El Enemigo - Cabernet Franc 2020 (750ml)

 

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Producer	El Enemigo
Country	Argentina
Region	Mendoza
Varietal	Cabernet Franc
Vintage	2020
Sku	210000002709
Size	750ml

El Enemigo Cabernet Franc 2020

Served @ DB's "90+ Pt Rated Wines under $30" Tasting 

The wines of El Enemigo are a tribute to those internal battles that make us who we are. Winemaker Alejandro Vigil and historian Adrianna Catena reach back in time to capture the era when European immigrants first settled in Argentina. These settlers sought to make wines as good as or finer than those of their old homelands. By 1936, Malbec and Petit Verdot were Argentina’s most widely planted varietals, and their blend was considered the ultimate in refinement and aging potential.

Enemigo thrives in the thrill of experimentation and delights in the new and unconventional. It was born from a desire to carve a unique path and a shared obsession with terroir—each bottle an unfettered song to the wild, free-spirited soul. The wines reflect the freshness and character of each individual vineyard: a pure expression of terroir.

Fresh thyme and peppermint to the deep, spiced cherries, olives and roasted red chili. A hint of black beans, too. I like the texture and tension here with firm tannins on the broad, medium- to full-bodied palate. Firm and well-constructed tannins with a pretty long finish. Drink or hold.

The 2020 Cabernet Franc incorporates a 10% touch of Malbec and originates from Gualtallary in the Uco Valley. It underwent a 15-month aging process in used foudres. It's a dark and intense purple color. The nose reveals notes of ashes and herbs, interwoven with a subtle hint of jalapeño, set against a backdrop of black fruit and cedar. Dry and delicately lean, the palate is tightly structured and juicy, thanks to its fine-grained tannins. The vibrant palate concludes with a lingering thyme finish.

Against all odds, the 2020 Cabernet Franc, from a warm and dry year, feels fresher and more harmonious than the two other vintages I tasted next to it, the cooler 2019 and 2021. It contains some 10% Malbec that fermented together with the Cabernet Franc, which feels very integrated and softened the tannins that feel velvety but without losing grip. It spent 15 months in ancient oak foudres, and the oak feels very integrated.

The nose has floral aromas and a trace of oak spices. This vintage shows a ripe palate, with leafy flavors and ripe fruit in the form of plums and figs. It's soft and balanced and finishes with pleasant spicy notes.