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2021 El Enemigo "Gran Enemigo - Gualtallary" Cabernet Franc Mendoza

2021 El Enemigo "Gran Enemigo - Gualtallary" Cabernet Franc Mendoza

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Wine Advocate

Review Date: 05/2025

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. (ML)

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Professional Reviews

98

James Suckling

Review Date: 02/2024
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.

98

Vinous

Review Date: 11/2024
Is it possible to create a wine with structure but without weight? The 2021 Cabernet Franc Gran Enemigo Gualtallary offers a remarkable answer to that apparent paradox, finding the solution in a balanced combination of terroir and careful cellar work. It's almost utopian—a mountain wine with the structure and character of high-altitude vineyards, yet with the agility and freshness of an oceanic red. Purple in hue, it opens with blackberry and plum, layered with mountain herbs, a hint of sour cherry, cassis and floral tones of violet and lavender. Dry and juicy, with a slightly compact feel, the wine glides across the palate with weightless grace, supported by fine, chalky tannins. This wine is a triumph. (JH)

Notes

El Enemigo was born in 2009 as a passion project between two friends and has since developed an almost cult-like following that is steady and growing. The minds behind the winery are Adrianna Catena, daughter of the legendary Nicolás Catena, and Alejandro Vigil, chief winemaker at Bodega Catena Zapata and former head of the soil division at Argentina’s Wine Institute. The idea for El Enemigo took shape after a celebration honoring Nicolás Catena in London. While walking along the River Thames, Adrianna and Alejandro discussed their vision: to create a wine that honors tradition while challenging convention. The name El Enemigo—Spanish for “the enemy”—reflects their desire to confront the status quo. Inspired by a shared love for Bordeaux, their goal was to produce cool-climate, high-altitude Cabernet Franc. Today, winemaking is split between the Catena family winery in the Uco Valley and Alejandro’s personal barrel room. At the heart of their portfolio are the Gran Enemigo wines. The standout is the Gualtallary Cabernet Franc, sourced from a single vineyard located at just over 4,800 feet in the Uco Valley. Blended with 15% Malbec, the wine is fermented in concrete tanks with 40% whole-cluster inclusion. It undergoes an extended post-fermentation maceration, with about 40 days before pressing. Aging takes place in concrete for 15 months, preserving the wine’s vibrant and elegant character. Distinctive and compelling, this is a must-try expression of Argentine winemaking.

Product Details

Origin: Argentina

Type/Varietal: Cabernet Franc

Alcohol Content: 13.9%

SKU: #1923244