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 | 1 | 100 (RP) | HK$5,150.00 | |||||
Wine Advocate - Robert Parker (100)I was really looking forward to tasting the 2013 Gran Enemigo Gualtallary Single Vineyard since all of the previous vintages have been truly exceptional, and I wanted to see what it would be in a cooler year. The bottled wine contains perhaps 15% Malbec in the blend, and they will soon stop mentioning Cabernet Franc on the label. It fermented in 500-liter oak barrels with 50% of the Cabernet Franc and all of the Malbec and then matured in used oak foudres. It's very intense and powerful, but at the same time, there is a kind of lightness on the palate that makes if feel light on its feet but with great inner power. There is citrus acidity that makes it effervescent and electric. It has some 7.5 grams of acidity and a pH of 3.45, very healthy parameters. The peppery character appears after some time, giving it a Chinon-like twist, and it also reminds me of my favorite Bordeaux, Pomerol's Lafleur. This is definitely world-class and worth lying down, as it should develop further complexity in bottle. This is one of those wines where the only improvement I can think of is having magnums rather than bottles. Bravo! Some 3,000 bottles produced. It was bottled in March 2016. |
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Mendoza | 1 | 100 (RP) | HK$9,000.00 | |||||
Wine Advocate - Robert Parker (100)I was really looking forward to tasting the 2013 Gran Enemigo Gualtallary Single Vineyard since all of the previous vintages have been truly exceptional, and I wanted to see what it would be in a cooler year. The bottled wine contains perhaps 15% Malbec in the blend, and they will soon stop mentioning Cabernet Franc on the label. It fermented in 500-liter oak barrels with 50% of the Cabernet Franc and all of the Malbec and then matured in used oak foudres. It's very intense and powerful, but at the same time, there is a kind of lightness on the palate that makes if feel light on its feet but with great inner power. There is citrus acidity that makes it effervescent and electric. It has some 7.5 grams of acidity and a pH of 3.45, very healthy parameters. The peppery character appears after some time, giving it a Chinon-like twist, and it also reminds me of my favorite Bordeaux, Pomerol's Lafleur. This is definitely world-class and worth lying down, as it should develop further complexity in bottle. This is one of those wines where the only improvement I can think of is having magnums rather than bottles. Bravo! Some 3,000 bottles produced. It was bottled in March 2016. |