Americas
The North American wine producing reputation can largely be attributed to the global fame and success of Napa Valley and Sonoma County in the United States. Although technically ‘new world’, its wines have the same devoted fan base (and often first-growth prices) as many classic European wines. Free from the shackles of European winemaking law, one can find a variety of cooler climate Cabs, Merlots, Pinots, Chardonnays and Rieslings that will entice all wine lovers.
South America is an exciting new melting pot of styles and flavours with a range of soils types and altitudes – taking international varietals and finishing with French winemaking techniques, or in the case of Argentinian Malbec, adopting a largely unloved grape and making it their own.
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Americas
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Wine Advocate (99)
There is a new top of the range produced with pure Malbec from a very small plot in the Cordón El Cepillo. It's a cool place with a small slope in a mostly flat vineyard with very different soils and angular stones in a place that has glacier moraine, which is completely different from the rest of the vineyard. It makes the grapes ripen much earlier and gives a very strict and stony wine with a textured palate with abundant dusty tannins. 2016 was a super cold and rainy year, and the 2016 As Bravas Malbec has only 12.5% alcohol and incredible freshness. It's only medium-bodied with gobsmacking balance and is incredibly harmonious, nuanced and subtle, with all that it needs for a very long life in bottle. This is serious, tight, austere and incredibly elegant. It matured in 2,000-liter oak foudres for some 60 months. It was bottled in April 2022.Inc. GSTSG$597.82SG$519.34 -
Vinous (94)
A Bonarda from El Mirador, Rivadavia, Mendoza, mixed with 15% Cabernet Franc and aged for 15 months in hundred-year-old foudres with low anhydrides by Alejandro Vigil. Bright purple in the glass. The nose displays intense notes of cherry and raspberry with a hint of sweet spices. In the mouth, the Franc brings structure and tension while the tannins are refined and polished. Flows with volume and a delicate acidity that compensates for the unripe portion of the grapes. A clear and expressive red full of easygoing, refreshing flavor. An accomplished wine.Inc. GSTSG$296.98 -
Wine Advocate (91)
Despite having similar alcohol levels and acidity and freshness parameters, the 2020 Bonarda comes through as riper than the 2019 I tasted next to it. It reveals some earthy tannins and a faint rusticity, inherent to the variety. 25,000 bottles produced.Inc. GSTSG$229.40 -
James Suckling (92)
Impressive load of brambly fruit. Raspberries, red cherries, blue Damson plums, dark olives and flowers. Medium-bodied on the palate with fresh, well-grained tannins and a crunchy, mouthwatering finish. Long and fruit-oriented. Delicious now. Why wait?Inc. GSTSG$231.58SG$208.69 -
James Suckling (94)
This has an intense nose of blue and dark fruit, dried lavender, clay, oyster shell, dried chili and burnt sage. Lemon zest, too. Medium-bodied with firm, polished tannins. Focused and driven. Try in 2024.Inc. GSTSG$214.14 -
James Suckling (94)
Aromas of spiced blue fruit with a gently floral edge, as well as light, earthy and stony aromas. This has such intriguing structure with fine, dense tannins, carrying ripe blue-fruit flavors in a fresh, succulent mode. Drinks like a good Morgon! Try now and for five years.Inc. GSTSG$263.19 -
James Suckling (94)
Perfumed nose of brambleberries, wild blackberries, raspberries, violets, cinnamon stick and tea leaves. It’s medium-bodied with very fine, creamy tannins and fresh acidity. Delicious dark-berry fruit with mineral undertones. Try in 2023.Inc. GSTSG$243.57 -
James Suckling (94)
Wild and earthy nose of bark, spiced cherries, ash, porcini and kaffir leaves. Deliciously savory with a medium body. Supple, creamy tannins. Juicy, meaty and delicious. Drink or hold.Inc. GSTSG$217.41 -
James Suckling (93)
Aromas of dark fruit with fresh herbs and tile. Perfumed. Medium-to-full body, juicy fruit and a flavorful finish. Drink now.Inc. GSTSG$925.32 -
Vinous (92)
