92pts Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2017 El Enemigo Malbec has 10% Cabernet Franc and fermented with 50% full clusters and indigenous yeasts, then matured in oak foudres for 15 months. The oak is perfectly integrated into the fruit, and the wine comes through as floral and fruit-driven, elegant, with moderate ripeness, focused and clean flavors and very round tannins. It's long and tasty. Rating: 92+
92pts James Suckling
Love the blackberry, flower and orange-peel character. Medium body, creamy tannins and a flavorful finish. This is real malbec. Total whole-berry fermentation gives this freshness and brightness. Tension to the very friendly fruit at the end.
91pts Wine & Spirits
Adrianna Catena joined forces with Alejandro Vigil, the head winemaker at Catena Zapata, to create this label in 2009. Their goal was to meld modern winemaking techniques with older traditions, like fermenting with ambient yeasts in cement tanks, as they did for a portion of this wine. The brightness and verve of the blend lasts past the smoke of the oak and brings a sense of freshness to the blackberry flavors. It’s modern but balanced, especially if there’s a double-cut pork chop on hand.
Winemaker Notes
Rich and concentrated, it offers aromas of black fruit, cherry and dark berry fruit on the nose followed in the palate by a full-bodied wine with flavors of spice, blackberry, black cherry, pepper and a slight floral character. The finish is elegant and lengthy.
Pair this wine with rodizio, Lyonnaise sauces, grilled steaks, and barbecued ribs.