BODEGA ALEANNA | El Enemigo | Bonarda | Single Vineyard | La Esperanza | 2019
bonarda

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Founded by a winemaker and a historian, Bodega Aleanna is the passion project of Alejandro Vigil, chief winemaker at Catena Zapata, and Adrianna Catena, the youngest daughter of the legendary Nicolás Catena, who decided to make wines that would celebrate their shared love for literature, philosophy and tradition. This venture seeks to honor both tradition and rebellion, crafting wines that are deeply rooted in Mendoza’s history while simultaneously pushing the boundaries of its potential.
Today we are going to review a wine that requires little introduction, as this is a true classic from Mendoza, which is Argentina‘s flagship wine region – El Enemigo Bonarda Single Vineyard La Esperanza 2019 by Bodega Aleanna. Bonarda, the second most planted grape variety in Argentina, is not the same grape as bonarda from Italy, this bonarda (known as charbono in California, douce noir in Piedmont and croatina in Lombardy) found it’s second home at the foothill of the Andes Mountains and we believe, it is going to make a big splash in the coming years.

El Enemigo is a thrilling wine project founded by the chief winemaker of Catena Zapata – Alejandro Vigil and historian Adrianna Catena, the daughter of Nicolas Catena, who helped put Argentina on the world map. Today’s wine is a single varietal cuvée, produced from a very small, 5 hectare plot of century-old bonarda vines – the revered La Esperanza vineyard in San Martín – planted at 650 meters above sea level on sandy-rich soils in the Rivadavia sub-region of Mendoza. This vineyard was rescued by Alejandro Vigil, as he firmly believed in the potential of the old vines bonarda. These unique conditions allowed him to produce a remarkably intense and delicate wine with perfect harmony and balance.

The 2019 vintage was extraordinary for Mendoza, hailed by Alejandro Vigil as ‘the best year that I have lived through’, yielding grapes with optimal acidity, impressive concentration, ripe polyphenols, and balanced sugar levels. Once harvested, the grapes were vinified using wild yeasts only, with fermentation at a maximum temperature of 28ºC for 15 days, followed by 15-days maceration with minimal intervention to extract optimal color and flavor. The final wine has been aged for 12 months in large oak foudres that are over 100 years old, with additional time of bottle ageing before it was deemed ready for the market release.

The mighty Mendoza – Argentina’s largest and most renowned wine region, lies in the high-altitude desert at the foothills of the Andes, where vineyards are planted at altitudes between 600 to 1500 meters, thus benefiting from intense sunlight, cool mountain nights, and an arid climate moderated through Andean meltwater irrigation. Its alluvial soils, rich in sand, gravel, and stones with excellent drainage, naturally limit vine vigor and promote concentrated flavors, while pockets of limestone in top sub-regions, like Uco Valley and Maipú Valley, add a distinctive mineral edge to the wines. Though best known for producing the world’s finest expressions of malbec, Mendoza unique terroir also yield outstanding cabernet sauvignon, syrah, bonarda, and chardonnay. The region’s combination of desert purity, mountain influence, and diverse soils, produces wines of power, freshness, and remarkable elegance.

color: medium-deep ruby color
clarity: hazy & noble garnet hues

In the glass, the wine presents a medium-deep ruby color, hinting at its concentration without being overly opaque. Around the rim of the glass, noble hazy garnet shades can be detected, indicating a touch of graceful evolution and adding a nuanced complexity to its youthful vibrancy.

intensity: rich & savory-delicate
fruit character: ripe & vibrant

The aromatic profile is rich and savory-delicate, unveiling a multi-layered, rustic, and complex bouquet. It balances a core of ripe fruit nuance with delicate, savory-earthy notes and subtle oak-derived undertones. In the foreground, an intricate tapestry of savory notes immediately captures attention – think old leather, cured meats, a rustic hint of barnyard, and an edge of iron and iodine – all seamlessly interwoven with an abundance of dusty black fruits like blackberry, bitter cherry, blueberry, and dark plum, elegantly lifted by elegant hints of violets. As the nose evolves, a sophisticated background emerges, revealing a deep earthy foundation of loam, clay, marl, and intriguing mineral streaks of pencil lead, granite, and slate. These are beautifully complemented by discreet oaky notes of cloves, tobacco, nutmeg, and a whisper of anise, all underpinned by delicately-rustic layers of terroir-driven dusty hints.

sweetness: dry | acidity: high  | alcohol: high | tannin: medium+ | balance: good
finish: medium+ | aftertaste: bitter-crisp

On the palate, the wine delivers a remarkably rich and pleasantly seedy mouthfeel, framed by a distinctive bitter-crisp character. This is a textbook expression of an old world-styled Bonarda, showcasing a nuanced dusty touch of earthy delicacy that beautifully balances vibrant fruit expression with terroir-driven finesse. The wine feels dry, with a vibrant acidity that cuts through the richness of the fruit, providing remarkable freshness and length. A well-integrated touch of alcoholic warmth is present, adding body without heat. The tannins are ripe and fine-grained, offering a velvety-grippy texture that coats the palate elegantly. All the main elements are in exquisite harmony, leading to a long, clean, and pleasantly bitter-crisp aftertaste, leaving a lasting impression of savory depth and mineral complexity.

maturity: almost in its prime | drink now or within the next 1 or 2 years
verdict: great | a benchmark wine | a wine that has all the traits to become legendary

Overall, this wine is a tribute to the Bonarda grape variety and the epitome of a modern-bred old-world expression, embodying the perfect harmony of modern winemaking and centuries old tradition. The masterfully delivers the vibrancy of fruit alongside that rustic and delicate footprint of its terroir. This is an ample, round, and profoundly elegant wine, distinguished by a savory-rustic accent that prioritizes delicacy and finesse over sheer power. The use of oak is remarkably restrained and almost untraceable, allowing the varietal expression and terroir delicacy to shine. Voluptuous, round, and elegant, the wine boasts a complex and nicely structured palate that is harmonious and very well balanced, making it arguably the finest Bonarda we have had the pleasure of tasting. Almost in its prime form, this wine can be enjoyed today, or cellared for another 1 or 2 years to allow its nuanced layers to further meld and evolve. We believe this wine is not designed for extended long-term bottle ageing, so seize the opportunity to savor it today while it retains its youthful vibrancy and captivating charm, as it is always better to drink a wine a year too soon, than a day too late.

Given the wine’s delicate profile and savory-rustic complexity, a highly complementary pairing would be a slow-braised wild boar ragu served with pappardelle. The richness and earthy character of the wild boar will beautifully complement the wine’s gamey and rustic notes, while the tomatoes freshness will harmonize with the wine’s refreshing acidity. In the same key, the wine’s fine-grained tannins will bind with the protein of the dish, softening the mouthfeel, while its dark fruit notes will find an echo in the savory depth of the ragu, creating a deeply satisfying and harmonious wine tasting experience. Enjoy!
BODEGA ALEANNA | El Enemigo | Bonarda | Single Vineyard | La Esperanza | 2019
variety: bonarda
country: Argentina
region: Mendoza
rating: 94.7

The El Enemigo project has been created by Alejandro Vigil, often dubbed the ‘Messi of Wine’ for his incredible winemaking talent, and Adrianna Catena – a partnership between science and history that is reflected in their wines. The name El Enemigo means ‘The Enemy’ – a nod to the internal battles we all face against our own limitations to achieve greatness.

© The WineStatistics ratings are based solely on our own knowledge of the world of wine and on our personal wine tastes, which may, or may not, differ from yours – the reader. Just remember that there are no absolutes of right and wrong in wine appreciation. Cheers!