Dark red-ruby. Aromas of blueberry, blackberry, violet and peppery herbs, the latter no doubt partly due to the use of 15% whole clusters for the fermentation; winemaker Alejandro Vigil noted that the stems were fully ripe in this vineyard in 2016). Tactile, juicy and suave, with its seamless flavors of blueberry, violet and bitter chocolate showing considerable finesse and building, palate-staining length. Vigil makes 8,000 cases of this Cabernet Franc, half of them for the local Argentina market. Very nicely balanced wine, not hugely complex but with real nobility of texture for the price.Inc. GSTSG$308.97 -
Tim Atkin MW (95)
Made “like a flan”, according to Ale Vigil, this is a co-fermented blend of Cabernet Franc and 8% Malbec, with lots of whole bunches and aged in old wooden foudres. Zesty and fresh, with the low alcohol and focus that are a feature of El Enemigo style, it’s savoury and bright with salty minerality and graphite and green herb flavours.Inc. GSTSG$314.42 -
Wine Advocate (93+)
The elegant, spicy, peppery and floral 2018 Cabernet Franc contains 10% Malbec, as these varietal bottling are rarely 100% varietal. It has intense and pungent flavors reminiscent of freshly cracked black peppercorns and wild herbs. The ripeness is contained, and the wine has a surprisingly low pH that provides very good freshness and a vibrant palate, more so given the very fine tannins and the tasty flavors that lift up the finish. Superb Cabernet Franc at an unbeatable price. 26,000 bottles produced. It was bottled in July 2019 after 15 months in centenary oak foudres.Inc. GSTSG$265.37 -
Tim Atkin MW (93)
Co-fermented with 10% Malbec for added layers and nuances, this stylish Cabernet Franc has enticing aromas of rose petal and orange peel, fleshy, textured red cherry and bramble fruit, a grassy undertone and serious, well-structured underlying tannins.Inc. GSTSG$317.69 -
Vinous (93)
The 2020 Cabernet Franc incorporates a 10% touch of Malbec and originates from Gualtallary in the Uco Valley. It underwent a 15-month aging process in used foudres. It's a dark and intense purple color. The nose reveals notes of ashes and herbs, interwoven with a subtle hint of jalapeño, set against a backdrop of black fruit and cedar. Dry and delicately lean, the palate is tightly structured and juicy, thanks to its fine-grained tannins. The vibrant palate concludes with a lingering thyme finish.Inc. GSTSG$231.58 -
James Suckling (93)
A super-drinkable, linear cabernet franc showing a mixture of blue plums and red cherries with a fresh mineral quality. Juicy, fresh and expressive on the palate, with a medium body and a long, extensive finish. Streamlined, with nothing redundant. Pretty irresistible now, but can hold.Inc. GSTSG$237.03SG$208.69 -
James Suckling (98)
This is really amazing with an exotic dried-fruit character of pineapple and mangoes. Full-bodied, rich and fruity with cream, pie-crust and caramel character. Crazy chardonnay with a little Jura style and some flor undertones. It really does have flor in the barrel when aging. Love. Get it. Drink now.Inc. GSTSG$684.43 -
James Suckling (98)
This is really amazing with an exotic dried-fruit character of pineapple and mangoes. Full-bodied, rich and fruity with cream, pie-crust and caramel character. Crazy chardonnay with a little Jura style and some flor undertones. It really does have flor in the barrel when aging. Love. Get it. Drink now.Inc. GSTSG$377.64 -
James Suckling (98)
A tight and beautiful white with a dense palate of beautiful, ripe lemons and apples. Layered and refined with phenolic tension. Complex yeast and hints of oak and flor. Full body. Great length. 80 per cent flor-growth in barrel. Drink now.Inc. GSTSG$286.08 -
James Suckling (97)
This is another rock-star chardonnay from here with dried-apple, pear-skin, crushed-stone and peach-pit character. Full body. Creamy texture. Phenolic form and a long, flavorful finish. Drink or hold.Inc. GSTSG$284.99 -
James Suckling (96)
Cooked apple, lemon curd and light vanilla on the nose, together with stone, mineral and some dried flowers. Medium to full body with a creamy texture and beautiful fruit. Hints of vanilla and pie crust in the aftertaste. Always great quality for the price. Drink or hold.Inc. GSTSG$276.27 -
James Suckling (96)
