EL ENEMIGO


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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, and contributes academic research on soils and microbial composition. With El Enemigo he plays and expresses himself creatively.
And yet the wines are also sensitive to historical blends, and the grapes come from some of the oldest vineyard sites of the region. That might be the influence of his business partner, Adrianna Catena, who recently graduated with a PhD in history from Oxford University.
Acclaim and recognition for these wines is accumulating at an exponential rate. Tim Atkin sums it up in his 2016 report, “You can rely on Ale Vigil to push the envelope of Argentinean winemaking.” The status quo and complacency are things to be vanquished. El Enemigo Winery is certified sustainable - 2023

Reviews for this winery

Wine Advocate

Aleanna has finally done it! The joint venture between Catena's winemaker Alejandro Vigil and Dr. Catena's younger daughter, Adrianna, has produced a perfect wine in 2013. They are without a doubt one of the leading names in the whole of Argentina. Look up the wines from previous years to see the progress of this exciting achievement!

June 2018

Vinous

...a partnership formed by historian Adrianna Catena (daughter of Nicolás Catena) and oenologist Alejandro Vigil. The winery produces wines from family vines that have become iconic among the new generation, such as the El Enemigo line. Particularly notable are their Cabernet Franc and Bonarda (the latter from eastern Mendoza), which are a couple of the most interesting wines on the market. A potent combination of experience and creative oenology.

October 2020

James Suckling

Although El Enemigo is a relatively young Argentine estate established in 2008, its founders are anything but inexperienced. The winemaker Alejandro Vigil is a soil expert who has been the chief winemaker of Bodega Catena Zapata for more than 17 years and his partner Adrianna Catena, who is a historian, is Nicolas Catena’s youngest daughter, whose dream is to continue her family winery Catena Zapata’s legacy in the future. Whether it’s the vineyards of Gualtallary — which we refer to as Mendoza’s Montrachet — in Valle de Uco or the lower sections of Agrelo, Alejandro always manages to produce exceptional wines that encapsulate Mendoza’s diverse soils, terroirs, microclimates and grape types.

James Suckling, October 2018

Vinous

Founded by enologist Alejandro Vigil in 2008 in partnership with Adrianna Catena (Laura Catena’s sister), El Enemigo mainly uses grapes from the Uco Valley to produce styles that reinvigorate the flavor profile of Argentine wine. They are having particular success with their Cabernet Francs, which reflect the full variety of the terroirs of Mendoza. In my opinion, their white wines are more interesting in the Argentine wine scene. The Chardonnay is a blend of Gualtallary grapes made with multiple techniques, ranging from barrel fermentation to wine aged under a white veil of yeast or flor (biological aging process,) resulting in a unique and delicious palate. Their Torrontés aims to introduce a new stylistic chapter to this indigenous grape.

Joaquín Hidalgo, July 2023

British Columbia