White Clay
⏳ wine.drinking_window
Typically best enjoyed within 1 to 5 years of vintage release, though it can cellar gracefully for up to 8 years, developing complex waxy and honeyed characteristics.
🍽️ wine.food_pairings
Grilled sea bass, roasted chicken with herbs, goat cheese salad
✨ wine.spec_sheet
Catena Zapata's 'White Clay' is a compelling tribute to the historic white winemaking traditions of Mendoza, resurrecting a classic blend of Semillon and Chenin Blanc. The wine takes its name from the distinct, deep white clay soils of the estate's vineyards in Luján de Cuyo. Historically, Semillon and Chenin Blanc were widely planted in Argentina during the mid-20th century before being largely overshadowed by Chardonnay. By sourcing grapes from high-altitude vines rooted in these mineral-rich clay deposits, Catena Zapata crafts a white wine of remarkable texture, tension, and aromatic complexity. The clay soils help retain coolness in the warm Mendoza sun, imparting a signature mineral backbone and a rich, round mouthfeel that is beautifully balanced by the natural, vibrant acidity of the Chen is Blanc.
🍾 wine.about_producer
Founded in 1902 by Italian immigrant Nicola Catena, the historic Catena Zapata estate is located in Luján de Cuyo, Mendoza, Argentina, and remains family-owned under the visionary leadership of Nicolás Catena Zapata and his daughter Laura. Renowned for pioneering high-altitude viticulture in the Andean foothills, the winery revolutionized Argentine winemaking by proving that world-class, age-worthy wines could be produced from extreme mountain terroirs. Their production philosophy focuses on meticulous parcel selection and soil-specific micro-vinifications, particularly within the acclaimed Adrianna Vineyard. Catena Zapata is celebrated globally for its profound, structured red wines, most notably its flagship Bordeaux-style blend, Nicolás Catena Zapata, and the highly expressive, mineral-driven Adrianna Vineyard River Stones Malbec.