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.
Read More
Photo
AI Chat
Prices:
| Product Name | Region | Qty | Score | Price | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
Mendoza | 1 | 97 (JS) |
Inc. GST
SG$675.21 |
|||||
James Suckling (97)Superb focus and intensity with blueberry, blackberry, wet earth and dried spice. Some bark. Full body, very fine tannins and beauty. Vivid and bright. Drink in 2018 but outstanding quality now. A a blend of 85% cab franc with 15% malbec. |
|||||||||
|
|
Mendoza | 1 | 97 (DC) |
Inc. GST
SG$1,014.20 |
|||||
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. |
|||||||||
|
|
Mendoza | 3 | 96 (JS) |
Inc. GST
SG$502.97 |
|||||
James Suckling (96)A full-bodied red with aromas of black cherry, blueberry, chocolate orange and hazelnut. Velvety, finely-integrated tannins support a deep core of spiced dark fruit. Wonderfully concentrated and flavorful, yet balanced and fresh. Drink or hold. |
|||||||||
|
|
Mendoza | 1 | 97 (JS) |
Inc. GST
SG$608.72 |
|||||
James Suckling (97)A spicy cabernet franc full of red fruit, iodine, wet stones, white pepper and oyster shells. Full-bodied but nicely austere on the palate with chalky tannins and a linear finish. Tannins are super tight yet tense and dissolved. Mineral-driven finish. 50% whole bunch. Drink or hold. |
|||||||||
|
|
Mendoza | 40 | 95 (WA) |
Inc. GST
|
|||||
Wine Advocate (95)The 2020 Gran Enemigo Agrelo Single Vineyard is a blend of 85% Cabernet Franc and 15% Malbec from a 40-year-old vineyard by the Catena winery. It fermented in concrete and some barrels and matured in large old foudres for 15 months. It has 13.5% alcohol and good freshness. At Agrelo, you always get spices, clove and herbs, berries and flowers, and the élevage provides some toasted and smoky undertones. This is tasty and with very fine tannins. It's mostly Cabernet Franc, mentioned on the label, but it also contains 15% Malbec that matured in two ancient oak foudres for 15 months. 7,200 bottles were filled July 2021. |
|||||||||
|
|
Mendoza | 1 | - |
Inc. GST
SG$551.15 |
|||||
|
Each case contains one bottle of each:
More Info
El Enemigo Gran Enemigo Agrelo 2016 (1x75cl) El Enemigo Gran Enemigo Chacayes 2016 (1x75cl) El Enemigo Gran Enemigo El Cepillo 2016 (1x75cl) El Enemigo Gran Enemigo Gualtallary 2016 (1x75cl) |
|||||||||
|
|
Mendoza | 1 | 99 (JS) |
Inc. GST
SG$598.91 |
|||||
James Suckling (99)Such impressive, rich aromas of berries, cherries and plums with blackberries and violets, too. An enticing fusion of freshness and deep intensity. The palate has a super succulent and contained feel with immaculately smooth, plush tannins. So long, pure and full of life. Like a top St.-Emilion! Cabernet franc with 15% malbec. Drink or hold. |
|||||||||
|
|
Mendoza | 1 | 97 (WA) |
Inc. GST
SG$540.03 |
|||||
Wine Advocate (97)The more austere 2017 Gran Enemigo Chacayes Single Vineyard was produced with Cabernet Franc and 15% Malbec from a low-yielding and early harvest of plants at 1,100 meters in altitude. The fermentations for the Enemigo wines are always with indigenous yeasts and with some whole clusters, and in 2017, it was 100% (for all the single-vineyard wines) and aged in old oak foudres to avoid excessive aromas of oak or toast. The palate reveals some austerity too, but it has pungent flavors and piercing acidity and a very tasty, almost salty finish. This is also truly impressive, outstanding for a year like 2017 and among the best Chacayes ever. 6,000 bottles produced. It was bottled in July 2018. |
|||||||||
|
|
Mendoza | 40 | 96 (WA) |
Inc. GST
|
|||||
Wine Advocate (96)In some wines, I favored the 2018 against the 2020, as 2020 was warmer and the wines could be riper. But in the case of the 2020 Gran Enemigo Chacayes Single Vineyard, it shows very good finesse and quality of tannins that give it a velvety mouthfeel. These wines are in the style of a great Bordeaux, young and serious, powerful and ripe but with very good freshness and, in some cases, with some chalky tannins from the limestone in the soils. Such is the case with this wine, where the soils have plenty of stones but also limestone. 7,200 bottles were filled in July 2021. |
|||||||||
|
|
Mendoza | 1 | 96 (WA) |
Inc. GST
SG$725.35 |
|||||