This has aromas of ripe apricots, buttercream, baked apples and pastries. Medium-to full-bodied with a creamy, round and almost oily texture. Lovely balance of ripe fruit and toasted-pastry notes with bright acidity. Delicious finish. Fantastic value, as always. Drink now or hold.Inc. GSTSG$232.67 -
James Suckling (97)
A hint of flint and gunpowder with waxed lemon, oyster shell, mango and salted green apples. Quite a textured, saline expression of chardonnay with tangy flavors and a mineral drive. Full-bodied and reductive with phenolic support. Savory, saline and mouthwatering finish. Love the austerity here. Drink or hold.Inc. GSTSG$300.25 -
James Suckling (96)
A consistently impressive chardonnay that highlights purity and saline minerality. Salted lemons, sliced apples, seashells and stones drizzled with a touch of oak spice. Full-bodied yet tense and lightly saline on the palate, with bright acidity and a pure, lengthy finish. Nervy and simply delicious. Drink or hold.Inc. GSTSG$234.87SG$206.53 -
James Suckling (95)
Attractively briny nose with some cooked lemons, hot stone minerals, yeast, juniper and a hint of bread crust and almonds. Full-bodied yet bright and slightly phenolic on the palate with excellent freshness and power. Transparent, dry and saline in the finish. Delicious and super drinkable. Drink or hold.Inc. GSTSG$302.37 -
James Suckling (95)
Hyper-mineral nose full of crushed seashells, limes and a touch of white nuts. Broad and tense yet quite elegant and transparent on the palate, with salty, bracing acidity and a long yet nicely austere and linear finish. I love the mineral-water purity of this. Drink now for its saline, steely minerality, but this will age very well.Inc. GSTSG$227.27SG$204.38 -
Wine Advocate (97)
The varietal blend of the 2016 Gran Enemigo is slightly different from the 2015, there's a bit more Cabernet Franc and less Cabernet Sauvignon, so 20% Cabernet Franc, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon, 50% Malbec, 10% Merlot and 5% Petit Verdot. The wine is fresher and more nuanced than the 2015, and there is clout and power but also a lot of finesse and elegance. The palate revealed superb harmony and very fine tannins, the acidity is very integrated and the wine is seamless, with fine chalky minerality and a bitterness in the finish that is salty rather than sweet. There is no room for sweetness in any of these wines; these are savory wines, powerful wines with superb balance and all the ingredients to develop slowly and for a very long time in bottle and destined for the dining table. It fills your mouth, but it's not heavy; it's powerful but feels ethereal. This is probably the finest vintage for this bottling so far. 19,200 bottles were filled in December 2018 from a shorter crop than previous years.Inc. GSTSG$480.10 -
James Suckling (97)
A refined, medium-to full-bodied red with aromas of blackberry, bitter chocolate, violets, tar and tobacco. Ultra fine tannins, interwoven with silky and seamless layers of dark berries. So elegant and fine. Long. Serious and focused with fantastic depth and structure. Drink or hold.Inc. GSTSG$550.93 -
Vinous (97)
The 2019 Blend Gran Enemigo Gualtallary combines 40% Malbec, 25% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Cabernet Franc, 5% Merlot and 5% Petit Verdot from Gualtallary in the Uco Valley. It underwent a 15-month aging process in used foudres. A dark purple hue. The complex nose unveils alluring cherry and cassis intertwined with nuances of ashes, herbs and pepper. Dry, ample and creamy on the palate, it offers a juicy flow and a pleasantly velvety texture. This bold and complex red lingers long with fruity and herbal notes.Inc. GSTSG$461.57 -
Wine Advocate (95)
Tasting three vintages, I see great regularity in the blended Gran Enemigo. The 2020 Gran Enemigo was produced with 50% Malbec, 25% Cabernet Franc, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot and 5% Petit Verdot from Gualtallary, going back to the usual blend. The wine shows exceptionally well, as some wines can show a bit ripe and sometimes fatigued in this warmer year, but this is fresh and lively, expressive and with a solid palate with restraint and balance and no excess. The texture is velvety from very fine tannins, and there's juicy fruit with no concession for sweetness. It has similar parameters to the other vintages I tasted next to it, with 13.5% alcohol and a pH of 3.4. This is still very young. 24,000 bottles were filled in July 2021.Inc. GSTSG$444.13SG$420.15 -
