97 Luis Gutierrez - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

"The 2010 Gran Enemigo Gualtallary Single Vineyard is mainly Cabernet Franc with Malbec from granite and calcareous soils. It is produced with the crazy Vigil method of seven different harvests to achieve different levels of ripeness and different character from small plots that he believes increases the complexity of the wine. Its nose of thyme and chalk is completely austere. It has citric, sharp, chunky, delineated palate with laser-like definition that makes you salivate. I’m sure this wine is going to age for a very long time and provide drinking pleasure throughout its life. This seems to have the depth and austerity of Chateau Lafleur and the acidity of ancient vintage Madeira. A tour de force terroir wine. Only 2,800 bottles exist. At this quality level this is a real bargain. Drink 2015-2025.

Aleanna is a combination of the names Alejandro Vigil and Adrianna Catena, (winemaker and youngest daughter) of Nicolas Catena and is the name given to their small joint venture. El Enemigo (The Enemy) is the name of the wines produced here, some of which are almost experimental and offered in limited quantities. All the wines were initially fermented in old barriques and old wood vats to avoid excessive influence of the oak in the wines, but they are now moving toward cement vats without epoxy lining and aging in used 225-liter barrels and in 4,000-liter, 100-year-old foudres. I had the great pleasure and superb learning experience to slowly taste the 2009 and 2010 vintages of the Gran Enemigo single-vineyard wines and experience the differences of the vintages and the soils from Agrelo and Gualtallary transparently reflected in the wines. That’s what I call true wines of terroir. There are different bottlings of the Gran Enemigo cuvee, some blending fruit from Gualtallary and Agrelo, but certainly the most interesting ones are the single-vineyard ones. For these the blend is Cabernet Franc with some 15-20% Malbec and the wines are never acidified. The goal is to achieve 13% natural alcohol in the wines, but it has to be done in the vineyard, not with adjustments in the winery. The difference in soils is clear: Agrelo is at 900 meters altitude and the soils are pure clay, a cool soil, but the air is warm. The vineyard in Gualtallary is at 1,480 meters above sea level with 12,000 plants per hectare with pure calcite (planted by Alejandro Sejanovich who used to be vineyard manager at Catena, and was the one who hired Alejandro Vigil). The results speak for themselves, but if you want figures, the wines from Agrelo have seven grams of acidity (which is very high), while the ones from Gualtallary have nine grams (which is almost insane). In both cases pH is around 3.5. Malolactic fermentation is partial."

97 James Suckling - Jamessuckling.com

A rich and intense red with fabulous fruit and balance. Full body, round and soft tannins. Excellent richness. Lots of fruit energy but a salt, iron undertone. Drink or hold.