El Enemigo Cabernet Franc 2022

El Enemigo Cabernet Franc is made by Bodega Aleanna in Mendoza, the venture of winemaker Alejandro Vigil with Adrianna Catena. Cabernet Franc leads the blend with a portion of Malbec for flesh and colour. Mendoza's vineyards sit high in the rain shadow of the Andes, where altitude brings cool nights and strong sunlight, and a wide diurnal range that lets the grapes ripen slowly while retaining bright acidity and aromatic lift. The soils are alluvial and stony, free draining and low in fertility, which keeps yields modest and concentrates flavour. The wine is aged for fifteen months in foudres, large oak vessels whose slow oxygen exchange softens the tannin and integrates the fruit without dominating it with new wood. The result is a structured, savoury red rather than an overtly fruity one. It pours deep ruby, with a nose of red currant, plum, violet, black pepper and dried herbs, joined by a leafy, tobacco-edged savouriness typical of Cabernet Franc. The palate is firm and mineral, with fine tannin and a long, fresh finish. Serve at 16 to 17 degrees, decanting an hour ahead. It is built for red meats and game.