El Enemigo Malbec 2012
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Pair this wine with rodizio, Lyonnaise sauces, grilled steaks, and barbecued ribs.
Blend: 89% Malbec, 6% Cabernet Franc, 5% Petit Verdot.
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Wine Enthusiast
Alejandro Vigil's El Enemigo wines are worth jumping on if you like full-bodied, robust Argentinean reds. This is typically smoky and dark up front, with molasses, marzipan and blackberry aromas. The palate clamps down with tannic grip, while flavors of oak, blackberry, tobacco, vanilla and spices end briary and with subtlety, which is what makes this powerful wine so good. Drink through 2019.
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Wine Spectator
A svelte style, with rich, well-rounded flavors of dark currant, cherry and pomegranate, accented by some kirsch notes. Rich and loamy midpalate, offering a broad, well-spiced finish that features touches of elegance and silky tannins. Drink now through 2019.
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El Enemigo translates as the enemy. Nodding to the fact that at the end of any journey, most remember only one battle — the one fought within (the original enemy). This is the battle that defines us. The wines of El Enemigo are a tribute to those internal battles that make us who we are, brought to fruition by a winemaker, Alejandro Vigil, and a historian, Adrianna Catena who share a love of wine and reach back in time to capture the era when European immigrants first settled in Argentina. These settlers sought to make wines as fine, and finer, than those of their old homeland. By 1936, Malbec and Petit Verdot were the most widely planted fine varietals in Argentina, their blend considered the ultimate in refinement and aging potential.
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.