2021 Gran Enemigo Chacayes
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The 2021 Cabernet Franc Gran Enemigo Los Chacayes Single Vineyard is quite simply a “wow” wine that nearly defies description. The incredible perfume of violet and white pepper invites one in first, followed by crisp, complex layers of cassis and currant. Then there's tension and a punch of acidity, adding length, grace, and structure. It's the aging potential of another 20-30 years that ultimately puts a halo over it all that speaks most forcefully to the greatness of this wine. Translating as “The Enemy,” this is a partnership between winemaker Alejandro Vigil and Adrianna Catena, a historian and sister of Laura and Ernesto (daughter of Nicolas). Started in 2008, two of the primary focuses are Cabernet Franc and Bonarda, in addition to Malbec and many other varieties, including stellar whites. Every bottle carries the quote, “At the end of the journey, we remember only one battle: the one we fought against ourselves, the one that defined us.”
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Jeb Dunnuck
Joaquin Hidalgo, Vinous
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Originating from alluvial limestone soils planted to 10,000 vines per hectare, the 2021 Gran Enemigo Chacayes Single Vineyard contains 15% Malbec, was barrel-fermented with 40% whole clusters and matured for 15 months in foudre. Its bouquet is equal parts floral and earth-tinged, bringing together purple flowers and turned-earth aromas against an elegantly dark fruited backdrop. The palate is slender and high-toned, driven by a palpably mineral-driven energy bolstered with a velvety, elegant richness. It culminates with a long, laser-focused, weightlessly intense, searingly mineral finish. As with the entire Gran Enemigo range, this never ceased to escalate and energize in the glass and should drink beautifully through its 15th birthday, at the least.
The cool 2021 vintage brought nuanced layers to this blend of 85% Cabernet Franc and 15% Malbec, harvested from Los Chacayes in the Uco Valley. The 2021 Cabernet Franc Gran Enemigo Chacayes, aged for one year, offers a delightful mix of intensity and complexity. Deep purple in color, it presents mountain herb, violet, ripe plum, blackberry and pink grapefruit aromas, balanced by a backdrop of light ash from the aging process. Juicy, compact and with polished tannins, the wine glides over the palate with a gentle, structured flow. Long and flavorful, this is an exceptional mountain red.
About the producer
El Enemigo has quickly become one of Argentina’s top wine estates, specialising in high-altitude, single-vineyard Cabernet Franc cuvées and Bordeaux blends. They also produce a range of single-vineyard cuvées from the lesser-known variety Bonarda.