EL ENEMIGO El Barranco Single Vineyard Bonarda 2018
- SKU:
- 3910580
- UPC:
- 7794450004840
93 points “A medium-to-full-bodied savoury red with aromas of blackcurrants smoked meat dried herbs and walnut husk. Firm ripe tannins melt into a spicy core of dark fruit. Intense. Drink now.” – James Suckling
They say “Keep your friends close and your enemies closer.” El Enemigo meaning ‘the enemy’ is a winery you’re going to want to keep very close and share with only the closest of friends.
For those not familiar with Bonarda we think this grape could be Argentina’s next big thing. Displaying softer tannins and lower alcohol than the more mainstream Malbec Bonarda is a fruity and easy-drinking delight. However it only makes up about 8% of the country’s vineyards so bottles are rare. Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate notes that El Enemigo’s “juicy and tasty” El Barranco Single Vineyard Bonarda is “a textbook varietal example with elegant rusticity some earthiness and grainy tannins.” It comes from vineyard in Junín an area in the east of Mendoza where the grape thrives and it’s a wine built for food. Pair it with comforting dishes empanadas patatas bravas tacos al pastor or pizza.
El Enemigo is a cult Argentinian winery. It’s a partnership between soil expert Alejandro Vigil (Director of Winemaking at the iconic Bodega Catena Zapata) and Adrianna Catena (sister of the Managing Director and fourth-generation vintner at Bodega Catena Zapata Dr Laura Catena). The idea was formed in 2009 while the two strolled back along the River Thames after a party at the Embassy of Argentina in London where Nicolás Catena Zapata – Adrianna’s father and the man who put Argentinian wine on the world map – had just been awarded Decanter Man of the Year. They decided to create a winery that respected traditions but rejected the status quo for example employing 100-year-old Alsatian oak foudres imported directly from Italy but also the more fashionable concrete eggs. Inspired by a mutual love of old-school Pomerol and Château Cheval Blanc the focus was to be cool-climate high-altitude Cabernet Franc – at this point it’s worth noting that some of their vineyards are nearly 1.5km above sea level. This was a pretty rebellious and radical concept because all anybody wanted to talk about at the time was Malbec from Argentina. We love this kind of renegade thinking especially when the wines taste this good.
SKU No.: 3910580
Style No.: 913870
Region: Mendoza
Grapes: Bonarda
Closure: Cork
Alcohol by volume (ABV): 13.5%
Volume: 750ml
Allergens: Sulphites
93 points “A medium-to-full-bodied savoury red with aromas of blackcurrants smoked meat dried herbs and walnut husk. Firm ripe tannins melt into a spicy core of dark fruit. Intense. Drink now.” – James Suckling
They say “Keep your friends close and your enemies closer.” El Enemigo meaning ‘the enemy’ is a winery you’re going to want to keep very close and share with only the closest of friends.
For those not familiar with Bonarda we think this grape could be Argentina’s next big thing. Displaying softer tannins and lower alcohol than the more mainstream Malbec Bonarda is a fruity and easy-drinking delight. However it only makes up about 8% of the country’s vineyards so bottles are rare. Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate notes that El Enemigo’s “juicy and tasty” El Barranco Single Vineyard Bonarda is “a textbook varietal example with elegant rusticity some earthiness and grainy tannins.” It comes from vineyard in Junín an area in the east of Mendoza where the grape thrives and it’s a wine built for food. Pair it with comforting dishes empanadas patatas bravas tacos al pastor or pizza.
El Enemigo is a cult Argentinian winery. It’s a partnership between soil expert Alejandro Vigil (Director of Winemaking at the iconic Bodega Catena Zapata) and Adrianna Catena (sister of the Managing Director and fourth-generation vintner at Bodega Catena Zapata Dr Laura Catena). The idea was formed in 2009 while the two strolled back along the River Thames after a party at the Embassy of Argentina in London where Nicolás Catena Zapata – Adrianna’s father and the man who put Argentinian wine on the world map – had just been awarded Decanter Man of the Year. They decided to create a winery that respected traditions but rejected the status quo for example employing 100-year-old Alsatian oak foudres imported directly from Italy but also the more fashionable concrete eggs. Inspired by a mutual love of old-school Pomerol and Château Cheval Blanc the focus was to be cool-climate high-altitude Cabernet Franc – at this point it’s worth noting that some of their vineyards are nearly 1.5km above sea level. This was a pretty rebellious and radical concept because all anybody wanted to talk about at the time was Malbec from Argentina. We love this kind of renegade thinking especially when the wines taste this good.
SKU No.: 3910580
Style No.: 913870