Wine Advocate (96)One of two new single-vineyard Cabernet Francs first produced in 2012 is the 2012 Gran Enemigo El Cepillo Single Vineyard, from a place that will soon should get its own appellation in the San Carlos district of the Valle de Uco. This is sourced from a vineyard at 1,450 meters with colluvial soils of glacial origin, with pink granite and some limestone of marine origin, as there are marine fossils. The palate is incredibly linear, sharp and austere, with the texture of stones and some aromas of graphite. There are minor traces of oak, but they are very subtle, perhaps only noticeable when tasting it next to the other single vineyards. This is austere and mineral, and it should develop beautifully in bottle. This is a superb addition to the already exceptional portfolio of Aleanna. 2,000 bottles. |
|||||||||
|
|
Mendoza | 1 | 97+ (WA) |
Inc. GST
SG$540.05 |
|||||
Wine Advocate (97+)These single-vineyard bottlings are like a snapshot of the place, and the 2016 Gran Enemigo El Cepillo Single Vineyard capture the wilderness and the (scarce) local vegetation of the place: thyme, rosemary, rockrose—austere and perfumed but not exotic. The cracked black peppercorn note on the palate reminded me that this is (mostly) a Cabernet Franc, with its fine-grained tannins and its long and dry finish. 2016 was an unusual year, with lots of rain and cooler temperatures that complicated things in many places, but it was exceptional in many high-altitude locations within the Valle de Uco where El Cepillo is. This is both powerful and delicate, while the 2015 is more direct. This is simply superb. 4,000 bottles were filled in late 2018. |
|||||||||
|
|
Mendoza | 1 | 97 (VN) |
Inc. GST
SG$545.48 |
|||||
Vinous (97)The 2017 Cabernet Franc Gran Enemigo Single Vineyard El Cepillo is Cabernet Franc blended with 15% of Malbec from the aforementioned GI to the south of the Uco Valley. The wine was 30% fermented in whole bunches before aging for 15 months in barrels and foudres. Rich, bright purple in color. The nose offers ripe blackcurrant and blackberry with hints of jarilla and ash. On the palate, the wine is defined by freshness without compromising on intensity or tannins, which bring substance, volume and grip. Toward the end, the fruit is precise and texture insistent, as though cinched at the waist. A long-lasting, terroir driven wine. |
|||||||||
|
|
Mendoza | 1 | 97 (WA) |
Inc. GST
SG$1,058.89 |
|||||
Wine Advocate (97)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. |
|||||||||
|
|
Mendoza | 1 | 98+ (WA) |
Inc. GST
SG$799.47 |
|||||
Wine Advocate (98+)The layered and complex 2019 Gran Enemigo El Cepillo Single Vineyard has an expressive nose with a mixture of curry, nutmeg, aromatic herbs and dried flowers, perfumed and expressive. The vineyard was planted in 2000 with Cabernet Franc and some 15% Malbec that fermented in concrete and a 2,000-liter oak vat with indigenous yeasts and with 50% full clusters. This bottling is always very distinct, with incredible aromatics, a medium to full-bodied palate, 13.5% alcohol and very good freshness. It's vibrant and finishes dry and with a salty twist. 7,200 bottles were filled in July 2020. |
|||||||||
|
|
Mendoza | 39 | 97 (WA) |
Inc. GST
|
|||||
Wine Advocate (97)The 2020 Gran Enemigo El Cepillo Single Vineyard was also incredibly aromatic and showy despite its youth and exploded with a combination of clove, nutmeg, curry, aromatic herbs and something vermouth-like, exuberant, expressive and open. It's labeled as Cabernet Franc, but legally it can have up to 15% other grapes, in this case Malbec. This 2020 is still a little young and has a dryness in the palate that gives it a faint rusticity that does not show in the 2019, which is also saltier and more layered. 7,200 bottles were filled in 2018. |
|||||||||
|
|
Mendoza | 2 | 98 (WA) |
Inc. GST
SG$926.54 |
|||||
Wine Advocate (98)The 2010 was a hard act to follow, and the 2011 Gran Enemigo Gualtallary Single Vineyard had to fulfill great expectations. There is less color in this 2011 (I popped a bottle of the 2010 for comparison) and more notes reminiscent of Cabernet Franc (Alejandro Vigil harvested even earlier in 2010), because it is mostly Cabernet Franc from a very chalky vineyard in Gualtallary at 1,430 meters altitude that fermented together with a small percentage of Malbec. 50% of the volume was fermented with destemmed Cabernet Franc and full-cluster Malbec. The grapes from the most calcareous soils underwent a carbonic maceration in small bins, and after one week they are pressed and the juice finishes fermenting as if it were a white wine. The texture is very fine and the acidity seems like if it had a timer and shoots a second later than you expect it, creating a small explosion in your taste buds. That provides a very long aftertaste and almost citric flavors with a mineral, almost salty finish. At the end of the day this feels lighter but at the same time more complex than the 2010. If you want to understand what Gualtallary can do, find a bottle of this wine. It's drinkable now, but it should have a long life in bottle. At this quality level the price seems too good to be true. Unfortunately, only 3,400 bottles were produced. |