Decanter (97)
The cool 2016 vintage allowed for sophisticated wines with precise freshness in Luján de Cuyo. This blend of 85% Cabernet Franc and 15% Malbec by Alejandroi Vigil is heady and compelling, with an abundance of layers. A truly stunning wine.Inc. GSTSG$1,014.20
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Wine Advocate (99)
There is a new top of the range produced with pure Malbec from a very small plot in the Cordón El Cepillo. It's a cool place with a small slope in a mostly flat vineyard with very different soils and angular stones in a place that has glacier moraine, which is completely different from the rest of the vineyard. It makes the grapes ripen much earlier and gives a very strict and stony wine with a textured palate with abundant dusty tannins. 2016 was a super cold and rainy year, and the 2016 As Bravas Malbec has only 12.5% alcohol and incredible freshness. It's only medium-bodied with gobsmacking balance and is incredibly harmonious, nuanced and subtle, with all that it needs for a very long life in bottle. This is serious, tight, austere and incredibly elegant. It matured in 2,000-liter oak foudres for some 60 months. It was bottled in April 2022.In BondSG$495.00SG$423.00 -
Vinous (94)
A Bonarda from El Mirador, Rivadavia, Mendoza, mixed with 15% Cabernet Franc and aged for 15 months in hundred-year-old foudres with low anhydrides by Alejandro Vigil. Bright purple in the glass. The nose displays intense notes of cherry and raspberry with a hint of sweet spices. In the mouth, the Franc brings structure and tension while the tannins are refined and polished. Flows with volume and a delicate acidity that compensates for the unripe portion of the grapes. A clear and expressive red full of easygoing, refreshing flavor. An accomplished wine.In BondSG$219.00 -
Wine Advocate (91)
Despite having similar alcohol levels and acidity and freshness parameters, the 2020 Bonarda comes through as riper than the 2019 I tasted next to it. It reveals some earthy tannins and a faint rusticity, inherent to the variety. 25,000 bottles produced.In BondSG$157.00 -
James Suckling (92)
Impressive load of brambly fruit. Raspberries, red cherries, blue Damson plums, dark olives and flowers. Medium-bodied on the palate with fresh, well-grained tannins and a crunchy, mouthwatering finish. Long and fruit-oriented. Delicious now. Why wait?In BondSG$159.00SG$138.00 -
James Suckling (94)
This has an intense nose of blue and dark fruit, dried lavender, clay, oyster shell, dried chili and burnt sage. Lemon zest, too. Medium-bodied with firm, polished tannins. Focused and driven. Try in 2024.In BondSG$143.00 -
James Suckling (94)
Aromas of spiced blue fruit with a gently floral edge, as well as light, earthy and stony aromas. This has such intriguing structure with fine, dense tannins, carrying ripe blue-fruit flavors in a fresh, succulent mode. Drinks like a good Morgon! Try now and for five years.In BondSG$188.00 -
James Suckling (94)
Perfumed nose of brambleberries, wild blackberries, raspberries, violets, cinnamon stick and tea leaves. It’s medium-bodied with very fine, creamy tannins and fresh acidity. Delicious dark-berry fruit with mineral undertones. Try in 2023.In BondSG$170.00 -
James Suckling (94)
Wild and earthy nose of bark, spiced cherries, ash, porcini and kaffir leaves. Deliciously savory with a medium body. Supple, creamy tannins. Juicy, meaty and delicious. Drink or hold.In BondSG$146.00 -
James Suckling (93)
Aromas of dark fruit with fresh herbs and tile. Perfumed. Medium-to-full body, juicy fruit and a flavorful finish. Drink now.In BondSG$742.00 -
Vinous (92)
Dark red-ruby. Aromas of blueberry, blackberry, violet and peppery herbs, the latter no doubt partly due to the use of 15% whole clusters for the fermentation; winemaker Alejandro Vigil noted that the stems were fully ripe in this vineyard in 2016). Tactile, juicy and suave, with its seamless flavors of blueberry, violet and bitter chocolate showing considerable finesse and building, palate-staining length. Vigil makes 8,000 cases of this Cabernet Franc, half of them for the local Argentina market. Very nicely balanced wine, not hugely complex but with real nobility of texture for the price.In BondSG$230.00 -
