El Enemigo El Mirador Single Vineyard Bonarda 2020 (Argentina) - Wine Review

I enjoyed the excellent 2017 El Enemigo El Mirador Single Vineyard Bonarda a couple of years ago, and for tonight's red wine review I am loving the latest vintage of this single vineyard Bonarda that arrived at the LCBO in the September 7th LCBO VINTAGES New Release Collection.

Established in 2008, El Enemigo Wines is the project of two notable Argentine wine figures - Adrianna Catena, the youngest daughter of Nicolás Catena, and Alejandro Vigil. The name El Enemigo means "The Enemy", and reflects the personal philosophy of its founders, which is that the biggest enemy is oneself. Moreover, the philosophy behind El Enemigo is to constantly strive to push boundaries and challenge personal limits.

In that same spirit, El Enemigo Wines emphasize Argentine terroir, while focusing on old world winemaking techniques to create new world wines that are creative and energetic. Furthermore, each wine is crafted to be in balance between old world elegance and new world, fruit-driven intensity.

El Enemigo Wines are produced in the southern foothills of Maipu, Mendoza. They have a number of vineyards across Mendoza, a region known for its high-altitude vineyards in the foothills of the Andes Mountains. Alejandro is a soil expert, holding a Master's Degree in both winemaking and irrigation management, and has been the Winemaking Director at Bodega Catena Zapata since 2007. His strong scientific background led to important developments in both vineyard management and winemaking.

Like the previous vintage, this 100% Bonarda was grown at the El Mirador Vineyard in Rivadavia, a sub-region located in central-north Mendoza. The vineyard is situated at 650 metres (2,132 feet) above sea level and planted on sandy, deep clay soil. To craft this wine, the grapes were fermented using wild yeast at 28°C for 15 days, with 25 days of maceration, followed by maturation in foudre for 12 months.

The 2020 growing season was drier than usual and produced small berries with slightly lower yields. Temperatures were also cooler than average. Harvest occurred 1 to 3 weeks earlier than usual, with the grapes in pristine condition with not a drop of botrytis or downy mildew. From an extremely good vintage that produced boldly coloured, beautifully balanced wines with great fruit character, acidity, and tannins, let's see how this 2020 Single Vineyard Bonarda from Argentina is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

EL ENEMIGO EL MIRADOR SINGLE VINEYARD BONARDA 2020 - Rivadavia, Mendoza, Argentina (#15120) (XD) - $27.95
Ripe, fragrant, and focused, the medium-high intensity nose offers plummy, dark berry, blackberry, medicinal herbs, and oak spice aromas. On the medium+ bodied, dry, and spicy palate it has lovely dark berry, blackberry, and plum replays joined by stony mineral and savoury oak flavours. It's framed with crisp, juicy acidity and fine-grained, nicely textured tannins with good structure. There's a slightly chalky grip on the back palate, while savoury mineral, dark berry, and plum notes linger on the long, elegant finish. Enjoy this highly recommended buy over the next 5 years. Score: 92 pts

El Enemigo's excellent Chardonnay is available at the LCBO, while the entire range can be ordered through their Agent - Noble Estates Wines & Spirits.