With two perfect 100-point scores to its name and a price point that puts it within reach of many, the eagerly awaited Gran Enemigo Gualtallary 2019 from Argentina's El Enemigo has just been released.
El Enemigo has swiftly risen to prominence in just a few vintages. Founded as a joint venture between Alejandro Vigil, the esteemed winemaker of Catena, and Adrianna, the younger daughter of the Catena family, El Enemigo embodies their shared passion for creating accessible wines that showcase the unique character of Mendoza's terroirs. Inspired by the pioneering spirit of Napa Valley in the 1970s and 1980s and producing wines modelled on Cabernet Franc-dominated, old-style Right Bank Bordeaux, their mission is to produce limited quantities of exceptional wines with a focus on quality.
Today, El Enemigo stands among the leading names in the Argentine wine industry. Their wines have garnered high critical acclaim and attract a dedicated following of discerning collectors, with El Enemigo laying claim to being one of the finest producers of Cabernet Franc in the world.
Gran Enemigo Gualtallary holds the enviable achievement as the first wine from Argentina to have achieved 100 points from The Wine Advocate, which was awarded for the 2013 vintage (currently trading upwards of £950 per case of 6). This 2019 iteration is the second vintage to have met that superlative mark, with The Wine Advocate's Luiz Gutiérrez stating that, "This is one of the finest vintages for this single-vineyard blend... reminds me of a great vintage of Lafleur".
James Suckling is equally effusive, saying, "An incredible cabernet franc from Gualtallary... I’d want to drink a bottle now even though it can hold extremely well".
We have a number of different formats to choose from, including showstopping double magnums. We also have a number of other El Enemigo single vineyard wines arriving on the same shipment. Take a look at the table below the tasting notes for details.
Well-priced, and perfectly-scored, the El Enemigo Gran Enemigo Gualtallary 2019 is sure to be popular. Do let me know if you would like to order, and I can confirm, subject to remaining availability.
Stocks will be arriving into AMFW in early 2024.
James Suckling is equally effusive, saying, "An incredible cabernet franc from Gualtallary... I’d want to drink a bottle now even though it can hold extremely well".
We have a number of different formats to choose from, including showstopping double magnums. We also have a number of other El Enemigo single vineyard wines arriving on the same shipment. Take a look at the table below the tasting notes for details.
Well-priced, and perfectly-scored, the El Enemigo Gran Enemigo Gualtallary 2019 is sure to be popular. Do let me know if you would like to order, and I can confirm, subject to remaining availability.
Stocks will be arriving into AMFW in early 2024.
El Enemigo Gran Enemigo Gualtallary 2019
£350 (6x75cl) IB
£130 (1x150cl) IB
£260 (1x300cl) IB
100 Points | Luis Gutiérrez, The Wine Advocate
The incredibly subtle, elegant and austere 2019 Gran Enemigo Gualtallary Single Vineyard reminds me of a great vintage of Lafleur, my favorite Bordeaux, as this is one of the finest vintages for this single-vineyard blend of Cabernet Franc with some 15% Malbec. It develops very slowly in the glass and shows layers and layers of aromas but all in a very subtle way. It also reminds me of the fabulous 2013 that I rated 100 points in 2018, and there has not been such a perfect vintage since then. It has great balance and a silky mouthfeel, with refined, elegant tannins and a long, dry finish with a chalky and salty sensation and no room for sweetness; it's more about herbs, flowers and rocks than anything else. They produced 9,000 bottles of this beauty. It was bottled in July 2020. Drinking Window: 2023 - 2035
100 Points | James Suckling
A complex, restrained and deliciously austere cabernet franc with damp earth, oyster shells, blueberries, thyme, rosemary and mushrooms. Super serious and chalky on the palate with lots of dissolved, minerally-textured tannins. Very long and uncompromising! An incredible cabernet franc from Gualtallary by Alejandro Vigil. Extremely pure, mineral and seductive. A fabulous cabernet franc that grows on the palate with remarkable tension and texture. I’d want to drink a bottle now even though it can hold extremely well.
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