El Enemigo is a romantic winery at heart. The concept was born September 2009 as Alejandro Vigil and Adrianna Catena walked back from the Argentine Embassy in London, where Nicolas Catena had just received the Decanter Man of the Year Award. Adrianna, a historian, and Alejandro, a soils engineer, spoke of their shared love of philosophy, wine and history – so they decided to create wines together in reflection of this. Not that their respect for tradition means they stick within its limits, following the status quo has never been El Enemigo’s bag.
The fruit of their labour is quite brilliant. Alejandro holds the highest rating ever given to a pure Cabernet Franc wine by Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate, awarded to El Gran Enemigo Cabernet Franc from Gualtallary, Mendoza. The 100 year old Alsatian foudres (barrels) they use originally came from Italy, but were then re-toasted and reassembled in Mendoza. The gentleness of this wood brings out the true character of cool climate Cabernet Franc; elegant and age-worthy.