Winemaker Notes
Pair this wine with rodizio, Lyonnaise sauces, grilled steaks, and barbecued ribs.
Blend: 89% Malbec, 6% Cabernet Franc, 5% Petit Verdot
Professional Ratings
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Decanter
Intense dried fruits and liquorice lead to a lovely vanilla oak and dark cherry character. Soft, polished and long.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2014 El Enemigo Malbec is mostly Malbec, with some 15% of Cabernet Franc from Gualtallary, harvested from three different plots of vines over four different points in time—depending on the composition of the soil. The earlier grapes fermented with full clusters and the later ones were destemmed and crushed. It has a subtle, elegant nose with perfect ripeness, not showing the heat of the year, with the Cabernet Franc providing some sharper tannins. It's very clean and focused, developing a note of graphite as it sat in the glass. It feels like 2014 was really a good vintage for high altitude parts of the Valle de Uco, perhaps better than 2013 and 2015.
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James Suckling
A soft and salty red with plum and berry character. Medium body, round texture and a flavorful finish. Drink now.
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Wine Spectator
A fresh and zesty style, with concentrated crushed red fruit and blackberry flavors backed by crisp acidity. Offers a focused and pure finish, showing elegant notes of chocolate truffle and spice.
Celebrated for its bold flavors and supple texture, Malbec has enjoyed runaway success in Argentina since the late 20th century. The grape originated in Bordeaux, France, where it historically contributed color and tannin to blends. A French agronomist, who saw great potential for the variety in Mendoza’s hot, high-altitude landscape, brought Malbec to Argentina in 1868. Somm Secret—If you’re trying to please a crowd, Malbec is generally a safe bet with its combination of dense fruit and soft tannins.
By far the largest and best-known winemaking province in Argentina, Mendoza is responsible for over 70% of the country’s enological output. Set in the eastern foothills of the Andes Mountains, the climate is dry and continental, presenting relatively few challenges for viticulturists during the growing season. Mendoza, divided into several distinctive sub-regions, including Luján de Cuyo and the Uco Valley, is the source of some of the country’s finest wines.
For many wine lovers, Mendoza is practically synonymous with Malbec. Originally a Bordelaise variety brought to Argentina by the French in the mid-1800s, here it found success and renown that it never knew in its homeland where a finicky climate gives mixed results. Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Merlot and Pinot Noir are all widely planted here as well (and sometimes even blended with each other or Malbec). Mendoza's main white varieties include Chardonnay, Torrontés, Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillon.