“Without a doubt one of the leading names in the whole of Argentina” Luiz Gutierrez, The Wine Advocate
In South America, winemaker Alejandro Vijil of Catena Zapata fame is a rockstar. Forget Messi, forget Eva Peron, Ale is the real deal. In 2009, he teamed up with Nicolas Catena’s youngest daughter Adrianna to establish El Enemigo, a new venture born out of a shared love for old-school style Pomerol.
Ale may have made his name for Malbec, but the focus with Enemigo is on cool climate Cabernet Franc, inspired by and looking to emulate such great wines as Cheval Blanc and Lafleur. Working with a number of high elevation sites across a veritable patchwork of soils in the ‘Golden Mile’ of Lujan de Cuyo in Mendoza, in just a few years, it’s been quite the triumph, with their 2013 Gran Enemigo Cabernet Franc Gualtallary being awarded 100 points by the Wine Advocate, the highest ever rating given to a Cabernet Franc.
We have three single vineyard wines available from the exceptional 2019 vintage, all priced at £300 per 6 IB.
The 2019 Gran Enemigo Agrelo Single Vineyard shows the completeness of the vintage, a year with good yields and a cooler winter and summer. The result is a very balanced wine with full development of aromas and flavors, moderate ripeness and good freshness and balance. It has a fine texture, some chalky sensations and a dry finish, despite the fact that the soils have no limestone. The vines here are over 40 years of age. 7,200 bottles were filled July 2020. 2023-2032
The layered and complex 2019 Gran Enemigo El Cepillo Single Vineyard has an expressive nose with a mixture of curry, nutmeg, aromatic herbs and dried flowers, perfumed and expressive. The vineyard was planted in 2000 with Cabernet Franc and some 15% Malbec that fermented in concrete and a 2,000-liter oak vat with indigenous yeasts and with 50% full clusters. This bottling is always very distinct, with incredible aromatics, a medium to full-bodied palate, 13.5% alcohol and very good freshness. It's vibrant and finishes dry and with a salty twist. 7,200 bottles were filled in July 2020. 2022-2033
The velvety and elegant 2019 Gran Enemigo Chacayes Single Vineyard shows a quality of tannins that I did not see in the 2018 or 2020, with a silky texture, pungent flavors and a lively mouthfeel. I think the highlight here is the texture and quality of tannins, which are so perfectly refined and ripe. This is balanced, tasty and savory, with no room for sweetness. These are some serious reds. 7,200 bottles were filled in July 2020. 2022-2032
