2018 El Enemigo Malbec Mendoza

El Enemigo first caught my attention several years ago.  Hosting a barbecue, I poured myself a taster's pour.  A taste turned into a glass.  A glass turned into two.   

Then I heard, "Hey, I think the meat is burning!"

So engulfed in the wine I lost all my grilling skills in one sip.  But, I found one of the finest Malbecs for the money - a wine that has a permanent home on our shelves.

It may be cold outside, but having a wine like this makes me want to bear the frigid weather to grill a steak.

The 2018 Malbec has some 8% Cabernet Franc in the blend, and it has only 13.5% alcohol while retaining very good acidity. The grapes were sourced from Gualtallary and were co-fermented. It's a serious, subtle and mineral Malbec, with some austerity and shy varietal aromas of violets and wild herbs. The palate is medium-bodied with terrific texture and very clean and focused flavors, and it has the chalky texture from the limestone-rich soils."  Wine Advocate

What We Love About This Wine

El Enemigo is a joint venture between Adrianna Catena (daughter of Nicolas Catena) and the chief winemaker at Bodega Catena Zapata.

With such a fantastic track record of winemaking, it was no surprise that this wine caught my attention with its intoxicating aromas alone.

Enjoy during the upcoming "Big Game" with everything from wings to burgers to nachos.  Serve it up with some chimichurri on a toasted baguette. 

And, make sure you save a handful for grilling season!

Enjoy!