Chardonnay 2020

EL ENEMIGO

Chardonnay
2020

Product code
810660
Format
12 x 750ml
Listing type
Open
Status
Available
Type of product
Still wine
Country
Argentina
Regulated designation
Dénomination origine (DOC)
Region
Mendoza
Varietal(s)
Chardonnay
Colour
White
Sugar
Dry
Closure type
Cork
Producer's website

About this winery

El Enemigo, “the enemy”. The struggle that most defines us in our lives is the one that we wage with our selves. We are all our own worst enemies. This is the credo behind the name on the label. The wines of El Enemigo are enigmatic, charismatic, and verging on iconoclastic. In that way the wines reflect their maker, Alejandro Vigil, an almost Picasso-like personality. “Ale”, as he is known, is the head winemaker at the iconic Bodega Catena Zapata, but he has many loves. He consults,...

See the EL ENEMIGO detail page for more information on this brand

Press reviews

James Suckling

- 98 points -

#57 - Top 100 Wines of 2018

November 2018

This is really amazing with an exotic dried-fruit character of pineapple and mangoes. Full-bodied, rich and fruity with cream, pie-crust and caramel character. Crazy chardonnay with a little Jura style and some flor undertones. It really does have flor in the barrel when aging. Love. Get it.

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James Suckling

- 98 points -

TOP 100 WINES OF 2019

December 2019

A tight and beautiful white with a dense palate of beautiful, ripe lemons and apples. Layered and refined with phenolic tension. Complex yeast and hints of oak and flor. Full body. Great length. 80 per cent flor-growth in barrel.

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James Suckling

- 97 points -

#2 TOP 100 VALUE WINES OF 2020

April 2020 (Vintage 2018)

This is another rock-star chardonnay from here with dried-apple, pear-skin, crushed-stone and peach-pit character. Full body. Creamy texture. Phenolic form and a long, flavourful finish. 

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James Suckling

- 96 points -

James Suckling, April 2021 (Vintage 2019)

Cooked apple, lemon curd and light vanilla on the nose, together with stone, mineral and some dried flowers. Medium to full body with a creamy texture and beautiful fruit. Hints of vanilla and pie crust in the aftertaste. Always great quality for the price. 

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James Suckling

- 96 points -

November 2022 (Vintage 2020)

This has aromas of ripe apricots, buttercream, baked apples and pastries. Medium-to full-bodied with a creamy, round and almost oily texture. Lovely balance of ripe fruit and toasted-pastry notes with bright acidity. Delicious finish. Fantastic value, as always.

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Vinous

- 94 points -

April 2021 (Vintage 2019)

The 2019 Chardonnay El Enemigo from Gualtallary, Uco Valley, was aged for nine months in 500-liter barrels, partially in flor. Yellow with golden flecks. The aromas deliver cedar, hazelnut, hints of white fruit, a touch of yeast and a whiff of sherry. Dry in the mouth, with a terse, velvety texture that nonetheless remains compact. The backdrop is full of cedar and flor flavors with hints of salinity and a prolix aftertaste.

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Vinous

- 94 points -

August 2022 (Vintage 2020)

The 2020 Chardonnay El Enemigo from Gualtallary, Uco Valley was aged in oak with flor for twelve months with 15% coming from other years. Yellowish green in the glass. The nose presents notes of hazel and chestnuts accompanied by green apple and expressive whiffs of chamomile and pineapple. In the mouth, it’s taut with heightened freshness and a compact character from the flor exposing the skeletal acidity.

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Tim Atkin MW

- 93 points -

May 2020

Inspired by the wines of Jura as well as Jerez, this pure Gualtallary Chardonnay is aged
under flor and also includes 20% from a solera. Effortlessly handling its 35% new wood, it’s a complex, saline, savoury white, where terroir and winemaking technique are more important than the grape variety.

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Wine Spectator

- 92 points -

November 2022 (Vintage 2020)

Shows Viognier-like floral notes of gardenia and honeysuckle, with an elegant yet rich body of peach and pineapple. Reveals hints of thyme and mineral on the lengthy finish. 

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Wine Spectator

- 91 points -

August 2023 (Vintage 2021)

Presents itself as a fresh, clean and vibrant style, with spicy floral and slate details around crisp apple and Asian pear flavors, before gathering sneaky roundness and length. Reveals a juicy mandarin orange note on the smooth finish as well as subtle vanilla and clove accents. Drink now through 2028

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Wine Spectator

- 91 points -

2023 (Vintage 2021)

Presents itself as a fresh, clean and vibrant style, with spicy floral and slate details around crisp apple and Asian pear flavors, before gathering sneaky roundness and length. Reveals a juicy mandarin orange note on the smooth finish, with subtle vanilla and clove accents.

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