Yan Gagnon

9.2

Catena Zapata Chardonnay White Stones 2021
Vignoble: Catena Zapata

Appellation: Mendoza, Argentine

Millésime: 2021

Cépage: Chardonnay

Prix: Élevé - Positionnement premium sur le marché
Apparence
Robe claire et brillante, reflets dorés.
Nez
Premier nez marqué par des notes d'agrumes dominées par le citron. Une touche animale fugace est perceptible à l'ouverture mais se dissipe rapidement avec l'aération. Évolution vers des arômes de jubube (confiserie de fruits) apportant une dimension plus douce et exotique.
Bouche
Attaque vive caractérisée par une acidité prononcée, typique des chardonnays d'altitude. Notes de citron bien présentes, cohérentes avec le nez. La texture est précise et ciselée. Finale longue et persistante, laissant une impression de fraîcheur minérale.
Accord
Dégusté en comparaison avec le White Bones de la même maison, offrant une perspective intéressante sur les différentes expressions du terroir Catena Zapata. Partagé avec Boul.
Évaluation
91/100 points
Un chardonnay de caractère qui exprime admirablement la minéralité et la fraîcheur des vignobles d'altitude de Mendoza. L'acidité remarquable lui confère un excellent potentiel de garde. Son prix élevé le positionne dans le segment haut de gamme, reflétant l'ambition et le prestige de la maison Catena Zapata. — 7 months ago

Luis Arguero (@winefromAtoZ)

8.9

Urraca Familia Langley Reserva 2007: Medium-full bodied. Great balance with well integrated tannins & nice acidity. Tasting notes of blackberry, plum, vanilla & oak. Long dry finish. Consisting of 50% Merlot, 30% Malbec & 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, this Argentine Bordeaux-style blend presented bold yet subtle fruit flavors; nice complexity & roundness. A definite beauty which was drinking perfectly after 15 years! Cheers 🇦🇷🍷 — 3 years ago

MICHAEL COOPER DipWSET

Owner TomeVinos wine shops, WSET Level 3, Blogger www.spanishwinesandmore.com, blog.tomevinos.com

9.1

Medium ruby color. Medium(+) intensity aromas of red fruit (plums and cherries and raspberries) black fruit (cassis, black currant and black plum) and secondary of oak (cedar, smoke) tertiaries with hints of leather and tobacco and there are some aromas of roasted red peppers. Medium(+) body medium(+) acidity, medium (+) ripe smooth tannins and high alcohol. The concentration of ripe fruit aromas and flavors seem to balance out the relatively high alcohol sensation and the acidity also helps to make the wine lively and not dense or dull. The wine has a nice fine-grained tannin giving it a slightly earthy texture. The wine seem capable of further bottle aging because it has a nice acidity and tannin that’s will guide it forward and the wine will continue to be interesting and could even be better from now until 5 years from now. Their is a clear varietal expression. It is purely #cabernetsauvignon as expressed by clear and defined aromas and flavors of cassis and cedar and hints of roasted peppers. It is made with historic Catena family’s Andean mountain vineyards 50% La Pirámide and 50% domingo Vineyard. #argentinewine #argentine #argentina #andes — 5 years ago

with Rosario

Vasanth Balakrishnan

9.1

I got the sense this big beautiful #argentine #malbec blend was just beginning to develop after 6 years of bottle age with decades left to mature. Still delicious, layers of blue/purple fruit, dried herb and spice notes. — 10 months ago

Freddy R. Troya

9.0

El Esteco – Torrontés “Blend de Extremos” 2023
Valles Calchaquíes, Salta – Argentina 🇦🇷

Overview
This blend of Torrontés sourced from Chañar Punco and Cafayate, part of El Esteco’s “Blend de Extremos” program, captures the union of two high-altitude sites. The 2023 vintage leans elegant, with expressive aromatics balanced by fresh structure.