Tim Atkin MW (95)
Made “like a flan”, according to Ale Vigil, this is a co-fermented blend of Cabernet Franc and 8% Malbec, with lots of whole bunches and aged in old wooden foudres. Zesty and fresh, with the low alcohol and focus that are a feature of El Enemigo style, it’s savoury and bright with salty minerality and graphite and green herb flavours.In BondSG$235.00 -
Wine Advocate (93+)
The elegant, spicy, peppery and floral 2018 Cabernet Franc contains 10% Malbec, as these varietal bottling are rarely 100% varietal. It has intense and pungent flavors reminiscent of freshly cracked black peppercorns and wild herbs. The ripeness is contained, and the wine has a surprisingly low pH that provides very good freshness and a vibrant palate, more so given the very fine tannins and the tasty flavors that lift up the finish. Superb Cabernet Franc at an unbeatable price. 26,000 bottles produced. It was bottled in July 2019 after 15 months in centenary oak foudres.In BondSG$190.00 -
Tim Atkin MW (93)
Co-fermented with 10% Malbec for added layers and nuances, this stylish Cabernet Franc has enticing aromas of rose petal and orange peel, fleshy, textured red cherry and bramble fruit, a grassy undertone and serious, well-structured underlying tannins.In BondSG$238.00 -
Vinous (93)
The 2020 Cabernet Franc incorporates a 10% touch of Malbec and originates from Gualtallary in the Uco Valley. It underwent a 15-month aging process in used foudres. It's a dark and intense purple color. The nose reveals notes of ashes and herbs, interwoven with a subtle hint of jalapeño, set against a backdrop of black fruit and cedar. Dry and delicately lean, the palate is tightly structured and juicy, thanks to its fine-grained tannins. The vibrant palate concludes with a lingering thyme finish.In BondSG$159.00 -
James Suckling (93)
A super-drinkable, linear cabernet franc showing a mixture of blue plums and red cherries with a fresh mineral quality. Juicy, fresh and expressive on the palate, with a medium body and a long, extensive finish. Streamlined, with nothing redundant. Pretty irresistible now, but can hold.In BondSG$164.00SG$138.00 -
James Suckling (98)
This is really amazing with an exotic dried-fruit character of pineapple and mangoes. Full-bodied, rich and fruity with cream, pie-crust and caramel character. Crazy chardonnay with a little Jura style and some flor undertones. It really does have flor in the barrel when aging. Love. Get it. Drink now.In BondSG$521.00 -
James Suckling (98)
This is really amazing with an exotic dried-fruit character of pineapple and mangoes. Full-bodied, rich and fruity with cream, pie-crust and caramel character. Crazy chardonnay with a little Jura style and some flor undertones. It really does have flor in the barrel when aging. Love. Get it. Drink now.In BondSG$293.00 -
James Suckling (98)
A tight and beautiful white with a dense palate of beautiful, ripe lemons and apples. Layered and refined with phenolic tension. Complex yeast and hints of oak and flor. Full body. Great length. 80 per cent flor-growth in barrel. Drink now.In BondSG$209.00 -
James Suckling (97)
This is another rock-star chardonnay from here with dried-apple, pear-skin, crushed-stone and peach-pit character. Full body. Creamy texture. Phenolic form and a long, flavorful finish. Drink or hold.In BondSG$208.00 -
James Suckling (96)
Cooked apple, lemon curd and light vanilla on the nose, together with stone, mineral and some dried flowers. Medium to full body with a creamy texture and beautiful fruit. Hints of vanilla and pie crust in the aftertaste. Always great quality for the price. Drink or hold.In BondSG$200.00 -
James Suckling (96)
This has aromas of ripe apricots, buttercream, baked apples and pastries. Medium-to full-bodied with a creamy, round and almost oily texture. Lovely balance of ripe fruit and toasted-pastry notes with bright acidity. Delicious finish. Fantastic value, as always. Drink now or hold.In BondSG$160.00 -
James Suckling (97)
A hint of flint and gunpowder with waxed lemon, oyster shell, mango and salted green apples. Quite a textured, saline expression of chardonnay with tangy flavors and a mineral drive. Full-bodied and reductive with phenolic support. Savory, saline and mouthwatering finish. Love the austerity here. Drink or hold.In BondSG$222.00 -
