El Enemigo Cabernet Franc 2022

Cellar for up to 9 years. No need to decant before serving. El Enemigo is a thrilling Argentinian project founded by Catena Zapata chief winemaker Alejandro Vigil and historian Adrianna Catena who is Nicolas Catena’s youngest daughter. Their wines capture their shared passion for history, philosophy and literature, offering rule-breaking and romantic expressions of some of the world’s greatest grape varieties with a distinctive Argentinian twist. Their cool climate Cabernet Franc grown at altitude in Mendoza’s spectacular vineyards at the foot of the Andes is particularly inspired. The bigger brother to this wine, Alejandro’s El Gran Enemigo Cabernet Franc was awarded the highest score ever given to a pure example of the variety by Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate. Grapes for this bottling are sourced from vineyards in Gualtallary which sit at between 1400 and 1470 metres above sea level. These unique conditions help produce a remarkably intense, powerful wine with perfect poise and balance thanks to the cool summer nights and long ripening season. The young wine is aged for 16 months in 100-year old Alsatian founders or large oak casks which were imported from Italy. The result is a stunningly beautiful red with luscious dark berry flavours, smooth tannins and a very long, spicy finish.

Price: £19.55 from 8wines UK