|||||||||
|
|
Mendoza | 1 | 98+ (WA) |
Inc. GST
SG$821.90 |
|||||
Wine Advocate (98+)The nose of the 2012 Gran Enemigo Gualtallary Single Vineyard almost made me fall from my chair. It is the expression of elegance and austerity coupled with strong minerality. It is mostly Cabernet Franc from a very chalky vineyard in Gualtallary at 1,430 meters altitude that fermented together with a small percentage of Malbec. In 2012 they fine tuned the élevage and fermentation, which was in rolling 500-liter barrels that were new in 2006 (so by then quite neutral), where the wine was kept for one more year and then transferred to 1,000-liter egg-shaped cement vats for one further year. This reminded me of my favorite Bordeaux, Lafleur, because of the elegance, the refinement of the tannins and length. It has citric, effervescent acidity that makes you salivate. Winemaker and Owner Alejandro Vigil has done a very strict selection of the soils in the field, and only kept the very center of the vineyard where the high density (12,000 plants per hectare) generates a lot of competition, because the plants from the borders have more space in the sides, which means in 2012 he could only fill 1,800 bottles. Awesome, and ultra fresh for a vintage like 2012. Bravo! |
|||||||||
|
|
Mendoza | 1 | 100 (RP) |
Inc. GST
SG$987.92 |
|||||
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. |
|||||||||
|
|
Mendoza | 1 | 100 (RP) |
Inc. GST
SG$1,754.94 |
|||||
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. |
|||||||||
|
|
Mendoza | 2 | 98 (WA) |
Inc. GST
SG$442.92 |
|||||
Wine Advocate (98)I also tasted the 2014 Gran Enemigo Gualtallary Single Vineyard, which might take some months to come into the market. It has some balsamic aromas, medicinal hints, traces of orange peel, saffron and a touch of sweet spices. It's built around very fine tannins and a notable core of acidity that acts as backbone, giving it length and lifting up the finish. This is quite in line with the 2010 vintage, with power and freshness in a rare combination of clout and elegance only the very best wines manage to show. |
|||||||||
|
|
Mendoza | 1 | 98 (WA) |
Inc. GST
SG$850.24 |
|||||
Wine Advocate (98)I also tasted the 2014 Gran Enemigo Gualtallary Single Vineyard, which might take some months to come into the market. It has some balsamic aromas, medicinal hints, traces of orange peel, saffron and a touch of sweet spices. It's built around very fine tannins and a notable core of acidity that acts as backbone, giving it length and lifting up the finish. This is quite in line with the 2010 vintage, with power and freshness in a rare combination of clout and elegance only the very best wines manage to show. |
|||||||||
|
|
Mendoza | 1 | 98 (JS) |
Inc. GST
SG$358.70 |
|||||
James Suckling (98)This is such a fabulous red with ripe berries, blackberries and hints of dried mushrooms and black tea. Full body and crystalline tannins that carry the wine on for minutes. Energetic and takes off like a rocket. Extreme, great wine. Drink or hold. |
|||||||||
|
|
Mendoza | 1 | 98 (JS) |
Inc. GST
SG$864.64 |
|||||
James Suckling (98)This is such a fabulous red with ripe berries, blackberries and hints of dried mushrooms and black tea. Full body and crystalline tannins that carry the wine on for minutes. Energetic and takes off like a rocket. Extreme, great wine. Drink or hold. |
|||||||||
|
|
Mendoza | 1 | 99 (WA) |
Inc. GST
SG$278.84 |
|||||
Wine Advocate (99)The nose of the 2016 Gran Enemigo Gualtallary Single Vineyard transported me back to the classical wines from the Bordeaux of yesteryear, with austerity and with no room for sweetness or creamy texture. This is about chalk and umami, salty and tasty, with the clout and wilderness of Gualtallary; its electric freshness and fine tannins; the expression of Cabernet Franc (with some Merlot) in the poor, stony and limestone-rich soils from the high-altitude vineyards; and the intensity this altitude provides, as there is a strong impact from the light in the grapes. But the one thing that I liked the most about this 2016 was its balance and the way it feels light but has tremendous concentration and power, light on its feet with masses of inner strength. It's nuanced and complex, even if it's terribly young. With time in the glass, it developed notes of orange peel that spoke of freshness, and the palate is sharp and direct, with symmetry and precision. This is approachable now but should live forever in bottle. |
