Gran Enemigo Torrontes 2019 (El Enemigo)

Enjoy it now or cellar for several years. No need to decant before serving. High-altitude Argentinian Torrontés is one of the most thrilling white wines you can taste right now, and it doesn’t get much higher in altitude than this offering from El Enemigo. Chief Winemaker Alejandro Vigil and historian Adrianna Catena’s passion project has brought some incredible white wines to the world stage. El Enemigo winery was founded in 2009, under the premise of respecting history, while simultaneously rejecting everything that has come to be expected of Argentinian wine. The Gran Enemigo Torrontés is sourced from vineyards in Gualtallary, Uco Valley, where grapes grow up to 1,600 metres above sea level. This is a wine that commands some respect, comparable in character and stature to the finest age-worthy Riesling from the banks of the Danube. The nose is perfumed, subtle, and wholly unlike any Torrontés you have tasted before. You can perceive notes of pear, lemon, jasmine, lavender and white flowers mingling with hints of honey and nut. It’s tight and focused on the palate, walking a tightrope of minerality between bursts of tart acidity. Look for notes of pure lime and white flowers on the palate. As you head into the lengthy, absorbing finish, there are definite notes of chalk and saline. This can be paired with fine seafood dishes, such as monkfish piccata, or something on the spicy side.