Double 100 Pt (WA & JS) Gran Enemigo!

‘ONE OF THE FINEST VINTAGES’ – Luis Gutiérrez, Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate

“The double 100 point 2019 El Enemigo Gran Enemigo Gualtallary Single Vineyard Cabernet Franc Mendoza is a masterpiece! Luis Gutiérrez of Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate writes, ‘reminds me of a great vintage of Lafleur, my favorite Bordeaux, as this is one of the finest vintages for this single-vineyard blend of Cabernet Franc with some 15% Malbec.’ He also notes that it has ‘great balance and a silky mouthfeel’ and Zekun Shuai of JamesSuckling.com describes it as ‘Extremely pure, mineral and seductive. A fabulous cabernet franc.’ The only disappointment is that we have a very limited supply of this spectacular single vineyard Cab Franc, so don’t wait too long!” – Eduardo Bolaños, The Wine House

100 Points: “The incredibly subtle, elegant and austere 2019 Gran Enemigo Gualtallary Single Vineyard reminds me of a great vintage of Lafleur, my favorite Bordeaux, as this is one of the finest vintages for this single-vineyard blend of Cabernet Franc with some 15% Malbec. It develops very slowly in the glass and shows layers and layers of aromas but all in a very subtle way. It also reminds me of the fabulous 2013 that I rated 100 points in 2018, and there has not been such a perfect vintage since then. It has great balance and a silky mouthfeel, with refined, elegant tannins and a long, dry finish with a chalky and salty sensation and no room for sweetness; it's more about herbs, flowers and rocks than anything else. Drink Date: 2023 – 2035” – Luis Gutiérrez, Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate (November 2022)

100 Points: “A complex, restrained and deliciously austere cabernet franc with damp earth, oyster shells, blueberries, thyme, rosemary and mushrooms. Super serious and chalky on the palate with lots of dissolved, minerally-textured tannins. Very long and uncompromising! An incredible cabernet franc from Gualtallary by Alejandro Vigil. Extremely pure, mineral and seductive. A fabulous cabernet franc that grows on the palate with remarkable tension and texture. I’d want to drink a bottle now even it can hold extremely well.” – Zekun Shuai, JamesSuckling.com (November 2023)

FROM THE IMPORTER

Winemaking is spread between the Catena family winery in the Uco Valley and Alejandro's own barrel room in his garden of Chachingo - The Republic - where his young son rides a horse among olive trees and where dogs and chickens share the grounds with the Vigil family and the winery.

Tasting Notes: El Gran Enemigo SV Gualtallary shows a deep purple color with red highlights. Its aromas are intense and elegant. Cabernet Franc brings sweet spices, black pepper and light notes of eucalyptus and thyme. Malbec brings notes of ripe black fruits, blackberries and black cherries. The oak aging gives a touch of chocolate and vanilla to blend. The taste is complex, sweet impact with structured tannins, and a very long and persistent finish. This wine was made in honor of the old Pomerol style where Cabernet Franc was blended with the other Bordeaux varieties.

Food Pairing: This wine is excellent with grilled meats and various cheeses.

PRODUCER PROFILE
Estate owned by: Alejandro Vigil & Adrianna Catena
Winemaker: Alejandro Vigil
Estate founded: 2007
Region: Mendoza
Country: Argentina

VINEYARD
Production area/appellation: Uco Valley
Vineyard: Gualtallary, Tupungato
Soil composition: Deep-Calcareous and Rocky
Training method: Guyot
Elevation: 4,800 feet (1470 m)

WINEMAKING & AGING
Maceration length: 5
Varietal composition: 85% Cabernet Franc, 15% Malbec
Fermentation container: Barriques
Fermentation temperature: 72 °F
Maceration technique: Cold Soak Maceration
Type of aging container: Barrels
Type of oak: French
Length of aging before bottling: 7 months

ANALYTICAL DATA
pH level: 3.05
Acidity: 7 g/L
Alcohol: 13.5 %

ABOUT EL ENEMIGO

El Enemigo translates as the enemy. Nodding to the fact that at the end of any journey, most remember only one battle — the one fought within (the original enemy). This is the battle that defines us. The wines of El Enemigo are a tribute to those internal battles that make us who we are, brought to fruition by a winemaker, Alejandro Vigil, and a historian, Adrianna Catena who share a love of wine and reach back in time to capture the era when European immigrants first settled in Argentina. These settlers sought to make wines as fine, and finer, than those of their old homeland. By 1936, Malbec and Petit Verdot were the most widely planted fine varietals in Argentina, their blend considered the ultimate in refinement and aging potential.

Winemaking Philosophy
El Enemigo is produced at BESA, located in the Vista Flores district in Tunuyán, Mendoza. The facility is named for the unique aspect of Mendoza’s high-altitude winemaking region nestled in the foothills of the Andes Mountains.

Alejandro Vigil is a soil expert, winemaker, and agronomist. He is the Chief Winemaker at Bodega Catena Zapata, the former head of the soil division at Argentina’s Wine Institute, and the former head of the soil division of INTA.

Adrianna Catena is the daughter of Nicolás Catena. She has a Master’s Degree in Early Modern Iberian Atlantic history from the University of Oxford. Her dream is to continue the family legacy of winemaking while pursuing a passion for history and writing from a cottage surrounded by vineyards in the Argentine Andes.