|||||||||
|
|
Mendoza | 5 | 99 (WA) |
Inc. GST
SG$576.02 |
|||||
Wine Advocate (99)The nose of the 2016 Gran Enemigo Gualtallary Single Vineyard transported me back to the classical wines from the Bordeaux of yesteryear, with austerity and with no room for sweetness or creamy texture. This is about chalk and umami, salty and tasty, with the clout and wilderness of Gualtallary; its electric freshness and fine tannins; the expression of Cabernet Franc (with some Merlot) in the poor, stony and limestone-rich soils from the high-altitude vineyards; and the intensity this altitude provides, as there is a strong impact from the light in the grapes. But the one thing that I liked the most about this 2016 was its balance and the way it feels light but has tremendous concentration and power, light on its feet with masses of inner strength. It's nuanced and complex, even if it's terribly young. With time in the glass, it developed notes of orange peel that spoke of freshness, and the palate is sharp and direct, with symmetry and precision. This is approachable now but should live forever in bottle. |
|||||||||
|
|
Mendoza | 1 | 98 (WA) |
Inc. GST
SG$605.43 |
|||||
Wine Advocate (98)The 2017 Gran Enemigo Gualtallary Single Vineyard didn't show any heat or excess ripeness from a warm and dry year. On the contrary, it's austere and has citrus acidity, with great freshness and minerality. The palate is super austere with vibrant acidity—by far the highest among the Gran Enemigo bottlings—and very fine, chalky tannins. This is remarkable, serious, balanced and fresh with a very, very long and salty finish. This fermented in barrels with 100% full clusters and indigenous yeasts and matured in centenary oak foudres for 15 months. 3,000 bottles were filled in July 2018. |
|||||||||
|
|
Mendoza | 1 | 98 (WA) |
Inc. GST
SG$622.89 |
|||||
Wine Advocate (98)One of the finest and more regular wines from Argentina, the 2018 Gran Enemigo Gualtallary Single Vineyard is austere and shows restraint, with great freshness and gobsmacking balance and complexity, but in the context of the 2019 and 2020 vintages that I also tasted next to it, it comes thorough as slightly less refined but still with 13.5% alcohol and with very good parameters of acidity and freshness. It has a medium-bodied palate and a rare combination of power and elegance, with very fine, chalky tannins. It's very long and has a salty and tasty finish. It matured in centenary oak foudres for 15 months. 9,000 bottles were filled in July 2019. |
|||||||||
|
|
Mendoza | 1 | 100 (JS) |
Inc. GST
SG$358.41 |
|||||
James Suckling (100)A complex, restrained and deliciously austere cabernet franc with damp earth, oyster shells, blueberries, thyme, rosemary and mushrooms. Super serious and chalky on the palate with lots of dissolved, minerally-textured tannins. Very long and uncompromising! An incredible cabernet franc from Gualtallary by Alejandro Vigil. Extremely pure, mineral and seductive. A fabulous cabernet franc that grows on the palate with remarkable tension and texture. I’d want to drink a bottle now even it can hold extremely well. |
|||||||||
|
|
Mendoza | 2 | 100 (JS) |
Inc. GST
SG$862.89 |
|||||
James Suckling (100)A complex, restrained and deliciously austere cabernet franc with damp earth, oyster shells, blueberries, thyme, rosemary and mushrooms. Super serious and chalky on the palate with lots of dissolved, minerally-textured tannins. Very long and uncompromising! An incredible cabernet franc from Gualtallary by Alejandro Vigil. Extremely pure, mineral and seductive. A fabulous cabernet franc that grows on the palate with remarkable tension and texture. I’d want to drink a bottle now even it can hold extremely well. |
|||||||||
|
|
Mendoza | 1 | 100 (JS) |
Inc. GST
SG$919.37 |
|||||
James Suckling (100)A complex, restrained and deliciously austere cabernet franc with damp earth, oyster shells, blueberries, thyme, rosemary and mushrooms. Super serious and chalky on the palate with lots of dissolved, minerally-textured tannins. Very long and uncompromising! An incredible cabernet franc from Gualtallary by Alejandro Vigil. Extremely pure, mineral and seductive. A fabulous cabernet franc that grows on the palate with remarkable tension and texture. I’d want to drink a bottle now even it can hold extremely well. |
