$130. Cork. IMHO still young - nose and palate of ripe fruit, smooth but tannins on the finish (honestly we expected better relative to price and commercial rating businesses like Wine Advocate and Suckling).
2019 Gran Enemigo Gualtallary Cabernet Franc
Wine Advocate 100:
The incredibly subtle, elegant and austere 2019 Gran Enemigo Gualtallary Single Vineyard reminds me of a great vintage of Lafleur, my favorite Bordeaux, as this is one of the finest vintages for this single-vineyard blend of Cabernet Franc with some 15% Malbec. It develops very slowly in the glass and shows layers and layers of aromas but all in a very subtle way. It also reminds me of the fabulous 2013 that I rated 100 points in 2018, and there has not been such a perfect vintage since then. It has great balance and a silky mouthfeel, with refined, elegant tannins and a long, dry finish with a chalky and salty sensation and no room for sweetness; it's more about herbs, flowers and rocks than anything else.
Suckling 100:
A complex, restrained and deliciously austere cabernet franc with damp earth, oyster shells, blueberries, thyme, rosemary and mushrooms. Super serious and chalky on the palate with lots of dissolved, minerally-textured tannins. Very long and uncompromising! An incredible cabernet franc from Gualtallary by Alejandro Vigil. Extremely pure, mineral and seductive. A fabulous cabernet franc that grows on the palate with remarkable tension and texture. I’d want to drink a bottle now even it can hold extremely well.
The greatest wine this phenomenal producer has ever made.
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Dark ruby hue. Exquisite bouquet of fruit, with aromas of blueberry, pepper, plum, saline, vanilla. Plus body, with plus tannins and plus acid. Superbly balanced and elegant, with a lengthy, memorable finish. Tannins are already well-integrated, but this is something to drink on special occasions. 85% Cabernet Franc, 15% Malbec.
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This has considerable upside in the next 5-10 years but popped and poured it came singing straight out of the bottle.
On the nose: a medley of blackberries, blueberries, tomato leaf, tobacco and cloves
On the palate: the length and finish are nice and long with a distinct note of cloves. Blueberry compote, lovely balanced acidity with notes of plums skins and firm tannins that smoothed out over 2 hours.
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Good now but considerable upside. Black cherry, berries, crushed rocks, a little bit of a roasted something, baked bread, sweet tobacco on the nose but all wrapped up in a seamless velvet package. Plush but not over the top at all on the palate. Nice acidity, hints of spice, plenty of length but not crazy. Nice stuff, looking forward to trying the next one in 10 years or so.
Decanted for 2 hours. Absolutely lovely wine which I'd characterize as "sex in a bottle." There is light to no sediment in the bottle. Medium body with a silky smooth texture. Medium finish with medium acidity. Even if this has long term potential, it's amazing right now although a good pairing with steak. Long term, it could probably be a standalone wine.
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Auge: Opaques Rubinrot. Klar. Nase: Extrem konzentriert und sehr klar. Zwanzig Zentimeter vom Glas entfernt liegt das Bouquet bereits in der Luft. Intensive Cranberry mit leichten Cassis-Noten. Unterlegt mit steiniger Mineralik. Zeitweise ein Hauch von leicht angebrannten Kaffeebohnen. Keine grünen Noten. Sehr schön komplex. Gaumen: Trocken mit sehr frischer Säure. Anfängliche dunkle Beeren, gefolgt von steiniger Mineralik und Peffernoten. Extrem konzentriert im Geschmack. Endlos lange mittlere Gaumenlänge gefolgt von endlos langem Finale mit mittelmäßig intensiven, sehr feinmaschigen Tanninen mit einer super-feinen Körnung. Der Wein halt sehr lange nach und der Geschmack bleibt auf der Zunge. Straight aus der Flasche getrunken. Der Wein war ohne belüften hervorragend.
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An absolutely amazing and intense Cabernet Franc dominated wine from high-altitude vineyards in Gualtallary in Tupungato in the famous Uco Valley wine region of Mendoza, over 1000 meters above sea level. The grapes are picked at 7 different times to achieve the perfect ripeness. The winemaking process also resembles the technique used for the famous French Cru Classé wines from Bordeaux. The wine has an intense dark color, almost purple at the edges, a large bouquet of ripe, black berries and hints of spices and mocha, a complex taste with great fullness which finishes soft and fruity. Alejandro Virgil himself calls it a "mini Cheval Blanc. Will age well for the next 20-30 years.
