2010 Gran Enemigo Single Vineyard Gualtallary Cabernet Franc Uco Valley

A wine that demonstrates the remarkable potential of Cabernet Franc in the upper reaches of the Uco Valley, picked at seven different harvest dates for varying levels of ripeness and flavour. Chalky, stony and very fine, this is like a mini Cheval Blanc with subtle, filigree tannins, some whole bunch spiciness and understated oak. Drink: 2014-20.

The project of Catena's winemaker Alejandro Vigil and Adrianna Catena has been one of the great revelations in Argentina's winemaking scene. And much of that success has to do with Gualtallary and Cabernet Franc, a placeand a grape with which Vigil has been working since 2001. Built on a solid and tight structure of tannins, this offers generous, bright red fruit and a seductive herbal note acting as a refined yet lively decoration. One of the best and most luminous examples of Cabernet Franc from Argentina.

This is layered and rich with dark fruits and coffee bean and hints of iodine. Savory. Full body, with plenty of fruit but powerful and tangy. Burnt citrus peel. 85% cabernet franc and 15% malbec. Drink or hold.

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.

Alejandro Vigil flytter grænser i øjeblikket. Mange mener, at han er hovedårsagen til den nylige fokus og tro på cabernet franc fra Argentinas højtliggende vinmarker. Han anser cabernet franc for at være jordfortolker, mere end druesort i sig selv. Stokkene her står i nærmest ren kalk i 1400 meters højde. Vigil fermenterer sin cabernet franc med en lille smule malbec i hele klaser og bruger oveni købet delvis maceration carbonique. Ikke helt sort som kul, men bemærk venligst syren hvis du har fordomme. Vigils cab franc fra Agrelo er stor på alle måder, af omfang, af ambitioner, men hans Gualtallary er adelig. Udadlelig, harmonisk som en Beethoven-klaverkoncert, kompleks støvledansende og brændende intens. Dog stadig langt fra Loire i stil. - RLJ.