2023 El Enemigo - Chardonnay Mendoza (750ml)
The Producer
El Enemigo is a collaboration between Adrianna Catena — historian and youngest daughter of Nicolás Catena Zapata — and Alejandro Vigil, the director of winemaking at Bodega Catena Zapata. Vigil is responsible for crafting the famed Catena Zapata "White Stones" and "White Bones" Chardonnays, perhaps the most collectible Chardonnays in South America. The El Enemigo Chardonnay offers a compelling alternative viewpoint at a very reasonable price.
The Vineyard & Winemaking
Sourced from two vineyards at 1,400 meters above sea level on deep calcareous soils, fermented with wild yeasts and aged 12 months in French oak barrels (35% new). The signature twist: Vigil likes to push boundaries, which is why this white was made with a little flor — just like a Fino Sherry — aged nine months in 500-liter French oak barrels under a veil of yeast, toasty, spicy, and salty, with briny, refreshing character and honeyed notes. The 2023 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.