|||||||||
| Product Name | Region | Qty | Score | Price | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
Mendoza | 1 | 97 (JS) |
In Bond
SG$566.00 |
|||||
James Suckling (97)Superb focus and intensity with blueberry, blackberry, wet earth and dried spice. Some bark. Full body, very fine tannins and beauty. Vivid and bright. Drink in 2018 but outstanding quality now. A a blend of 85% cab franc with 15% malbec. |
|||||||||
|
|
Mendoza | 1 | 97 (DC) |
In Bond
SG$877.00 |
|||||
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. |
|||||||||
|
|
Mendoza | 3 | 96 (JS) |
In Bond
SG$406.00 |
|||||
James Suckling (96)A full-bodied red with aromas of black cherry, blueberry, chocolate orange and hazelnut. Velvety, finely-integrated tannins support a deep core of spiced dark fruit. Wonderfully concentrated and flavorful, yet balanced and fresh. Drink or hold. |
|||||||||
|
|
Mendoza | 1 | 97 (JS) |
In Bond
SG$505.00 |
|||||
James Suckling (97)A spicy cabernet franc full of red fruit, iodine, wet stones, white pepper and oyster shells. Full-bodied but nicely austere on the palate with chalky tannins and a linear finish. Tannins are super tight yet tense and dissolved. Mineral-driven finish. 50% whole bunch. Drink or hold. |
|||||||||
|
|
Mendoza | 40 | 95 (WA) |
In Bond
|
|||||
Wine Advocate (95)The 2020 Gran Enemigo Agrelo Single Vineyard is a blend of 85% Cabernet Franc and 15% Malbec from a 40-year-old vineyard by the Catena winery. It fermented in concrete and some barrels and matured in large old foudres for 15 months. It has 13.5% alcohol and good freshness. At Agrelo, you always get spices, clove and herbs, berries and flowers, and the élevage provides some toasted and smoky undertones. This is tasty and with very fine tannins. It's mostly Cabernet Franc, mentioned on the label, but it also contains 15% Malbec that matured in two ancient oak foudres for 15 months. 7,200 bottles were filled July 2021. |
|||||||||
|
|
Mendoza | 1 | - |
In Bond
SG$470.00 |
|||||
|
Each case contains one bottle of each:
More Info
El Enemigo Gran Enemigo Agrelo 2016 (1x75cl) El Enemigo Gran Enemigo Chacayes 2016 (1x75cl) El Enemigo Gran Enemigo El Cepillo 2016 (1x75cl) El Enemigo Gran Enemigo Gualtallary 2016 (1x75cl) |
|||||||||
|
|
Mendoza | 1 | 99 (JS) |
In Bond
SG$496.00 |
|||||
James Suckling (99)Such impressive, rich aromas of berries, cherries and plums with blackberries and violets, too. An enticing fusion of freshness and deep intensity. The palate has a super succulent and contained feel with immaculately smooth, plush tannins. So long, pure and full of life. Like a top St.-Emilion! Cabernet franc with 15% malbec. Drink or hold. |
|||||||||
|
|
Mendoza | 1 | 97 (WA) |
In Bond
SG$440.00 |
|||||
Wine Advocate (97)The more austere 2017 Gran Enemigo Chacayes Single Vineyard was produced with Cabernet Franc and 15% Malbec from a low-yielding and early harvest of plants at 1,100 meters in altitude. The fermentations for the Enemigo wines are always with indigenous yeasts and with some whole clusters, and in 2017, it was 100% (for all the single-vineyard wines) and aged in old oak foudres to avoid excessive aromas of oak or toast. The palate reveals some austerity too, but it has pungent flavors and piercing acidity and a very tasty, almost salty finish. This is also truly impressive, outstanding for a year like 2017 and among the best Chacayes ever. 6,000 bottles produced. It was bottled in July 2018. |
|||||||||
|
|
Mendoza | 40 | 96 (WA) |
In Bond
|
|||||
Wine Advocate (96)In some wines, I favored the 2018 against the 2020, as 2020 was warmer and the wines could be riper. But in the case of the 2020 Gran Enemigo Chacayes Single Vineyard, it shows very good finesse and quality of tannins that give it a velvety mouthfeel. These wines are in the style of a great Bordeaux, young and serious, powerful and ripe but with very good freshness and, in some cases, with some chalky tannins from the limestone in the soils. Such is the case with this wine, where the soils have plenty of stones but also limestone. 7,200 bottles were filled in July 2021. |
|||||||||
|
|
Mendoza | 1 | 96 (WA) |
In Bond
SG$612.00 |
|||||
