BODEGA ALEANNA | El Enemigo | Cabernet Franc | 2018
cabernet franc

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Today we are going to review a single-varietal cabernet franc wine from the famous Mendoza region of Argentina – El Enemigo Cabernet Franc 2018 by Bodega Aleanna. The ‘other cabernet’ grape, cabernet franc is the parent grape for the two famous international varieties: cabernet sauvignon and merlot. It is less intense and softer than cabernet sauvignon and it ripens much earlier, while it is also much more resistant to winter cold and frost than merlot. One thing that makes cabernet franc unique is that it can’t hide its nature – it has always been a bit more peppery, more savory and leaner than its pedigree children, due to the higher levels of pyrazines inherited by the variety. El Enemigo is a thrilling wine project founded by the chief winemaker of Catena Zapata – Alejandro Vigil and Adrianna Catena. The grapes for this wine are sourced from vineyards in Gualtallary, that are planted on altitudes between 1400 and 1470 metres. These unique conditions help produce a remarkably intense, powerful wine with perfect poise and balance thanks to the cool summer nights and long ripening season. The wine itself is aged for 16 months in 100-year old french oak founders. That said and without further ado, let’s take a look at the wine tasting results.
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Take a look at the tasting notes below and our detailed assessment of the wine:

//Visual
colour: medium-deep ruby color
clarity: hazy purple shades on the rim

//Olfactory
intensity: rich & savory
fruit profile: red fruits | blue fruits
__red fruits: red currant | cranberry | sour cherry
__blue fruits: blueberry | blue plum | honeyberry
fruit character: ripe

//Flavor
non fruit: vegetal | spice | savory | earthy
__vegetal: wormwood | basil | sage
__spice: red pepper | cloves | thyme
__savory: iron | veal | leather | capocollo | game | brown olive
__earthy: petrichor | black soil dust | beetroot | sweet potato | forest floor
primary layer: savory-earthy

//Palate
sweetness: dry
acidity: high
alcohol: medium+
tannin: medium
__grip: fine
balance: good
__dominant: none
body: supple & lean | medium body

//Taste
fruit profile: red fruits & blue fruits
fruit character: ripe
non fruit: savory & earthy
finish: medium
aftertaste: appealingly crisp

//Scoring
BODEGA ALEANNA | El Enemigo | Cabernet Franc | 2018
variety: cabernet franc
country: Argentina
region: Luján de Cuyo | Mendoza
rating: 92.6

//Conclusion
maturity: developing | drink now or age for another year or two
verdict: fine | highly recommended
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This is definitely a fine wine of Argentina and, with a total of 92.6 points scored, this wine is right there, among the best wines we’ve rated so far. Check our complete database on the wine rating page, where you can find all the wines that we have tasted and reviewed or go to the about us page and find out more about our exquisite rating system.

Verdict: this is a very fine and delicate wine indeed: crisp, savory and rustic – a wine that is still developing, thus one that requires another year or two of bottle ageing. It feels lean, supple and earthy, with mouth-watering acidity, fine-grained tannins and just a touch of alcoholic warmth showing through on the mouthfeel. On the nose the wine delivers a very nuanced savory accent, mixed with ripe red and blue fruits in the foreground, supported by a quite delicate and rustic, leathery-earthy background. All in all, this is a quite plush and voluptuous cabernet franc wine that feels well balanced and nicely structured, with well preserved varietal characteristics and a terroir-driven, rustic delicacy. This is definitely a wine that has both, its own distinctive personality and the footprint of the Mendoza terroir. Judging by the wine’s structure, our recommendation is to drink it sooner rather than later, as we firmly believe that it is always better to drink a wine a year too soon than a day too late. Enjoy!

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