
Gran Enemigo Torrontes 2019
Gran Enemigo Torrontes 2019
Gran Enemigo Torrontés 2019 94+WA / 94VM
*$39.99 6+ (Mix and Match OK)
$41.99 reg US LOW
This wine was a revelation. Yes, this is a 5-year-old Torrontes, a grape not known for aging; but this is their current release! It is not from the traditional Torrontes region of Salta, but from the heart of Mendoza in Tupungato. It is very floral, has excellent acidity, and has a slightly salty and mineral finish. Very long. It reminds me of a Grand Cru Alsatian white wine.
Altitude: 5,250 ft (1600 m).
Type of Soil: Calcareous and rocky soil.
Vinification: Fermentation in clay amphoras for 10 days. Wild yeast.
Aging: 18 months in French oak with a layer of flor. 500 lt barrels.
Alcohol: 12.5% vol
94+ pts Wine Advocate
There is a new white 2019 Gran Enemigo Torrontés from a parral vineyard planted in Gualtallary in 2009. This fermented in concrete, tinaja and oak foudre, and the tinajas and foudres are never topped up; so, the wine develops a thin layer of flor yeast, and the wines mature for around one year. It's elegant, subtle and not so aromatic; it doesn't smell of Moscatel, the typical aroma from Torrontés. It's a look at the Mosel from Gualtallary, crystalline, precise and clean, with 12.5% alcohol and very good freshness. It doesn't go through malolactic, and it's akin to a German Riesling with notes of white flowers and fruit, jasmine and a faint spicy touch. Alejandro Vigil told me this was inspired by Dirk Niepoort, who taught him how to drink Riesling. This is vibrant and tasty, very balanced, elegant and precise, with chalky and salty sensations in the finish. This is the first commercial release after trials that started in 2016. 7,000 bottles produced. Amazing.
94 pts Vinous Joaquín Hidalgo
From: Vibrant Whites from the Cool Terroirs of Argentina (Aug 2022) The 2019 Torrontés Gran Enemigo from Gualtallary, Uco Valley hails from a vineyard planted at a height of 5,250 feet. Fermented and aged in earthenware vessels without skins, it’s a golden yellow in hue. A complex nose features a hint of fuel alongside white flowers, tuberose and bergamot as well as contrasting anise flavors. In the mouth, it’s grippy with good body and lovely tension along with a chalky feel before the long, rewarding finish. A new version of Torrontés in Argentina. - August 2022