100 point Parker: The incredibly subtle, elegant and austere 2019 Gran Enemigo Gualtallary Single Vineyard reminds me of a great vintage of Lafleur, my favorite Bordeaux, as this is one of the finest vintages for this single-vineyard blend of Cabernet Franc with some 15% Malbec. It develops very slowly in the glass and shows layers and layers of aromas but all in a very subtle way. It also reminds me of the fabulous 2013 that I rated 100 points in 2018, and there has not been such a perfect vintage since then. It has great balance and a silky mouthfeel, with refined, elegant tannins and a long, dry finish with a chalky and salty sensation and no room for sweetness; it's more about herbs, flowers and rocks than anything else. They produced 9,000 bottles of this beauty.
100 point James Suckling: A complex, restrained and deliciously austere cabernet franc with damp earth, oyster shells, blueberries, thyme, rosemary and mushrooms. Super serious and chalky on the palate with lots of dissolved, minerally-textured tannins. Very long and uncompromising! An incredible cabernet franc from Gualtallary by Alejandro Vigil. Extremely pure, mineral and seductive. A fabulous cabernet franc that grows on the palate with remarkable tension and texture. I’d want to drink a bottle now even it can hold extremely well
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85% Cabernet Franc, 15% Malbec from calcareous, rocky soils in Gualtallary, Tupungato, Mendoza, at 1470 m at high density of 10.000 plants/ha. 5 harvest passes spanning 1.5 months. 40% whole bunch. ~26 day maceration (4 days cold). Fermented in French oak barrels (2nd and 3rd use) at ~23°C . Aged 15 months in 100 year old foudres. 13.5% Abv.
History: Bodega Aleanna since 2009 Co-founder: Adrianna Catena, Ph.D Historian, daughter of Nicolás Catena, proprietor of Vinícola Catena Zapata Co-founder/Winemaker: Alejandro Vigil
A(ccuray)=2: Med deep ruby. Focused, refined blend. B(alance)=3: Distinctive fruit with firm structure. C(omplexity)=2: Dark berries, fresh herbs, pepper, soft tannin. D(epth)=2: Textured mouthfeel. Full palate and lingering finish.
Wine Tally Score [2,3,2,2]= 9/10
Rustic elegance with just a touch of greenness as signature of the Cab Franc.
For story-telling label graphics, see: [https://www.instagram.com/p/CyND5wQy07T/] [https://www.facebook.com/WineTally/] For a video explanation of WineTally (in 8 languages) see: Wine Tally on www.youtube.com.
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Lovely. Very young, yet enjoyable. Double decant and 1 hour in a wide decanter. 30 minutes to the fridge. Nose very much there, mainly licorice. Initial mouth licorice and fine but present tannins. Fruit a bit withheld. After time blackberries. Then a redder fruit like raspberry that combines with the licorice. A long wine. Does well on its own and does carry a dinner without losing anything at all, except milding down the young tannins. In this case dinner was elk (moose) with mushroom nutmeg cream sauce. 97p because there is better in Bordeaux, never tasted better from South America. At 73 Eur this should be a block buster. And it was, sold out in 8 minutes in Sweden.
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This 100 point thing is becoming obscene. This is a wine made with some specific critic in mind, or you wouldn’t understand how this ended being a 100 pointer.
Easy to drink and enjoyable but not a memorable wine. Maybe in a few years the fruit will mellow and some complexity will raise, or maybe it just will fade.
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5/5/2024 - brady.lambert Likes this wine: 90 Points
$130. Cork. IMHO still young - nose and palate of ripe fruit, smooth but tannins on the finish (honestly we expected better relative to price and commercial rating businesses like Wine Advocate and Suckling).
