$16.00
Coming from the leading wine province in Argentina, Mendoza is huddled in the high desert foothills of the Andes and sits approximately 4,000 feet (1,200 meters) above sea level with some regions having even higher altitudes. Bodega Catena Zapata was founded in 1902 and is currently operated by Nicolas Catena and his daughter, Dr. Laura Catena. This winery is uniquely located at a higher elevation that provides a dry growing climate. Specifically, this 2018 vintage saw a dryer than usual growing season, that also experienced higher than normal temperatures, which led to an early harvest. Dr. Catena has performed extensive research on soil and climate analysis and provides consumers with in-depth reports on growing conditions of each year.
He says: 91
For this week we wanted to try a white wine that could potentially be a go-to choice for this coming Thanksgiving dinner. This wine had a very light and clear appearance with a corn-silk color. Aromas of green apple, honey dew melon, roses and other floral notes were prominent. Notes of pear, cucumber, green olives and olive oil complimented each other and led to an approachable, smooth crisp finish where you can almost taste the chilly Argentinian nights. This semi-dry wine did not present any hints of oak or smoke and had a wonderfully crafted balance of acidity.
We paired this wine with a copy cat recipe of P.F. Chang’s lettuce wraps which we also provide and reviewed that you can check out by clicking here. The pork and chicken combination of the meat we used was complimented wonderfully by this crisp tasting Chardonnay. The recipe calls for among other ingredients, water chestnuts, Hoisin sauce and soy sauce which provided a great interplay with the amount of acidity from this wine. I feel this Chardonnay would absolutely pair well with turkey as well as other white meats, fish and vegetables. This wine was more than reasonably priced and I would definitely purchase this stunner again.
She says: 94
On this journey of wine, tasting, learning, enjoying, sharing, I admit that I am evolving with every bottle we uncork. My love of red wine is who I am but also poses a challenge for this blogger who desires to learn and appreciate all wines. Up until this point in time, when drinking white wines, I would normally just give a “yea” or “nay” regarding my beverage choice and leave it at that. But, always learning as I go, focusing more intently on the characteristics of white wines, we decided to choose this Chardonnay to give our palates a bit more exercise.
Upon pouring, the hue of this Chardonnay is noticeably light, almost without any pigment at all. The crisp pale straw appearance was incredibly clear with scents of green apples, caramel, celery and rhubarb noted during the aeration period. As it was left to breathe, floral scents began to come through as well.
On the palate, this pleasantly smooth Chardonnay boasted notes of berries, cantaloupe, creamy caramel and cinnamon, apples and wildflowers. Surprisingly, my favorite experience with this wine came with the mellow finish, the flavors mingled to create a complex nutty taste that was very enjoyable while it lingered. The finish alone would prompt me to purchase this wine again as it was so unique. Two satisfied thumbs up from me!
