El Enemigo, 2012 Gran Enemigo Gualtallary Cabernet Franc, Gualtallary, Uco Valley, Mendoza, Argentina
Cab Franc du Jour #152
El Enemigo was established in 2008 by legendary winemaker and agronomist Alejandro Vigil and Argentinian wine royalty Adrianna Catena. The project was born from a shared desire to experiment and showcase terroir by charting a slightly unconventional course, while remaining anchored in their mutual passion for expressing the character of their vineyards.
While the range has since expanded to include other varieties, Cabernet Franc was the focus from the beginning and remains at the core of El Enemigo today. Alejandro describes it as the brand’s backbone, chosen for the grape’s remarkable ability to act as a mirror for terroir, a quality that is central to everything El Enemigo stands for. The winery works with around 60 hectares of Cabernet Franc across vineyards in the Uco Valley and Luján de Cuyo, producing five single-varietal expressions. Four of these form the Gran Enemigo range, sourced from single-vineyard sites in Agrelo in Luján de Cuyo and three sub-regions of the Uco Valley: Los Chacayes, El Cepillo, and Gualtallary, the last of which is perhaps the most celebrated wine in the portfolio. The first vintage of the Gran Enemigo Gualtallary Cabernet Franc was 2010.
The Uco Valley
While the Uco Valley’s history stretches back over 300 years, it has only truly emerged as a powerhouse region in the last 25 years, as drip irrigation became more widely available and winemakers shifted their attention from quantity toward quality, seeking out cooler sites with less vigorous soils. Stretching about 125km from north to south, the valley is divided into three sub-regions: Tupungato in the north, Tunuyán in the centre, and San Carlos in the south, with a combined total of nearly 30,000 hectares under vine. Malbec accounts for around 55% of plantings, but the Uco Valley is the most important region for Cabernet Franc in Mendoza, with approximately 756 hectares representing about 55% of the variety’s plantings in the province.
Gualtallary: Mendoza’s “Grand Cru”
Located in Tupungato, Gualtallary is not only arguably the most famous sub-region in the Uco Valley but perhaps in all of Argentina, which is remarkable given that the first vines were only planted there in 1992. Despite its prestige, Gualtallary does not yet hold official GI status, though the process is underway. Part of the complexity in formalising that status lies in the sub-region’s considerable internal diversity; some producers have proposed that it warrants division into four or even five separate GIs.
The main vineyard area stretches roughly 15km from east to west and around 10km from north to south at its widest point, with the Las Tunas River marking the southern border, and elevations ranging from 1,080 to around 1,600m above sea level. There are approximately 2,250 hectares under vine.
Gualtallary can be broadly divided into two zones. The lower-elevation eastern zone, ranging from around 1,100 to 1,300m above sea level, has a climate comparable to Winkler III to II, similar to Rioja and the northern Rhône through to Bordeaux. Soils here are a mix of sand and clay with some gravels near the Las Tunas River and virtually no calcareous material. This area has become associated with softer, fruitier wines with balanced freshness.
Moving west into the Andean foothills, the zones known as Gualtallary Alto and Gualtallary Monasterio sit at elevations of 1,350 to 1,550m above sea level, with a climate classified as Winkler Ib to Ia, comparable to Champagne, Burgundy, the Willamette Valley, or the Loire Valley. The soils here are quite poor: sandy-loams and silt-loams with a high concentration of large, calcium carbonate-coated river stones, with some vineyards carrying upwards of 40% limestone content. These sites are known for producing wines with tension, focus, firm tannins, and bright acidity.
El Enemigo is one of the most significant producers of Cabernet Franc in Gualtallary, farming around 34 hectares of the variety in the region: approximately 20 hectares in the Gualtallary Medio zone and about 7 hectares in Gualtallary Alto, which is the source of the Gran Enemigo Gualtallary Cabernet Franc.
The Vineyard
The 2012 Gran Enemigo Gualtallary is sourced from approximately 4.7 hectares of vines at the Adrianna Vineyard, owned by Catena Zapata. The vineyard sits at around 1,470m above sea level, right at the boundary where Gualtallary Alto meets the Gualtallary Monasterio sub-zone. The vines were planted by massale selection in 1994 at a very high density of around 10,000 vines per hectare. The soils are a mix of silt and sand with a high concentration of large glacial river stones carrying significant calcareous content, giving the soils a pH of around 7.4. The vineyard is farmed sustainably with drip irrigation installed, and has held certified organic status since 2018.
In the Cellar
For the 2012 vintage, the fruit was hand-harvested in five separate passes through the vineyard over the course of approximately six weeks. Around 70% of the fruit was destemmed, with 30% retained as whole cluster. The fruit underwent a five-day cold soak before alcoholic fermentation with indigenous yeast in concrete tanks at around 22C. Maceration was by infusion with occasional wetting of the cap, with total skin contact of approximately 23 days. The free-run and press wines were then aged together in 100-year-old foudres for around 15 months.
In the Glass
Ripe, pure, fresh and fruit-forward on the nose, with a sunny character that reflects both the vintage and the intensifying effect of high-altitude viticulture. The fruit profile is predominantly red and cherry-driven with a mix of sweet-sour cherry, kirsch, dried cherry, and a Luxardo maraschino quality, with a fleck of foresty blue fruit. Pyrazines are present but reserved, with classic herbal notes of marjoram and wild mountain thyme alongside sweet succulent purple florals. Varietal spice (allspice, nutmeg, cinnamon) rounds out the nose.
The palate leans more savoury, providing a compelling counterpoint to the riper nose. Tertiary development is marked and layered with notes of dark chocolate, cured tobacco, green coffee bean, hibiscus, liquorice, and a lovely graphite pencil shaving note on the back end. Acidity is superb with a fresh, mouth-watering character arriving at the finish to beautifully balance the richer fruit profile. Tannins are ripe, firm, and velvety with a slight chalkiness on the finish. Full-bodied, plush, opulent, and richly textured, yet remarkably restrained and elegant throughout. Thoughtfully made, the wine is alluring and complex, with a real sense of authenticity and place. Drinking beautifully at present, but will continue to improve and evolve over the medium to long term.
Wine Details
Producer: El Enemigo
Region: Mendoza
Sub-Region: Uco Valley (Tupungato)
Sub-Region: Gualtallary
Vineyard: Adrianna Vineyard
Assemblage: 85% Cabernet Franc, 15% Malbec
Soil: Sandy-silt loam, with high proportion of large calcareous stones throughout
Alcohol: 13.9%