Wine Advocate (96)One of two new single-vineyard Cabernet Francs first produced in 2012 is the 2012 Gran Enemigo El Cepillo Single Vineyard, from a place that will soon should get its own appellation in the San Carlos district of the Valle de Uco. This is sourced from a vineyard at 1,450 meters with colluvial soils of glacial origin, with pink granite and some limestone of marine origin, as there are marine fossils. The palate is incredibly linear, sharp and austere, with the texture of stones and some aromas of graphite. There are minor traces of oak, but they are very subtle, perhaps only noticeable when tasting it next to the other single vineyards. This is austere and mineral, and it should develop beautifully in bottle. This is a superb addition to the already exceptional portfolio of Aleanna. 2,000 bottles. |
|||||||||
|
|
Mendoza | 1 | 97+ (WA) |
In Bond
SG$442.00 |
|||||
Wine Advocate (97+)These single-vineyard bottlings are like a snapshot of the place, and the 2016 Gran Enemigo El Cepillo Single Vineyard capture the wilderness and the (scarce) local vegetation of the place: thyme, rosemary, rockrose—austere and perfumed but not exotic. The cracked black peppercorn note on the palate reminded me that this is (mostly) a Cabernet Franc, with its fine-grained tannins and its long and dry finish. 2016 was an unusual year, with lots of rain and cooler temperatures that complicated things in many places, but it was exceptional in many high-altitude locations within the Valle de Uco where El Cepillo is. This is both powerful and delicate, while the 2015 is more direct. This is simply superb. 4,000 bottles were filled in late 2018. |
|||||||||
|
|
Mendoza | 1 | 97 (VN) |
In Bond
SG$445.00 |
|||||
Vinous (97)The 2017 Cabernet Franc Gran Enemigo Single Vineyard El Cepillo is Cabernet Franc blended with 15% of Malbec from the aforementioned GI to the south of the Uco Valley. The wine was 30% fermented in whole bunches before aging for 15 months in barrels and foudres. Rich, bright purple in color. The nose offers ripe blackcurrant and blackberry with hints of jarilla and ash. On the palate, the wine is defined by freshness without compromising on intensity or tannins, which bring substance, volume and grip. Toward the end, the fruit is precise and texture insistent, as though cinched at the waist. A long-lasting, terroir driven wine. |
|||||||||
|
|
Mendoza | 1 | 97 (WA) |
In Bond
SG$918.00 |
|||||
Wine Advocate (97)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. |
|||||||||
|
|
Mendoza | 1 | 98+ (WA) |
In Bond
SG$680.00 |
|||||
Wine Advocate (98+)The layered and complex 2019 Gran Enemigo El Cepillo Single Vineyard has an expressive nose with a mixture of curry, nutmeg, aromatic herbs and dried flowers, perfumed and expressive. The vineyard was planted in 2000 with Cabernet Franc and some 15% Malbec that fermented in concrete and a 2,000-liter oak vat with indigenous yeasts and with 50% full clusters. This bottling is always very distinct, with incredible aromatics, a medium to full-bodied palate, 13.5% alcohol and very good freshness. It's vibrant and finishes dry and with a salty twist. 7,200 bottles were filled in July 2020. |
|||||||||
|
|
Mendoza | 39 | 97 (WA) |
In Bond
|
|||||
Wine Advocate (97)The 2020 Gran Enemigo El Cepillo Single Vineyard was also incredibly aromatic and showy despite its youth and exploded with a combination of clove, nutmeg, curry, aromatic herbs and something vermouth-like, exuberant, expressive and open. It's labeled as Cabernet Franc, but legally it can have up to 15% other grapes, in this case Malbec. This 2020 is still a little young and has a dryness in the palate that gives it a faint rusticity that does not show in the 2019, which is also saltier and more layered. 7,200 bottles were filled in 2018. |
|||||||||
|
|
Mendoza | 2 | 98 (WA) |
In Bond
SG$795.00 |
|||||
Wine Advocate (98)The 2010 was a hard act to follow, and the 2011 Gran Enemigo Gualtallary Single Vineyard had to fulfill great expectations. There is less color in this 2011 (I popped a bottle of the 2010 for comparison) and more notes reminiscent of Cabernet Franc (Alejandro Vigil harvested even earlier in 2010), because it is mostly Cabernet Franc from a very chalky vineyard in Gualtallary at 1,430 meters altitude that fermented together with a small percentage of Malbec. 50% of the volume was fermented with destemmed Cabernet Franc and full-cluster Malbec. The grapes from the most calcareous soils underwent a carbonic maceration in small bins, and after one week they are pressed and the juice finishes fermenting as if it were a white wine. The texture is very fine and the acidity seems like if it had a timer and shoots a second later than you expect it, creating a small explosion in your taste buds. That provides a very long aftertaste and almost citric flavors with a mineral, almost salty finish. At the end of the day this feels lighter but at the same time more complex than the 2010. If you want to understand what Gualtallary can do, find a bottle of this wine. It's drinkable now, but it should have a long life in bottle. At this quality level the price seems too good to be true. Unfortunately, only 3,400 bottles were produced. |
