The story of El Enemigo begins with a historian and a winemaker. In 2009 historian Adrianna Catena, who is also Nicolas Catena’s youngest daughter, and Catena Zapata’s chief winemaker Alejandro Vigil decided to make their very own wines that would shake up Argentina’s wine scene and challenge the traditional ways of doing things. Inspired by the Old World, but invigorated by the new, these are some of the most exciting wines being made in Argentina today.
This majestic Syrah is made with a dash of Viognier, just like the classic recipe for the spicy, peppery Syrahs of the Northern Rhone in France. The fruit for this bottle comes from high altitude vineyards in the Agrelo sub-region of Mendoza, where the cooler nights help to preserve plenty of freshness and aromatics.
The complex nose is bursting with crushed berries, cassis, and black pepper notes, while the first sip delivers a hefty hit of firm tannins, a generous full body, and a solid core of luscious dark fruit. The finish is long with undertones of spice from the oak ageing and a subtle freshness from the Viognier. This wine will age beautifully in the cellar for a few more years, although it’s also approachable now alongside a prime Argentinian steak or barbecued ribs.