El Enemigo, Gran Enemigo El Cepillo Single Vineyard, Mendoza, Argentina, 2018

Overview of the Wine
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.

Grape / Blend
85% Cabernet Franc, 15% Malbec

Origin
Mendoza, Argentina

Winemaker's Tasting Notes
El Enemigo Gran Enemigo El Cepillo is a juicy and expressive red wine. The nose is exuberant, offering fruity aromas that are very well harmonised with the aromatic herbs and spices. The palate is medium to full-bodied with notable acidity and a subtle saline touch accompanying the fruit. An elegant, fresh and vibrant red with a flavoursome finish and excellent aging potential.

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.

97 Points -  Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The nose of the 2018 Gran Enemigo El Cepillo Single Vineyard, from a low-yielding and drier year, is full of curry, a note that was a constant across the three vintages I tasted together, but it tends to be stronger in low-yielding and dry years like this. It's also floral and comes through as aromatic and a little exotic, in a good way, with elegance, persistence and very pure flavors. It has fine-grained tannins, great acidity and balance. 7,200 bottles. All these single-vineyard bottlings mature in ancient 4,000-liter oak foudres for some 15 months.

97 Points - Decanter
Pretty and inviting on the nose with gorgeous aromas of floral violet, cassis and completed with a lifted, delicate liquorice note. The palate is graced with deep herb, pepper, crunchy red fruit and graceful, silky tannins.

96 Points - Tim Atkin
Alejandro Vigil sources this 85/15 cuvée of Cabernet Franc and Malbec from one the last vineyards at the southern end of the Uco Valley, located on a slope to reduce the frost risk. Racy, focused and beautifully defined, with chalky freshness and minerality, subtle graphite and mangetout notes and a plum and black cherry palate.

Product size: 750ml