Freddy R. Troya

9.4

Angelica Zapata Chardonnay 2021 – Mendoza, Argentina 🇦🇷

Overview
Crafted from 100% Chardonnay sourced primarily from high-altitude vineyards in Mendoza, this wine showcases Catena Zapata’s philosophy of combining mountain freshness with Burgundian precision. Beautifully balanced and remarkably age-worthy, it demonstrates why Argentina deserves a place among the world’s finest Chardonnay producers.

Aromas & Flavors
Lemon curd, white peach, ripe pear, Meyer lemon, crisp apple, and citrus blossom unfold alongside subtle notes of hazelnut, vanilla, and delicate mineral undertones. Every layer feels focused, energetic, and seamlessly integrated.

Mouthfeel
The defining feature is its remarkable equilibrium. Vibrant acidity meets a creamy, refined texture, creating a striking sense of precision, tension, and length. Rich without excess, fresh without sharpness, finishing with exceptional clarity and persistence.

Food Pairings
Butter-poached lobster, grilled halibut, roasted chicken, creamy mushroom risotto, scallops, or aged Gruyère.

Verdict
A world-class New World Chardonnay that effortlessly balances richness, freshness, and finesse. Complex enough for the cellar yet irresistible in its youth, it rivals many top-tier Chardonnays from far more celebrated regions.

Did You Know?
The Angelica Zapata range is named after Nicolás Catena Zapata’s mother and is sourced from some of the estate’s highest-elevation vineyards, where cool mountain nights preserve acidity and allow the wines to develop remarkable aging potential.

🍷 Personal Pick
Without hesitation, this has become my favorite Chardonnay from the Southern Hemisphere. The balance between acidity, texture, precision, and tension is simply captivating. It’s one of those rare bottles that makes you want to pour another glass before you’ve finished the first. An outstanding Chardonnay that has unquestionably earned a permanent place in my cellar. — 3 days ago

Conrad Green

9.6

A gorgeous nose. Soft sweet corn, brioche, confit lemon, limestone and a light saltiness. In a lovely place right now — a month ago

with Rick and Gregg

Devlon Moore

9.2

A little leaner than 2023 but still beautiful, lemon and lime and flint. — 3 months ago

Sarah Bignami

9.1

Crowd pleaser — 6 months ago

with Chris

Pinotman /// Andreas

9.4

14.5%. 🍎 apples, ripe, a big wine. Really well done yet over the top for me. Apple pie. A fantastic wine for asian food! I had a hard time with this one! On one side I was smitten and on the other side I was wondering what could this wine be with this quality grape material picked earlier and therefore less alcohol and more elegance? — 7 months ago

Jay Kline

9.0

Popped and poured; enjoyed over the course of a couple hours. The NV Brut pours a straw color with persistent mousse. On the nose, the wine is developing with notes of stone fruits, raspberry, lemon curd, freshly baked brioche and chalky, limestone minerals. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is medium+ and the texture is creamy. Very easy to enjoy. Drink now. — 13 days ago

Thijs Hendriks

9.5

Magnum. 95+ — 14 days ago

Ivor

9.1

Best solution on a hot humid summer day. — 8 days ago

Ron Siegel

9.3

Rich, fresh with notes of pear, apple, brioche, mineral & the complexity you get from a mature vintage. Sadly my last btl out of a case purchased on release. — 2 months ago

Jelle Lars Heijmans

9.6

Disg. 3-2023 — 6 months ago

Eric Urbani

9.4

One of the best Chenin producers out there, if only I had the discipline to hold these a few years more … lol — 7 months ago

Jeroen Koenen

9.1

Deg. 060520 — 8 months ago

Peter van den Besselaar

9.1

Vintage 2015 | Top notch Muscadet from 85 y old vines with impressions of melon, pear and quince — 9 months ago

Pinotman /// Andreas

9.0

After I tried through the other Champagnes. This came across as sweet. Just not a fan of this house. — 6 days ago

John Bratincevic

9.1

Dry bitter lemon rind, smooth bubbles, super clean. — 13 days ago

Alvaro Bustillos

9.4

Omakase lalo — 10 days ago

Jeremy Shanker

Sommelier at RN74

9.6

36 years young — 2 months ago

Nathan Renfro

9.7

Looks like this is my 6th rating of this wine. PNP drinking fantastic now. Super silky. Perfectly integrated, very ripe black and blue fruit. Lovely! — 4 months ago

Ross Bathgate

9.6

Non vintage but with >5 years bottle age. Amazingly dry and crisp. Was not expecting apple and dryness. So fine with yeasty notes. Long and satisfying — 6 months ago

Jay Kline

9.1

The Hébrart domaine is located right on the Marne, in the village of Aÿ, catty-corner to Philipponnat. Their 1er cru Rosé, NV is a 60/40 mix of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, aged in INOX (with a small portion of the PN added as vin rouge aged in barrique). What’s most important, is that it’s delicious.

Popped and poured; enjoyed over the course of an hour. The wine pours a very pretty pink color with a persistent mousse. On the nose, the wine is developing with notes of ripe strawberry, raspberry, lemon, pink flowers, marzipan and limestone minerals. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is medium+ with a lovely, creamy texture. Serious enough for the nerds; seriously gluggable for the revelers. Disgorged April of 2023. Drink now. — 7 months ago