2019 Gran Enemigo Gualtallary Cabernet Franc
Wine Advocate 100:
The incredibly subtle, elegant and austere 2019 Gran Enemigo Gualtallary Single Vineyard reminds me of a great vintage of Lafleur, my favorite Bordeaux, as this is one of the finest vintages for this single-vineyard blend of Cabernet Franc with some 15% Malbec. It develops very slowly in the glass and shows layers and layers of aromas but all in a very subtle way. It also reminds me of the fabulous 2013 that I rated 100 points in 2018, and there has not been such a perfect vintage since then. It has great balance and a silky mouthfeel, with refined, elegant tannins and a long, dry finish with a chalky and salty sensation and no room for sweetness; it's more about herbs, flowers and rocks than anything else.
Suckling 100:
A complex, restrained and deliciously austere cabernet franc with damp earth, oyster shells, blueberries, thyme, rosemary and mushrooms. Super serious and chalky on the palate with lots of dissolved, minerally-textured tannins. Very long and uncompromising! An incredible cabernet franc from Gualtallary by Alejandro Vigil. Extremely pure, mineral and seductive. A fabulous cabernet franc that grows on the palate with remarkable tension and texture. I’d want to drink a bottle now even it can hold extremely well.
The greatest wine this phenomenal producer has ever made.
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4/21/2024 - WhooskeyWine Likes this wine: 96 Points
Dark ruby hue. Exquisite bouquet of fruit, with aromas of blueberry, pepper, plum, saline, vanilla. Plus body, with plus tannins and plus acid. Superbly balanced and elegant, with a lengthy, memorable finish. Tannins are already well-integrated, but this is something to drink on special occasions. 85% Cabernet Franc, 15% Malbec.
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3/8/2024 - chmorc Likes this wine: 92 Points
This has considerable upside in the next 5-10 years but popped and poured it came singing straight out of the bottle.
On the nose: a medley of blackberries, blueberries, tomato leaf, tobacco and cloves
On the palate: the length and finish are nice and long with a distinct note of cloves. Blueberry compote, lovely balanced acidity with notes of plums skins and firm tannins that smoothed out over 2 hours.
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1/16/2024 - henryfriendly Likes this wine:
Good now but considerable upside. Black cherry, berries, crushed rocks, a little bit of a roasted something, baked bread, sweet tobacco on the nose but all wrapped up in a seamless velvet package. Plush but not over the top at all on the palate. Nice acidity, hints of spice, plenty of length but not crazy. Nice stuff, looking forward to trying the next one in 10 years or so.
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1/13/2024 - karanan Likes this wine: 98 Points
Decanted for 2 hours. Absolutely lovely wine which I'd characterize as "sex in a bottle." There is light to no sediment in the bottle. Medium body with a silky smooth texture. Medium finish with medium acidity. Even if this has long term potential, it's amazing right now although a good pairing with steak. Long term, it could probably be a standalone wine.
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12/24/2023 - P.L.A. Likes this wine: 98 Points
Auge: Opaques Rubinrot. Klar.
Nase: Extrem konzentriert und sehr klar. Zwanzig Zentimeter vom Glas entfernt liegt das Bouquet bereits in der Luft. Intensive Cranberry mit leichten Cassis-Noten. Unterlegt mit steiniger Mineralik. Zeitweise ein Hauch von leicht angebrannten Kaffeebohnen. Keine grünen Noten. Sehr schön komplex.
Gaumen: Trocken mit sehr frischer Säure. Anfängliche dunkle Beeren, gefolgt von steiniger Mineralik und Peffernoten. Extrem konzentriert im Geschmack. Endlos lange mittlere Gaumenlänge gefolgt von endlos langem Finale mit mittelmäßig intensiven, sehr feinmaschigen Tanninen mit einer super-feinen Körnung. Der Wein halt sehr lange nach und der Geschmack bleibt auf der Zunge.
Straight aus der Flasche getrunken. Der Wein war ohne belüften hervorragend.
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12/6/2023 - jesper_green@hotmail.com wrote: 99 Points
An absolutely amazing and intense Cabernet Franc dominated wine from high-altitude vineyards in Gualtallary in Tupungato in the famous Uco Valley wine region of Mendoza, over 1000 meters above sea level. The grapes are picked at 7 different times to achieve the perfect ripeness. The winemaking process also resembles the technique used for the famous French Cru Classé wines from Bordeaux. The wine has an intense dark color, almost purple at the edges, a large bouquet of ripe, black berries and hints of spices and mocha, a complex taste with great fullness which finishes soft and fruity. Alejandro Virgil himself calls it a "mini Cheval Blanc. Will age well for the next 20-30 years.