|||||||||
|
|
Mendoza | 1 | 98+ (WA) |
In Bond
SG$699.00 |
|||||
Wine Advocate (98+)The nose of the 2012 Gran Enemigo Gualtallary Single Vineyard almost made me fall from my chair. It is the expression of elegance and austerity coupled with strong minerality. It is mostly Cabernet Franc from a very chalky vineyard in Gualtallary at 1,430 meters altitude that fermented together with a small percentage of Malbec. In 2012 they fine tuned the élevage and fermentation, which was in rolling 500-liter barrels that were new in 2006 (so by then quite neutral), where the wine was kept for one more year and then transferred to 1,000-liter egg-shaped cement vats for one further year. This reminded me of my favorite Bordeaux, Lafleur, because of the elegance, the refinement of the tannins and length. It has citric, effervescent acidity that makes you salivate. Winemaker and Owner Alejandro Vigil has done a very strict selection of the soils in the field, and only kept the very center of the vineyard where the high density (12,000 plants per hectare) generates a lot of competition, because the plants from the borders have more space in the sides, which means in 2012 he could only fill 1,800 bottles. Awesome, and ultra fresh for a vintage like 2012. Bravo! |
|||||||||
|
|
Mendoza | 1 | 100 (RP) |
In Bond
SG$888.00 |
|||||
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. |
|||||||||
|
|
Mendoza | 1 | 100 (RP) |
In Bond
SG$1,555.00 |
|||||
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. |
|||||||||
|
|
Mendoza | 2 | 98 (WA) |
In Bond
SG$388.00 |
|||||
Wine Advocate (98)I also tasted the 2014 Gran Enemigo Gualtallary Single Vineyard, which might take some months to come into the market. It has some balsamic aromas, medicinal hints, traces of orange peel, saffron and a touch of sweet spices. It's built around very fine tannins and a notable core of acidity that acts as backbone, giving it length and lifting up the finish. This is quite in line with the 2010 vintage, with power and freshness in a rare combination of clout and elegance only the very best wines manage to show. |
|||||||||
|
|
Mendoza | 1 | 98 (WA) |
In Bond
SG$725.00 |
|||||
Wine Advocate (98)I also tasted the 2014 Gran Enemigo Gualtallary Single Vineyard, which might take some months to come into the market. It has some balsamic aromas, medicinal hints, traces of orange peel, saffron and a touch of sweet spices. It's built around very fine tannins and a notable core of acidity that acts as backbone, giving it length and lifting up the finish. This is quite in line with the 2010 vintage, with power and freshness in a rare combination of clout and elegance only the very best wines manage to show. |
|||||||||
|
|
Mendoza | 1 | 98 (JS) |
In Bond
SG$311.00 |
|||||
James Suckling (98)This is such a fabulous red with ripe berries, blackberries and hints of dried mushrooms and black tea. Full body and crystalline tannins that carry the wine on for minutes. Energetic and takes off like a rocket. Extreme, great wine. Drink or hold. |
|||||||||
|
|
Mendoza | 1 | 98 (JS) |
In Bond
SG$739.00 |
|||||
James Suckling (98)This is such a fabulous red with ripe berries, blackberries and hints of dried mushrooms and black tea. Full body and crystalline tannins that carry the wine on for minutes. Energetic and takes off like a rocket. Extreme, great wine. Drink or hold. |
|||||||||
|
|
Mendoza | 1 | 99 (WA) |
In Bond
SG$238.00 |
|||||
Wine Advocate (99)The nose of the 2016 Gran Enemigo Gualtallary Single Vineyard transported me back to the classical wines from the Bordeaux of yesteryear, with austerity and with no room for sweetness or creamy texture. This is about chalk and umami, salty and tasty, with the clout and wilderness of Gualtallary; its electric freshness and fine tannins; the expression of Cabernet Franc (with some Merlot) in the poor, stony and limestone-rich soils from the high-altitude vineyards; and the intensity this altitude provides, as there is a strong impact from the light in the grapes. But the one thing that I liked the most about this 2016 was its balance and the way it feels light but has tremendous concentration and power, light on its feet with masses of inner strength. It's nuanced and complex, even if it's terribly young. With time in the glass, it developed notes of orange peel that spoke of freshness, and the palate is sharp and direct, with symmetry and precision. This is approachable now but should live forever in bottle. |
