El Enemigo

El Enemigo is a cult wine producer based in the high-altitude wine region of Mendoza, Argentina. The estate is a joint venture by Adrianna Catena and Alejandro Vigil, chief winemaker at renowned Bodega Catena Zapata since 2002. Together they created El Enemigo ("the enemy") and the Bodega Aleanna winery in 2007 and quickly garnered critical acclaim for their Gran Enemigo Gualtallary Cabernet Franc.

The estate focuses on traditional winemaking techniques and produces just two wine labels: Gran Enemigo and El Enemigo. The Agrelo and Gualtallary wines in the Gran Enemigo portfolio are dedicated to single-vineyard, varietal Cabernet Franc wines made in characteristic Pomerol style, where Cabernet Franc is typically blended with other red Bordeaux grape varieties. In this case, however, there is an Argentinian twist of 15 percent Malbec. The standard Gran Enemigo wine in comparison is a blend of Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot and Malbec.

The grapes for the single-vineyard Gualtallary Gran Enemigo are cultivated in calcareous, rocky soils 4823ft (1470m) above sea level, while those for the Agrelo are planted in clay-rich soils at an altitude of 3051ft (930m). The standard Gran Enemigo wine blends grape varieties grown at both vineyard sites.

The El Enemigo range is largely devoted to varietal wines made from Malbec, Cabernet Franc, Bonarda and Chardonnay, in addition to a Syrah - Viognier blend. The Chardonnay is produced in a style reminiscent of Jura's vin jaune where a layer of yeast, or voile, forms and protects the wine from oxidizing further.