Keep your friends close but your El Enemigo closer!
2016 El Enemigo (The Enemy) is a powerful Chardonnay with critical acclaim from the Mendoza wine region of Argentina.
It’s probably among a few wines that can unite wine lovers who like powerful, oaky and buttery Chardonnays and those who don’t.
If you are like us and are in the latter group, you might give it a sniff and say, ‘Oh, no!’ It was our first reaction, and it explained some reviews by professionals who judged it by “its cover.”
Since we buy the wine ourselves and don’t get it for free to review, we seldom dump the bottle because it’s “not our style.” Besides we strive to be objective even towards wines that we stylistically object. That’s the reason we gave El Enemigo a second chance and “tortured” ourselves to pleasure with this powerful Chardonnay.
Tasting Notes
At first, 2016 El Enemigo Chardonnay shows its muscle with buttery and oaky notes. That’s when it makes sense to pause and give it the second sniff instead of reacting with a brute “No. It’s too powerful for me.”
When paused we realized that it reminded us of some Chardonnays of Willamette Valley of Oregon and Bourgogne made with a substantial amount and even 100% of new oak barrels.
As we let it open up in a glass, it started showing its gentler nature.
We sensed the aromas of exotic white flowers, ripe warm yellow apple, lemon curd, vanilla, minerality, and smoke.
It’s even more impressive on the palate with a sophisticated bouquet of peaches, lemons, almonds, a touch of saltiness and a long aftertaste with a pronounced note of dried apricots.
2016 El Enemigo Chardonnay is a great wine on many levels. It’s complex on the nose and palate. It can pair well with many foods. At $20-25 price, it tastes at the level of some $50 wines if not better. And it has the potential to age for 5 years if not more. We will add a few bottles to our vinoteka to check how it evolves.
To enjoy this wine to the fullest, drink it lightly chilled (not sweaty glass cold) and let it open up in your glass or decant and drink slowly.