Gran Enemigo Chacayes 2020

Gran Enemigo is the single-vineyard range of Bodega Aleanna, the Mendoza project of winemaker Alejandro Vigil and Adrianna Catena. Chacayes comes from one high-altitude site in the Uco Valley foothills of the Andes, where stony, limestone-bearing soils and the cold mountain nights give the wine its structure and freshness. The grape is mainly Cabernet Franc, blended with Malbec, a combination Vigil has made his signature. At altitude the strong diurnal range slows ripening, holding the natural acidity and fixing the bright, herbal aromatics that mark Cabernet Franc. Ageing runs to fifteen months in large foudres, whose lower surface-to-volume ratio gives a slower, gentler oxygen exchange than small barrels, softening the firm tannins while leaving the fruit and site character to the fore. The wine is deep and concentrated. The nose shows dark plum, redcurrant and a savoury, peppery herb note over fine cedar. The palate is full and firmly structured, with ripe fruit, fine-grained tannin and the acidity of altitude carrying a long, mineral finish. Serve at 17 to 18 degrees and decant. It is built for roast and grilled red meat.