- 95 points -

Gold Medal - Argentina Wine Awards

- 95 points -

Sourced entirely from vineyards in the cool (in both sense of the word) Uco Valley sub-region of Gualtallary, this is an outstanding blend of Malbec with 7% Cabernet Franc and 3% Petit Verdot. Dense, yet chalky, it’s a multi-layered wine where the perfumed, blackberry fruit does the talking.

- 94 points -

The 2020 Malbec also includes 8% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot, sourced from Gualtallary in the Uco Valley. It was aged for 15 months in foudres, resulting in a purple color. The nose presents plums, violets, sage and bitter orange. Dry and juicy on the palate, it moves with a nimble flow lifted by balanced acidity. The apparent absence of tannins contributes to its voluminous and weightless mouthfeel.

- 94 points -

Made with grapes from Gualtallary and aged for 15 months in old foudres, this Malbec, mixed with 10% Cabernet Franc, is proof of the beauty of the combination: the Franc lends the Malbec greater discipline and depth. Bright purple in the glass. The nose offers fresh cherries and plums with aromas of thyme. Gentle in the mouth, delivering fine, subtle tannins that lend framework, all with a genial freshness that brings the flavours to life and pleasantly stretches out the slightly taut palate. A delicious wine.

- 94 points -

This Gualtallary Malbec is co-fermented with 7% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot and aged in older, larger oak. It’s a sappy, textured, grassy blend with the brightness and perfume that define the style at Bodega Aleanna and tangy acidity.

- 94 points -

Marrying Malbec with 7% Cabernet Franc and 3% Petit Verdot, this hails from cool (in both senses of the word) Gualtallary. Strikingly perfumed, with violet and graphite aromas, fine tannins, savoury blackberry fruit and skilfully handled oak.

- 93 points -

The 2018 Malbec El Enemigo has an 8% portion of Cabernet Franc, both from Gualtallary in the Uco Valley, from vineyards planted in calcium rich soils and aged for 15 months in old foudres. The complex nose offers plum and a hint of ash primarily along with subtle, expansive twists of lavender and violet. In the mouth, the wine is structured around the freshness with a skinny flow for the variety and gently grippy tannins that make it agile and flavorful. Delicate and compact, the juicy freshness keeps the fruity flavors present.

- 93 points -

The 2019 Malbec contains 8% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot, all from the Uco Valley, and was aged for 15 months in foudres. Purple in color. The complex nose presents fresh plum with hints of sour cherry, herbs and aromas from the aging process. In the mouth, it’s a little chalky with mild freshness and refined tannins. A relaxed, delicate, rewarding wine.

- 93 points -

This has pretty aromas of blackberries, ripe blueberries, dark chocolate, walnuts and crushed stones. Hints of citrus zest. It’s medium-bodied with fine, fleshy tannins. Textured and velvety with a solid core of dark fruit. 

- 93 points -

For this El Enemigo, Aleanna's entry-level malbec, winemaker Alejandro Vigil gets his grapes from a vineyard planted in the first half of the 1990s on the gravel and limestone soils of Gualtallary, in the northern Uco Valley. It's a high-altitude vineyard more than 1,300 meters up, and that shows in the type of fruit it offers, with notes of tart red fruits crossed with herbs. The palate speaks of the soil, with that firm, taut texture from the limestone. It's refreshing, and the acidity is in charge, leaving a very crisp sensation.

- 93 points -

The El Enemigo Malbec contains 10% Cabernet Franc - Ale Vigil is a master at blending
the two varieties - and all comes from bony soils in Gualtallary in the upper part of the Uco Valley. Fermented with 50% whole bunches, this is all about fruit and flavour rather than wood, with real zip, freshness and vibrancy, chalky minerality and fine-grained tannins.

- 93 points -

In 2009, Adrianna Catena, the youngest daughter of Nicolas Catena, joined forces with winemaker Alejandro Vigil to found Bodegas Aleanna. They’ve based their project on Adrianna Vineyard, a vineyard Catena planted around 1996, in the heights of Gualtallary. This 2013 reflects the cool temperatures of the area in the radiance of the fresh fruit and its crisp texture, propelled by an acidity so virile it nearly vibrates. Give the wine another five years in the cellar, so those flavors can evolve beyond fruitiness.

- 93 points -

Beautiful balance and freshness with dark berry, sea salt and mineral character. Full body, silky tannins and a dry finish. From grapes grown in Gualtallary. Aged in 6,000 liter 100-year-old cask.

- 93 points -

The very young 2021 Malbec follows the path of restraint, balance, harmony and elegance that was seen in the 2019, which I tasted next to it. This is a neatly crafted Malbec with varietal typicity, spiced up with some Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, always with very careful oaking to respect the typicity of the variety and the place. It's mineral and stony, finishing dry and long.

