Gran Enemigo Single Vineyard El Cepillo

The El Cepillo zone is located in the south of the Uco Valley. It's an arid place—a desert at the foot of the mountains where it's usually cold. There's little rain, and it's constantly exposed to frost. The wines that come from there have a somewhat wild character, as is the case with this cabernet franc. Austerity is the trademark of El Cepillo's wines, and here it's expressed in tones of tart black fruits, intense and penetrating acidity, and tannins as firm as concrete. This wine needs time in the bottle, although it's hard to resist opening it now if there's a lamb curry on the menu.

Licorice and strawberry aromas are very subtle on the nose. This is a wine with nerve and texture. It's vertical and has vigorous acidity driving ripe red plums, green bell pepper and tobacco through the finish. Delicious to drink now, it will only get better with time.