2018 Gran Enemigo Single Vineyard El Cepillo Cabernet Franc Uco Valley

The nose of the 2018 Gran Enemigo El Cepillo Single Vineyard, from a low-yielding and drier year, is full of curry, a note that was a constant across the three vintages I tasted together, but it tends to be stronger in low-yielding and dry years like this. It's also floral and comes through as aromatic and a little exotic, in a good way, with elegance, persistence and very pure flavors. It has fine-grained tannins, great acidity and balance. 7,200 bottles. All these single-vineyard bottlings mature in ancient 4,000-liter oak foudres for some 15 months.

Ripe plums, blackberries, dark cherries, pine cones, mint chocolate, cloves and dried herbs on the nose. Hints of black pepper, too. Medium-bodied with fine, well-integrated tannins. There’s a dark spiciness to this. Well structured and muscular with fantastic intensity. Try in 2024.

Alejandro Vigil sources this 85/15 cuvée of Cabernet Franc and Malbec from one the last vineyards at the southern end of the Uco Valley, located on a slope to reduce the frost risk. Racy, focused and beautifully defined, with chalky freshness and minerality, subtle graphite and mangetout notes and a plum and black cherry palate. 2024-32

The 2018 Cabernet Franc Gran Enemigo Single Vineyard El Cepillo contains 15% Malbec, both from El Cepillo, Uco Valley, and was aged for 18 months in foudres. A vivid purple in hue. The nose presents lively notes of ash, mint and blackcurrant along with subtle aromas from the aging process and hints of herb, earth and sour cherry. Indulgent with a mild flow and a taut expression, it’s juicy with good volume and a long, vivid finish.