- 93 points -

Exuberant red and blue fruit with a touch of stones and subtle spices. Juicy and firm on the palate, with a medium to full body and fresh, fine-grained tannins. Quite a long finish full of fruit.

- 93 points -

The 2018 Malbec has some 8% Cabernet Franc in the blend, and it has only 13.5% alcohol while retaining very good acidity. The grapes were sourced from Gualtallary and were co-fermented. It's a serious, subtle and mineral Malbec, with some austerity and shy varietal aromas of violets and wild herbs. The palate is medium-bodied with terrific texture and very clean and focused flavors, and it has the chalky texture from the limestone-rich soils. 28,000 bottles produced. It was bottled in July 2019 after 12 months in ancient oak foudres.

- 93 points -

It's always interesting to compare different vintages of the same wine, in this case the 2019 Malbec with the following two years. It has 8% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot in the blend and only 13.5% alcohol while retaining very good acidity. The grapes were sourced from Gualtallary and were co-fermented. This is varietal with an herbal twist, serious, subtle and mineral with austerity and elegance, reflecting a very balanced and good year. It's medium-bodied, nicely textured and has a chalky texture from the limestone soils. 35,000 bottles produced. It was bottled in July 2020 after 15 months in ancient oak foudres. Superb!

- 93 points -

This is Aleanna’s most basic malbec, and like all of the house’s malbecs, it comes from the Adrianna Vineyard, 1,450 meters up in Gualtallary. The soils there are chalky, and the mountain climate marks the palate of this wine as well as its fruits. It owes those firm, tense tannins to the soil and its tart red fruits to the climate, all in a malbec that offers a very good approach to Gualtallary wines. This year’s version is particularly clean and fresh, but most of all, it’s especially nervy and tense. One of the best versions of this wine.

- 92 points -

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.

- 92 points -

A fresh and focused red with cherry, balsamic and floral character. Medium to full body, soft tannins and a flavorful finish.

- 92 points -

A juicy and fruity red with dark berries and salt. Fresh herbs. Medium body, linear and refined with very polished tannins. Fruity and straight up but with tension.

- 92 points -

Aromas of ripe blackberries and dark cherries with herbal undertones. It’s medium-to full-bodied with chewy tannins. Fleshy with an ink-like feel on the palate. Very approachable with a flavorful finish. Delivers as always. Drink or hold.

- 92 points -

Ripe black cherries, spice, lavender and stones to the nose. Dusty, firm tannins on the flavorful, medium- to full-bodied palate, showing excellent mid-palate tension.

- 92 points -

The 2020 Malbec shows a little more generous, reflecting a warmer and dry year, with black fruit, spices and herbs, a medium to full-bodied palate and some chalky tannins. It has grip and should do well with food. It matured in 100-year-old foudres for 15 months.

- 92 points -

El Enemigo’s entry-point Malbec, blended with 8% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot, comes from vines at 1,300 metres in Gualtallary. Fermented with 60% whole bunches, it has appealing ginger and vanilla oak, flavours of liquorice, plum and blackberry and the supple, sculpted tannins that are part of the bodega’s style.

- 92 points -

From Gualtallary, 1470 metres above sea level on rocky calcareous soil, this 89/6/5/ malbec/cabernet franc/petit verdot is fermented in both 225 liter barrels and old cement containers. The intense, pure black fruit is set free by the use of aged foudres for aging. The textures are round and soft, the fruit is a mix of blackberry/mulberry with a fresh, mineral, floral, licorice undercurrent. Delicious drinking even when young.

- 91 points -

A plush style, with concentrated and pure-tasting dark berry, violet and raspberry flavors that provide a velvety mouthfeel. Licorice and tar accents show on the long, ripe finish. 

- 90 points -

A soft and salty red with plum and berry character. Medium body, round texture and a flavorful finish. 

- 90 points -

Elegant, with hot stone notes accenting the pure-tasting dried red fruit flavors. Details of underbrush emerge on the focused finish, showing some tarry hints.

- 90 points -

(13.5% alcohol; winemaker Alejandro Vigil vinified this wine, as well as his Bonardas, with about 30% whole clusters, vs. 50% for his vineyard-designated Cabernet Francs): Bright medium ruby. Tight, reserved scents of blackberry, licorice, violet and rose petal, with a whiff of leathery rusticity; showed riper, even slightly roasted fruits with aeration. Concentrated and refined on the palate, displaying surprising calcaire-driven energy and definition to its flavors of red and black berries and spices. Harmonious acidity and chalky floral lift give this ripe-but-dry wine a light touch (I'd even describe it as almost Pinot-like). Finishes with firm, gripping, slightly dry-edged tannins.