February 21, 2025
Rare Allocation: 200-Point El Enemigo Gran Enemigo Gualtallary 2019
This offer is not available on the website, for an allocation request, please email [email protected]
100 Points - 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"
"They are without a doubt one of the leading names in the whole of Argentina” The Wine Advocate.
El Enemigo was founded by Adrianna Catena, daughter of the legendary Nicolás Catena, and Alejandro Vigil, one of Argentina’s most celebrated winemakers. While Catena Zapata is synonymous with Malbec, El Enemigo focuses on Cabernet Franc, showcasing the potential of this variety in Mendoza’s high-altitude vineyards. Vigil, who also serves as Chief Winemaker for Catena Zapata, is known for his deep understanding of Mendoza’s terroirs and his relentless pursuit of perfection. His work at El Enemigo has earned him a cult-like following, producing some of the most exciting wines in Argentina today.
The 2019 Gran Enemigo Gualtallary is a benchmark Cabernet Franc, blended with 15% Malbec, mirroring the style of old-school Right Bank Bordeaux wines, particularly Château Lafleur which the Wine Advocate compares the 2019 to in their tasting note. This vintage benefited from ideal growing conditions, producing a wine of intense aromatics, deep structure, and remarkable ageing potential. It offers layers of dark fruit, graphite, wild herbs, and crushed violets, wrapped in fine-grained tannins and vibrant minerality from Gualtallary’s limestone soils. With not one, but two 100-point scores, it firmly establishes itself among the world’s greatest expressions of Cabernet Franc.
Despite huge critical acclaim, soaring demand, and extremely limited allocations, Gran Enemigo Gualtallary 2019 remains an incredible bargain. Wines of this pedigree, precision, and scoring from Bordeaux or Napa would command significantly higher prices, making it one of the best buys in fine wine today. With quantities scarce and collectors taking notice, this is a must-have for any serious Cabernet Franc lover—secure your bottles while you can.
The 2019 Gran Enemigo Gualtallary is a benchmark Cabernet Franc, blended with 15% Malbec, mirroring the style of old-school Right Bank Bordeaux wines, particularly Château Lafleur which the Wine Advocate compares the 2019 to in their tasting note. This vintage benefited from ideal growing conditions, producing a wine of intense aromatics, deep structure, and remarkable ageing potential. It offers layers of dark fruit, graphite, wild herbs, and crushed violets, wrapped in fine-grained tannins and vibrant minerality from Gualtallary’s limestone soils. With not one, but two 100-point scores, it firmly establishes itself among the world’s greatest expressions of Cabernet Franc.
Despite huge critical acclaim, soaring demand, and extremely limited allocations, Gran Enemigo Gualtallary 2019 remains an incredible bargain. Wines of this pedigree, precision, and scoring from Bordeaux or Napa would command significantly higher prices, making it one of the best buys in fine wine today. With quantities scarce and collectors taking notice, this is a must-have for any serious Cabernet Franc lover—secure your bottles while you can.
Please let us know your requirements over email to [email protected] and we will try our best to allocate.
Important:
The 2017 can be bought on its own and is free to buy.
The 2019 however needs to be bought 1:1 with the 2017. To compensate for this, we have a special price on the 2019.
El Enemigo Gran Enemigo Gualtallary 2019 75cl
100 Points | 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.
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 it can hold extremely well.
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 it can hold extremely well.
El Enemigo Gran Enemigo Gualtallary 2017 75cl
98 Points | Wine Advocate
The 2017 Gran Enemigo Gualtallary Single Vineyard didn't show any heat or excess ripeness from a warm and dry year. On the contrary, it's austere and has citrus acidity, with great freshness and minerality. The palate is super austere with vibrant acidity—by far the highest among the Gran Enemigo bottlings—and very fine, chalky tannins. This is remarkable, serious, balanced and fresh with a very, very long and salty finish. This fermented in barrels with 100% full clusters and indigenous yeasts and matured in centenary oak foudres for 15 months. 3,000 bottles were filled in July 2018.
The 2017 Gran Enemigo Gualtallary Single Vineyard didn't show any heat or excess ripeness from a warm and dry year. On the contrary, it's austere and has citrus acidity, with great freshness and minerality. The palate is super austere with vibrant acidity—by far the highest among the Gran Enemigo bottlings—and very fine, chalky tannins. This is remarkable, serious, balanced and fresh with a very, very long and salty finish. This fermented in barrels with 100% full clusters and indigenous yeasts and matured in centenary oak foudres for 15 months. 3,000 bottles were filled in July 2018.
97 Points | James Suckling
Pretty aromas of plum, blueberry, rose hip, lavender, sandalwood and oyster shell. It’s medium-to full-bodied with silky, seamless tannins. So pure and elegant with gorgeous layers of cool blue fruit. Saline and coffee notes, too. Long and evolving. Drink or hold.
Pretty aromas of plum, blueberry, rose hip, lavender, sandalwood and oyster shell. It’s medium-to full-bodied with silky, seamless tannins. So pure and elegant with gorgeous layers of cool blue fruit. Saline and coffee notes, too. Long and evolving. Drink or hold.