Gran Enemigo

El Gran Enemigo bottle image

Wine Description

In the spectrum of people who pay attention to detail, winemakers are often incredibly detail-oriented.  This can sometimes spill over to become an internal battled, and, as Alejandro Vigil and Adrianna Catena state, "We are our own worst enemy." El Enemigo pays homage to this internal struggle.

Alejandro Vigil
Adrianna
Aleanna Winery
Alejandro Vigil
Chacayes
Concrete Egg with Soil Map
Enemigo Vineyard
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Acclaim
“The varietal blend of the 2016 Gran Enemigo is slightly different from the 2015 I tasted next to it; here, there's a bit more Cabernet Franc and less Cabernet Sauvignon, so 20% Cabernet Franc, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon, 50% Malbec, 10% Merlot and 5% Petit Verdot; but the wine was produced exactly the same: vinification (wild fermentation, shortish maceration) and élevage (in large used French oak vats), so what we see here are the differences provided by the year. 2016 was a very unusual vintage, when they saw more rain than ever (they didn't irrigate the vineyards), and the average temperature was much lower. It was not an easy year, especially in the classical zone of Mendoza, but in Gualtallary, where these grapes come from, it was a truly excellent harvest, one of the best in recent times (until 2018 came). The wine is fresher and more nuanced than the 2015, and there is clout and power but also a lot of finesse and elegance. The palate revealed superb harmony and very fine tannins, the acidity is very integrated and the wine is seamless, with fine chalky minerality and a bitterness in the finish that is salty rather than sweet. There is no room for sweetness in any of these wines; these are savory wines, powerful wines with superb balance and all the ingredients to develop slowly and for a very long time in bottle and destined for the dining table. It fills your mouth, but it's not heavy; it's powerful but feels ethereal. This is probably the finest vintage for this bottling so far.”
— Wine Advocate, Nov 2019
“Lovely perfumed and complex nose displaying layers of black fruit, eucalyptus, mint, cedar and tobacco. Ripe and mouth-filling, with plenty of fruit and extract, juicy and attractive in the palate, quite lively and elegant.” (Platinum Medal)
— Decanter World Wine Awards, Sep 2020
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Vineyard & Production Info
Soil composition
Varied
Elevation:
3000-5000 feet
Vines/acre:
4000
Yield/acre:
2.2 tons
Bottles produced of this wine:
19,200
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Winemaking & Aging
Maceration length:
30
Varietal composition:
50% Malbec, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Cabernet Franc, 10% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot
Fermentation container:
Oak Barrel
Length of alcoholic fermentation:
22 days
Fermentation temperature:
84.2 °F
Maceration technique:
Punch down and delestage
Malolactic fermentation:
Yes
Type of aging container:
Oak
Size of aging container:
225 L
Type of oak:
French and American oak
Length of aging before bottling:
15 Months if 100 year old foudre.
Age of Aging Container:
35% New
Total SO2
67
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Analytical Data
pH level:
3.4
Acidity:
6.5 g/L
Alcohol:
13.5 %
Dry extract:
30.5 g/L
Total SO2
67
Residual sugar:
1.8 g/L