Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Jeb Dunnuck
With a smidgen of Cabernet Franc, the 2023 Malbec is complex and red-fruited, with good acidity, offering medium-bodied weight and a depth and structure well beyond its price point. This is a steal, incredibly well-made, fermented on indigenous yeast before going 15 months in foudre, barrel, and concrete tank. It’s an outstanding varietal wine from Mendoza to drink now through 2033.
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James Suckling
Expressive, showing lots of dark cherries, fresh black plums, grilled herbs and subtle spices. Round, juicy and pristine, with medium body and a succulent, fruity finish. Good length.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Sourced from Adrianna Vineyard, the 2023 Malbec includes 10% Cabernet Franc and underwent 15 months of élevage in foudre, stainless steel tanks and barrels. As ever, it exudes the region's textbook mix of flora and herbal aromas with the red-fruited backdrop that tends to mark the 2023 vintage, followed by a tensile mouthfeel and a similarly taut, mineral-inflected finish.
The wines of El Enemigo are a tribute to those internal battles that make us who we are. Winemaker Alejandro Vigil and historian Adrianna Catena reach back in time to capture the era when European immigrants first settled in Argentina. These settlers sought to make wines as good as or finer than those of their old homelands. By 1936, Malbec and Petit Verdot were Argentina’s most widely planted varietals, and their blend was considered the ultimate in refinement and aging potential.
Enemigo thrives in the thrill of experimentation and delights in the new and unconventional. It was born from a desire to carve a unique path and a shared obsession with terroir—each bottle an unfettered song to the wild, free-spirited soul. The wines reflect the freshness and character of each individual vineyard: a pure expression of terroir.
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.