|||||||||
|
|
Mendoza | 5 | 99 (WA) |
In Bond
SG$475.00 |
|||||
Wine Advocate (99)The nose of the 2016 Gran Enemigo Gualtallary Single Vineyard transported me back to the classical wines from the Bordeaux of yesteryear, with austerity and with no room for sweetness or creamy texture. This is about chalk and umami, salty and tasty, with the clout and wilderness of Gualtallary; its electric freshness and fine tannins; the expression of Cabernet Franc (with some Merlot) in the poor, stony and limestone-rich soils from the high-altitude vineyards; and the intensity this altitude provides, as there is a strong impact from the light in the grapes. But the one thing that I liked the most about this 2016 was its balance and the way it feels light but has tremendous concentration and power, light on its feet with masses of inner strength. It's nuanced and complex, even if it's terribly young. With time in the glass, it developed notes of orange peel that spoke of freshness, and the palate is sharp and direct, with symmetry and precision. This is approachable now but should live forever in bottle. |
|||||||||
|
|
Mendoza | 1 | 98 (WA) |
In Bond
SG$500.00 |
|||||
Wine Advocate (98)The 2017 Gran Enemigo Gualtallary Single Vineyard didn't show any heat or excess ripeness from a warm and dry year. On the contrary, it's austere and has citrus acidity, with great freshness and minerality. The palate is super austere with vibrant acidity—by far the highest among the Gran Enemigo bottlings—and very fine, chalky tannins. This is remarkable, serious, balanced and fresh with a very, very long and salty finish. This fermented in barrels with 100% full clusters and indigenous yeasts and matured in centenary oak foudres for 15 months. 3,000 bottles were filled in July 2018. |
|||||||||
|
|
Mendoza | 1 | 98 (WA) |
In Bond
SG$518.00 |
|||||
Wine Advocate (98)One of the finest and more regular wines from Argentina, the 2018 Gran Enemigo Gualtallary Single Vineyard is austere and shows restraint, with great freshness and gobsmacking balance and complexity, but in the context of the 2019 and 2020 vintages that I also tasted next to it, it comes thorough as slightly less refined but still with 13.5% alcohol and with very good parameters of acidity and freshness. It has a medium-bodied palate and a rare combination of power and elegance, with very fine, chalky tannins. It's very long and has a salty and tasty finish. It matured in centenary oak foudres for 15 months. 9,000 bottles were filled in July 2019. |
|||||||||
|
|
Mendoza | 1 | 100 (JS) |
In Bond
SG$311.00 |
|||||
James Suckling (100)A complex, restrained and deliciously austere cabernet franc with damp earth, oyster shells, blueberries, thyme, rosemary and mushrooms. Super serious and chalky on the palate with lots of dissolved, minerally-textured tannins. Very long and uncompromising! An incredible cabernet franc from Gualtallary by Alejandro Vigil. Extremely pure, mineral and seductive. A fabulous cabernet franc that grows on the palate with remarkable tension and texture. I’d want to drink a bottle now even it can hold extremely well. |
|||||||||
|
|
Mendoza | 2 | 100 (JS) |
In Bond
SG$756.00 |
|||||
James Suckling (100)A complex, restrained and deliciously austere cabernet franc with damp earth, oyster shells, blueberries, thyme, rosemary and mushrooms. Super serious and chalky on the palate with lots of dissolved, minerally-textured tannins. Very long and uncompromising! An incredible cabernet franc from Gualtallary by Alejandro Vigil. Extremely pure, mineral and seductive. A fabulous cabernet franc that grows on the palate with remarkable tension and texture. I’d want to drink a bottle now even it can hold extremely well. |
|||||||||
|
|
Mendoza | 1 | 100 (JS) |
In Bond
SG$790.00 |
|||||
James Suckling (100)A complex, restrained and deliciously austere cabernet franc with damp earth, oyster shells, blueberries, thyme, rosemary and mushrooms. Super serious and chalky on the palate with lots of dissolved, minerally-textured tannins. Very long and uncompromising! An incredible cabernet franc from Gualtallary by Alejandro Vigil. Extremely pure, mineral and seductive. A fabulous cabernet franc that grows on the palate with remarkable tension and texture. I’d want to drink a bottle now even it can hold extremely well. |
|||||||||