Aromas & Flavors
Fragrant rose petals and orange peel open this wine, followed by tropical fruit, citrus blossom, and delicate white peach notes. The bouquet is floral and lively but with a softer intensity compared to more exuberant vintages.

Mouthfeel
Light-to-medium body with crisp acidity that gives tension. The texture is graceful and gentle, with a clean, refreshing finish that keeps the aromatic notes lingering.

Food Pairings
Great with ceviche, grilled shrimp, empanadas, or light salads with citrus dressing. Also a delightful stand-alone sipper to enjoy before dinner.

Verdict
A beautifully restrained Torrontés that shows finesse over power. If 2024 delivered aromatic fireworks, this 2023 is more of a polished, elegant whisper in the same language. Cheers!

Did You Know?
Torrontés is Argentina’s signature white grape, and in Salta’s high-altitude vineyards it often thrives—especially in vintages that balance sunshine with cool nights. Its aromatic intensity is very sensitive to vintage variation and canopy exposure.

🍷 Personal Pick Highlight
While I preferred 2024 for its vibrancy, this 2023 version still holds charm and delicacy — a refined expression of Salta’s heights. I’d lean this into my top white-flight list for Argentine wines. — a year ago

Peg Hanssen

9.6

Great with homemade margarita pizza and pizza with pesto, chicken sausage, artichokes, red pepper and sun-dried tomato. La Posta is a winery created largely through the efforts of Laura Catena, a member of Argentina's unofficial wine royalty. TA classic Argentine blend of Malbec, Bonarda, and Syrah, it really showcases the beauty of the flavors these grapes offer. It is not tannic, showing smooth, soft fruitiness and only a touch of oak. Aromas of red cherries and raspberries are infused with mocha and spice hints that give up the secret for what’s about to come. Let this wine breathe before your first sip, so the first sip washes broadly across your palate like a flood of sweet, fresh fruit and a vibrant and long finish. The hints of baking spice and some oak keep the fruit flavors fresh and lively. This is a wine that you’ll want to stack up in your wine rack (or closet) for any occasion. Great all by itself or with all your favorite red wine foods like burgers, ribs, lamb chops, and even pizza. – Surdyks — 6 years ago

Fernando Pimenta

9.7

The Humberto Barberis Gran Reserva Malbec 2019 is an Argentine wine with aromas of ripe red fruits, vanilla, and chocolate. On the palate, it’s full-bodied, with smooth tannins and a long finish. Excellent to pair with grilled meats. An elegant and well-structured Malbec, definitely worth trying! — 9 months ago

Tree Kilpatrick

9.1

Yet one more vintage of one of my go to Yolo County wine. Color is pretty. Dark red with a hint of rust on the edge of the wine. Smells like books, wet gravel and pomegranate molasses. (& maybe blackstrap molasses too). Flavors of chalk, elderberry/cherry syrup, unlit cigar, and herbs. Something slightly musky here. More of the French than the low cost Argentine style in this. This is a unique and lovely CA wine. All French wine lovers should try it. — 2 years ago

Daniel P. Drake

9.3

Welcome to the long weekend. Tonight I have opened the 2007 Catena Nicolas Catena Cabernet Sauvignon. From Bodega Catena Zapata Mendoza, Argentina. The blend is 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Malbec and the remainder Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc.

On the nose there is black cherry, blackberry, black currant, leather, licorice, vanilla, smokey oak and dark rich earth.

On the palate there is black cherry, blackberry, black currant, licorice, leather, cedar, cigar box and earth.

This wine is full bodied yet showing it's age, soft and supple with medium to medium + acidity and medium to medium + mouthcoating grippy tannins that lead s us into a long black fruit and significant earthy finish. This is a great expression of Argentine Cabernet with some good years left in the bottle. Looking forward to this weekend and spending time with family. Have a great weekend and please stay safe and healthy. Nostrovia! 🍷🍷🍷🍷 — 4 years ago

Karen Tripson

9.0

Welcome gift of WUC at Argentine dinner — 6 years ago