El Enemigo Bonarda 2022

El Enemigo Bonarda comes from Bodega Aleanna, the Mendoza project of Adrianna Catena and the Catena Zapata winemaking team, built around minimal intervention and old Argentine techniques. The wine leads on Bonarda, the country's widely planted but often overlooked dark-skinned grape, with a portion of Cabernet Franc for lift and structure. Mendoza's high-altitude desert vineyards sit in a dry, sunny climate with a wide day-to-night temperature swing that preserves acidity and colour while the fruit ripens slowly and evenly. Bonarda gives deep colour and ripe, plummy fruit; the Cabernet Franc adds a herbal, peppery edge and finer tannin. Ageing for fifteen months in large foudres allows gentle oxygen exchange and softens the tannin without the strong oak spice of small barrels, keeping the fruit pure. The colour is intense red with violet reflections. The nose shows plum, dark berries, black pepper and dried herbs over an earthy base. The palate is medium to full bodied, smooth and savoury, with ripe tannin, fresh acidity and a liquorice-tinged finish. Serve at 16 to 17C. Good with grilled beef, pork or a tomato-based stew.