burgundy’s most heralded Domaines, calling White Stones *“more in the style of Roulot than Coche-Dury.” *
Keep in mind, current vintages from these legends can easily exceed the $1,000 mark.
And we can bring one under $100? Just unheard of these days. A handful of bottles were allocated on a first come, first served basis.
We had to keep a handful for ourselves because these are all but guaranteed to disappear FAST… where were we again?
Oh yes, seize the opportunity!!
97 Points – Antonio Galloni’s Vinous
“If there’s a single winery that embodies the international expansion of Argentine wine, it’s Catena Zapata. In the 1980s, the third generation of the family, led by Nicolás Catena Zapata, set out to make a name for themselves in markets outside of Argentina, where the family winery had grown to be one of the biggest in the 1970s. After selling off their mass-market brands, Nicolás focused on building a portfolio of wines to compete with the best in the world. He thus embarked upon a vineyard planting program higher up in the mountains in search of cooler climates: firstly in Agrelo, Luján de Cuyo, with the La Pirámide vineyard, then in Villa Bastías with Domingo and Gualtallary with Adrianna, both in Tupungato, and subsequently in Paraje Altamira with Nicasia, just to mention the most famous. Today the most visible face of the winery is Laura Catena, Nicolás’ daughter, who leads a distinguished team of experts including Alejandro Vigil and his team at the winery, and Fernando Buscema and his team at the Catena Institute of Wine. Under her overall management, both teams work together with a science-led approach that has resulted in the construction of Parcel Wines such as Malbec Mundus Bacillus, River and Fortuna Terrae and the Chardonnays White Bones and White Stones. In 2021, they opened an experimental winery within the larger facility in Agrelo equipped with all the latest gadgets, as well as an equally experimental winery for Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and other high altitude varieties in Gualtallary. By the end of 2022, they’ll also open a smart-looking distillery in Agrelo. Today they are the largest exporter of wines by value in Argentina. The 2020 Chardonnay Adrianna Vineyard White Stones from Gualtallary, Uco Valley, was barrel-aged for 16 months. Greenish-yellow in the glass. The intense, layered nose presents bold aromas of green apple, pear, hints of linden blossom and ginger with touches of lemon and herbs. In the mouth, it’s concentrated, rooted in a lively, heightened freshness while maintaining the variety’s expansive flow, which also delivers salinity and long-lasting flavor. A thrilling white that defines this nook of the Uco Valley.”
97 Points – James Suckling
“Lemon zest, pineapple, white pepper, cloves, jasmine, crushed stones and chalk on the nose. Medium-bodied, focused and phenolic. Very fine, mineral and tight with persistent energy and vivid acidity. Creamy, with salted-almond notes at the end. Drink from 2023.”
What the Winery Says
2021 'White Stones' Mendoza Chardonnay
- Wine Director
- Alejandro Vigil
- Winemaker
- Fernando Buscema
- Varietal
- 100% Chardonnay
- Vintage
- 2021
- Alcohol
- 12.6%
- Appellation
- Gualtallary District, Tupungato Alto Region, Uco Valley, Mendoza, Argentina
- Vineyard
- Adrianna Vineyard
- Soils
- Alluvial river bed. Stony soil
- Aging
- 12-16 months
- Barrels
- 100% French 2-4-year-old barriques