El Enemigo, Gran Enemigo Gualtallary Single Vineyard, Mendoza, Argentina, 2021

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
The Gran Enemigo Gualtallary Single Vineyard 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.

This wine is excellent with grilled meats and various cheeses.

99 Points - Wine Advocate
As difficult as it is to pick a winner between the Gualtallary and El Cepillo bottlings, the 2021 Gran Enemigo Gualtallary Single Vineyard gets my nod as the supreme example of the Gran Enemigo Single Vineyard Cabernet Francs. It hails from a plot planted on calcareous rocky soils in 1995 with 10,000 vines per hectare, fermented with 40% whole bunches in barrique and underwent a 15-month élevage in 100-year-old foudre. Opening with a brooding, inward and quietly perfumed nose, its aromatic profile ceaselessly expands to encompass all manner of herbal and floral complexity, combining simmering intensity with supreme elegance. The palate follows suit with a rich, silky, refined and gently succulent energy, releasing into a graceful, dense and glacial conclusion that gives equal measure to vertical energy and horizontal richness. The finish slowly but steadily builds upon itself, revealing shimmering acidity and ultra-refined tannins with increased aeration. There is no better example of Cabernet Franc's suitability in the Uco Valley, a match rendered here with incomparable finesse, depth and complexity.

98 Points -  James Suckling
Graphite and blueberries with hints of tar, dark earth and ink on the nose. Medium-bodied with a compact and polished palate that is like a tight ball of fine silk in texture. Very structured yet all in balance. Give it four or five years to come around. But you’ll be tempted to try it now.

97 Points - James Dunnuck
Another linear offering of the variety, excellent for further aging, the 2021 Cabernet Franc Gran Enemigo Gualtallary Single Vineyard is a showcase of the cooler-climate region, crisp on the palate in lengthy acidity and firm, dusty tannins. The oak accentuates the cauldron of dried herb, baking spice, and garrigue at its heart. Cellar through 2041.

Product size: 750ml