2023 El Enemigo - Chardonnay Mendoza (750ml)
2023 El Enemigo Chardonnay — Mendoza (750ml)
From the collaboration of Adrianna Catena and Alejandro Vigil, El Enemigo Chardonnay offers a compelling alternative viewpoint at a very reasonable price. This is a white that pushes boundaries while remaining distinctly approachable, a signature of Vigil’s craft alongside Catena’s lineage.
Vineyard & Winemaking
- Sourced from two vineyards at 1,400 meters above sea level on deep calcareous soils.
- Fermented with wild yeasts.
- Aged 12 months in French oak barrels (35% new).
- The signature twist: made with a little flor—just like a Fino Sherry—aged nine months in 500-liter French oak barrels under a veil of yeast, yielding toasty, spicy, and salty, briny, honeyed notes.
- The 2023 vintage also incorporates a small portion of a five-year-old solera.
Tasting Notes
It opens with green apple, chamomile, white peach, herbs, and a subtle vermouth note. Dry, compact, and saline, the oak broadens the palate where richness is otherwise restrained—a modern, refined profile for Gualtallary Chardonnay in a warm vintage. Leading with a bright, citrus-driven nose bolstered by an elegant nutty richness, the palate is vibrant, textural, and seamless, concluding with a succulent and nuanced finish.
The 2023 El Enemigo Chardonnay embodies a balance between fresh citrus energy and subtle, honeyed complexity, finished with a confident, saline lift that speaks to its calcareous terroir and redolent oak influence.