100 point Parker: The incredibly subtle, elegant and austere 2019 Gran Enemigo Gualtallary Single Vineyard reminds me of a great vintage of Lafleur, my favorite Bordeaux, as this is one of the finest vintages for this single-vineyard blend of Cabernet Franc with some 15% Malbec. It develops very slowly in the glass and shows layers and layers of aromas but all in a very subtle way. It also reminds me of the fabulous 2013 that I rated 100 points in 2018, and there has not been such a perfect vintage since then. It has great balance and a silky mouthfeel, with refined, elegant tannins and a long, dry finish with a chalky and salty sensation and no room for sweetness; it's more about herbs, flowers and rocks than anything else. They produced 9,000 bottles of this beauty.
100 point James Suckling: A complex, restrained and deliciously austere cabernet franc with damp earth, oyster shells, blueberries, thyme, rosemary and mushrooms. Super serious and chalky on the palate with lots of dissolved, minerally-textured tannins. Very long and uncompromising! An incredible cabernet franc from Gualtallary by Alejandro Vigil. Extremely pure, mineral and seductive. A fabulous cabernet franc that grows on the palate with remarkable tension and texture. I’d want to drink a bottle now even it can hold extremely well
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10/6/2023 - WineTally Likes this wine:
85% Cabernet Franc, 15% Malbec
from calcareous, rocky soils in Gualtallary, Tupungato, Mendoza,
at 1470 m at high density of 10.000 plants/ha.
5 harvest passes spanning 1.5 months.
40% whole bunch. ~26 day maceration (4 days cold).
Fermented in French oak barrels (2nd and 3rd use) at ~23°C .
Aged 15 months in 100 year old foudres.
13.5% Abv.
History: Bodega Aleanna since 2009
Co-founder: Adrianna Catena, Ph.D Historian, daughter of
Nicolás Catena, proprietor of Vinícola Catena Zapata
Co-founder/Winemaker: Alejandro Vigil
A(ccuray)=2: Med deep ruby. Focused, refined blend.
B(alance)=3: Distinctive fruit with firm structure.
C(omplexity)=2: Dark berries, fresh herbs, pepper, soft tannin.
D(epth)=2: Textured mouthfeel. Full palate and lingering finish.
Wine Tally Score [2,3,2,2]= 9/10
Rustic elegance with just a touch of greenness as signature of the Cab Franc.
For story-telling label graphics, see:
[https://www.instagram.com/p/CyND5wQy07T/]
[https://www.facebook.com/WineTally/]
For a video explanation of WineTally (in 8 languages) see:
Wine Tally on www.youtube.com.
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8/25/2023 - ralbuquerque wrote:
Consumido no Salí - Confraria UFRJ
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8/19/2023 - Vinus Silvestris Likes this wine: 97 Points
Lovely. Very young, yet enjoyable. Double decant and 1 hour in a wide decanter. 30 minutes to the fridge. Nose very much there, mainly licorice. Initial mouth licorice and fine but present tannins. Fruit a bit withheld. After time blackberries. Then a redder fruit like raspberry that combines with the licorice. A long wine. Does well on its own and does carry a dinner without losing anything at all, except milding down the young tannins. In this case dinner was elk (moose) with mushroom nutmeg cream sauce. 97p because there is better in Bordeaux, never tasted better from South America. At 73 Eur this should be a block buster. And it was, sold out in 8 minutes in Sweden.
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7/7/2023 - Neras Likes this wine: 94 Points
Dark, transperant red. Shy. Lots of fruit, but hidden. Fresh. Gentle tannins. Now, it needs lots of air. Good now, lots of potential.
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6/10/2023 - Marcosuru Likes this wine: 92 Points
This 100 point thing is becoming obscene.
This is a wine made with some specific critic in mind, or you wouldn’t understand how this ended being a 100 pointer.
Easy to drink and enjoyable but not a memorable wine.
Maybe in a few years the fruit will mellow and some complexity will raise, or maybe it just will fade.
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