Las Estelas Chardonnay, Tupungato, Mendoza 2022

This extremely impressive Chardonnay comes from Estela Perinetti’s many years of experience working with this grape in a wide variety of locations in Argentina. For the wine that represents her own project she has chosen a cold single vineyard site – Finca Valmore  – at 1,380 metres above sea level in El Peral Alto, Uco Valley. Grown on sandy soils with calcareous, rocky subsoils the fruit is manually harvested and de-stemmed with 5% going to fermentation as whole bunches. 100% barrel fermented in a combination of new and second use French barrels with indigenous yeasts; 70% undergoes malolactic. The wine is aged for 10 months in 30% new, 45% second use French oak and 25% ceramic barrels.

Beautiful stone fruit aromas with delicate mineral, apple and citrus notes; the oak is sublimely judged throughout, the texture in the mouth is simultaneously luxurious and under-stated. As with all Las Estelas wines this is not only superbly crafted by a brilliant winemaker but represents amazing value for money.