El Enemigo : Gran Enemigo "Chacayes" 2022

The pure expression of a high-altitude terroir in Mendoza

The estate
Founded in 2009 through a partnership between historian Adrianna Catena and winemaker Alejandro Vigil, who are its current owners, the company Aleanna is behind the El Enemigo project. Located in the Mendoza region, the estate draws on 16 hectares of its own vineyards. This distinctive brand stands out for its commitment to crafting high-altitude wines through a meticulous exploration of Argentinian terroirs. The founding duo's intellectual and philosophical approach aims to overcome the enemy within in order to produce authentic cuvées that remain true to their convictions.

The vineyard
The grapes come from the Los Chacayes geographical indication, located in Tunuyán, in the Mendoza region of Argentina. The vines are planted at an altitude of 1,100 metres. Planting density reaches 7,000 vines per hectare on alluvial soils characterised by the presence of limestone.

The vintage
2022 is regarded as an exceptional year in the region. The weather conditions made it possible to achieve optimal acidity, great concentration and perfect polyphenolic ripeness, while maintaining balanced alcohol levels. Alejandro Vigil even describes this harvest as the finest he has ever experienced.

Vinification and ageing
For the 2022 vintage, fermentation takes place in concrete vats at an average temperature of 25°C. The process includes 40% whole bunches. A five-day cold maceration precedes a forty-day infusion, carried out with minimal movement to encourage gentle extraction. The wine is then aged for fifteen months, exclusively in concrete vats.

Grape varieties
Gran Enemigo "Chacayes" 2022 by El Enemigo is a blend of 85% Cabernet Franc and 15% Malbec.