El Enemigo Chardonnay 2023 is a 100% Chardonnay from Mendoza’s Uco Valley, tied closely to the high-altitude zone of Gualtallary and, according to Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate, sourced from the Adrianna Vineyard. Made by Bodega Aleanna—the Adrianna Catena and Alejandro Vigil partnership best known for the El Enemigo label—this is a Mendoza Chardonnay that aims for precision and savory complexity rather than overt ripeness.
The wine’s critical reception is notably strong across multiple publications, led by an excellent 96-point review from James Suckling. Suckling calls it “salty and spicy,” with “aromas of ginger, cardamom, lemons and sea salt,” and describes a “medium- to full-bodied, sharp and pungent” palate with “a precise, saline character.” That high score positions it among the standout Argentine Chardonnays of the vintage.
Winemaking details reinforce the style. Suckling reports it was “fermented and aged in French oak, of which 35% was new,” while Vinous (94 points, Joaquín Hidalgo) notes aging in “500-liter French oak barrels.” The Wine Advocate (93 points) adds an important twist: it was vinified in 500-liter barrique and “incorporates some biological aging and a small portion of a five-year-old solera,” a technique that can add subtle nutty, umami-like complexity without pushing the wine into overt oxidation.
On the palate, reviewers converge on a profile that’s more mineral and textural than fruity. Jeb Dunnuck (93 points) highlights “steely green apple,” “flinty mineral,” and “texture of wet stone,” with “quenching acidity” and a “linear, focused, and seamless expression.” Vinous finds green apple alongside “chamomile, white peach, herbs and a subtle vermouth note,” describing it as “dry, compact and saline,” where “the oak broadens the palate where richness is otherwise restrained.”
The Wine Advocate sums up the overall impression as “vibrant, textural and seamless,” finishing “succulent and nuanced,” and calls it “a fantastic value that entirely transcends the price point.” Dunnuck suggests drinking now through the next 7–10 years.
