Enemigo El Enemigo Malbec 2021 750ml

Product Info

94pts Vinous Media
This 2021 Malbec contains 10% Cabernet Franc sourced from the slopes of Gualtallary in the Uco Valley. After fermenting in new oak barrels, it opens with delicate notes of violet and fresh plum, accented by subtle herbal hints. Compact yet expressive, its juicy palate reveals layers of plum and licorice, with a balanced and appealing flavor profile. A true hallmark of this wine is its unburdened texture, carrying pristine floral nuances through an enduring, graceful finish. Drinking Window: 2025 – 2040 - By Joaquín Hidalgo on November 2024

Terroir & Vineyard
This wine comes from the high-altitude vineyards of Gualtallary in the Uco Valley, Mendoza, Argentina — roughly 1,300 metres elevation, planted on calcareous and rocky soils. The high altitude gives the grapes strong diurnal temperature shifts (warm days, cool nights) which helps maintain freshness and build concentrated flavour. The project behind the wine—El Enemigo—is led by winemaker Alejandro Vigil and historian-partner Adrianna Catena, who focus on vineyard expression and careful work in the field.

Winemaking
For the 2021 vintage the blend is approximately 90 % Malbec with 8–10 % Cabernet Franc depending on block. Fermentation involved careful oak treatment and a period of skin contact/maceration to extract flavour while retaining structure. Ageing is about 15 months in older large vessels (foudres) rather than heavy new barrique, which helps maintain purity and avoid dominant oak. The result is a wine made thoughtfully to reflect site and varietal more so than overt extraction.

Tasting Notes

• Appearance: Deep cherry-red with purple hues, showing youthful intensity and clarity of varietal.
• Aroma: Opens with red and black plum, fresh black cherry, violet floral lift, subtle herbal and mineral notes, and a faint cocoa/vanilla from oak ageing. According to critics: “delicate notes of violet and fresh plum, accented by subtle herbal hints.”
• Palate: Medium-to-full bodied, with plush dark fruit (plum, blueberry), clean mineral edge, and finely grained tannins. The oak is integrated — supporting but not dominating. Flavours of licorice, dark berries, a hint of spice, and a mineral stony finish. One reviewer notes “mineral and stony, finishing dry and long.”
• Finish: Long and elegant, with good length and tension. The freshness from elevation and the subtle oak ageing give balance and a sense of restraint rather than simply power.

Food Pairing & Serving Suggestions

• Serving temperature: Around 16-18 °C (60-64 °F) is ideal. If the wine has been chilled too much, let it warm gently in the glass to open aromatics.
• Food pairings:
• Grilled or roast red meats (beef, lamb) with herb-garlic seasoning or a moderate marinade.
• Rich stews or braised dishes (e.g., beef short-rib, lamb shank) that can match the wine’s structure without overwhelming it.
• Aged cheeses (such as an aged manchego, or a matured goat cheese) and charcuterie can also work nicely given the wine’s bright fruit and mineral clarity.
• For a vegetarian twist: roasted portobello mushrooms, lentil-tomato ragù, or grilled eggplant with smoky paprika.
• Drinking window: It is ready to enjoy now but will develop further complexity over the next 3-7 years depending on storage. For customers buying now, you might suggest decanting for 30 minutes if served in the first year.