El Enemigo
About El Enemigo
One of Argentina's most acclaimed wineries, El Enemigo has rocketed to superstardom in just a few short vintages. El Enemigo is a joint venture of two big names in Argentine wine - Catena's winemaker Alejandro Vigil and Dr Catena's younger daughter, Adrianna. These two were drawn together by a passion for creating more approachable and mineral-driven wines that are expressive of the nuances of Mendoza’s special terroirs.
Setting out to achieve what the pioneers of Napa Valley did in the 1970s and 1980s, and creating new wines in tiny quantities with the highest possible quality and critical acclaim, they are one now among the leading wine names in the whole of Argentina. The scores they are producing for their wines have already created a cult-like following amongst knowledgeable collectors.
The Wines
Catapulted to superstardom after achieving a perfect 100 points from The Wine Advocate with the Gran Enemigo Gualtallary 2013, the Gran Enemigo range leads the way for their exceptional portfolio. Consisting of four stunning Cabernet Franc-based wines, these wines strive to express the high-altitude Mendoza terroirs of Agrelo, Chacayes, El Cepillo and Gualtallary. Every cuvée represents a genuinely rare Andean gem, with no more than 900 cases of each produced.
Alongside the focus on Cabernet Franc wines, the duo also endeavour to rejuvenate the workhorse Argentinian varietal, Bonarda, and produce a range of exquisite single-vineyard wines.
Product Name | Region | Qty | Score | Price | |||||
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Mendoza | 2 | 98 (WA) |
Inc. VAT
£573.64 |
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Wine Advocate (98)The 2010 was a hard act to follow, and the 2011 Gran Enemigo Gualtallary Single Vineyard had to fulfill great expectations. There is less color in this 2011 (I popped a bottle of the 2010 for comparison) and more notes reminiscent of Cabernet Franc (Alejandro Vigil harvested even earlier in 2010), because it is mostly Cabernet Franc from a very chalky vineyard in Gualtallary at 1,430 meters altitude that fermented together with a small percentage of Malbec. 50% of the volume was fermented with destemmed Cabernet Franc and full-cluster Malbec. The grapes from the most calcareous soils underwent a carbonic maceration in small bins, and after one week they are pressed and the juice finishes fermenting as if it were a white wine. The texture is very fine and the acidity seems like if it had a timer and shoots a second later than you expect it, creating a small explosion in your taste buds. That provides a very long aftertaste and almost citric flavors with a mineral, almost salty finish. At the end of the day this feels lighter but at the same time more complex than the 2010. If you want to understand what Gualtallary can do, find a bottle of this wine. It's drinkable now, but it should have a long life in bottle. At this quality level the price seems too good to be true. Unfortunately, only 3,400 bottles were produced. |
Product Name | Region | Qty | Score | Price | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Mendoza | 2 | 98 (WA) |
In Bond
£462.00 |
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Wine Advocate (98)The 2010 was a hard act to follow, and the 2011 Gran Enemigo Gualtallary Single Vineyard had to fulfill great expectations. There is less color in this 2011 (I popped a bottle of the 2010 for comparison) and more notes reminiscent of Cabernet Franc (Alejandro Vigil harvested even earlier in 2010), because it is mostly Cabernet Franc from a very chalky vineyard in Gualtallary at 1,430 meters altitude that fermented together with a small percentage of Malbec. 50% of the volume was fermented with destemmed Cabernet Franc and full-cluster Malbec. The grapes from the most calcareous soils underwent a carbonic maceration in small bins, and after one week they are pressed and the juice finishes fermenting as if it were a white wine. The texture is very fine and the acidity seems like if it had a timer and shoots a second later than you expect it, creating a small explosion in your taste buds. That provides a very long aftertaste and almost citric flavors with a mineral, almost salty finish. At the end of the day this feels lighter but at the same time more complex than the 2010. If you want to understand what Gualtallary can do, find a bottle of this wine. It's drinkable now, but it should have a long life in bottle. At this quality level the price seems too good to be true. Unfortunately, only 3,400 bottles were produced. |