James Suckling (96)
A consistently impressive chardonnay that highlights purity and saline minerality. Salted lemons, sliced apples, seashells and stones drizzled with a touch of oak spice. Full-bodied yet tense and lightly saline on the palate, with bright acidity and a pure, lengthy finish. Nervy and simply delicious. Drink or hold.In BondSG$164.00SG$138.00 -
James Suckling (95)
Attractively briny nose with some cooked lemons, hot stone minerals, yeast, juniper and a hint of bread crust and almonds. Full-bodied yet bright and slightly phenolic on the palate with excellent freshness and power. Transparent, dry and saline in the finish. Delicious and super drinkable. Drink or hold.In BondSG$218.00 -
James Suckling (95)
Hyper-mineral nose full of crushed seashells, limes and a touch of white nuts. Broad and tense yet quite elegant and transparent on the palate, with salty, bracing acidity and a long yet nicely austere and linear finish. I love the mineral-water purity of this. Drink now for its saline, steely minerality, but this will age very well.In BondSG$159.00SG$138.00 -
Wine Advocate (97)
The varietal blend of the 2016 Gran Enemigo is slightly different from the 2015, there's a bit more Cabernet Franc and less Cabernet Sauvignon, so 20% Cabernet Franc, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon, 50% Malbec, 10% Merlot and 5% Petit Verdot. The wine is fresher and more nuanced than the 2015, and there is clout and power but also a lot of finesse and elegance. The palate revealed superb harmony and very fine tannins, the acidity is very integrated and the wine is seamless, with fine chalky minerality and a bitterness in the finish that is salty rather than sweet. There is no room for sweetness in any of these wines; these are savory wines, powerful wines with superb balance and all the ingredients to develop slowly and for a very long time in bottle and destined for the dining table. It fills your mouth, but it's not heavy; it's powerful but feels ethereal. This is probably the finest vintage for this bottling so far. 19,200 bottles were filled in December 2018 from a shorter crop than previous years.In BondSG$387.00 -
James Suckling (97)
A refined, medium-to full-bodied red with aromas of blackberry, bitter chocolate, violets, tar and tobacco. Ultra fine tannins, interwoven with silky and seamless layers of dark berries. So elegant and fine. Long. Serious and focused with fantastic depth and structure. Drink or hold.In BondSG$450.00 -
Vinous (97)
The 2019 Blend Gran Enemigo Gualtallary combines 40% Malbec, 25% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Cabernet Franc, 5% Merlot and 5% Petit Verdot from Gualtallary in the Uco Valley. It underwent a 15-month aging process in used foudres. A dark purple hue. The complex nose unveils alluring cherry and cassis intertwined with nuances of ashes, herbs and pepper. Dry, ample and creamy on the palate, it offers a juicy flow and a pleasantly velvety texture. This bold and complex red lingers long with fruity and herbal notes.In BondSG$370.00 -
Wine Advocate (95)
Tasting three vintages, I see great regularity in the blended Gran Enemigo. The 2020 Gran Enemigo was produced with 50% Malbec, 25% Cabernet Franc, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot and 5% Petit Verdot from Gualtallary, going back to the usual blend. The wine shows exceptionally well, as some wines can show a bit ripe and sometimes fatigued in this warmer year, but this is fresh and lively, expressive and with a solid palate with restraint and balance and no excess. The texture is velvety from very fine tannins, and there's juicy fruit with no concession for sweetness. It has similar parameters to the other vintages I tasted next to it, with 13.5% alcohol and a pH of 3.4. This is still very young. 24,000 bottles were filled in July 2021.In BondSG$354.00SG$332.00 -
Decanter (97)
The cool 2016 vintage allowed for sophisticated wines with precise freshness in Luján de Cuyo. This blend of 85% Cabernet Franc and 15% Malbec by Alejandroi Vigil is heady and compelling, with an abundance of layers. A truly stunning wine.In BondSG$877.00
