2018 El Enemigo Chardonnay Mendoza Argentina 750 ml

Region, producer, and price unknown: All we knew was that the lively and layered Chardonnay lingering on our palates had everything we look for in a world-class white wine. If the price was right—we had Premier Cru-like numbers swirling in our heads—we’d grab all we could for Wine Access members. 

Then, we learned three facts that wowed us just as much as this voluminous and textured Chardonnay: It hailed from Argentina, boasted a staggering 97-point score… and was an incredible deal.

From Winemaker of the Year Alejandro Vigil (best known for his work with the iconic Catena Zapata), El Enemigo’s score puts it not just among the best in Argentina, but alongside some of the best in the New World—single-vineyard 2018 bottlings from California icons Aubert ($179) and Peter Michael ($135) earned the exact same score. 

This unique “rock-star Chardonnay” (according to James Suckling) is grown on vineyards nearly a mile above sea level, and aged partially under flor (thin layer of yeast) to bring a layer of oceanic minerality to the luscious stone fruit of the barrel-fermented wine. It's a highly technical, difficult process, and a rarity among Argentine Chardonnays. 

The soils in Vigil’s vineyards are magnificent—a mix of stony alluvial deposits mixed with the sort of limestone you’d expect to find in Burgundy or Champagne, which preserves freshness and zest even as the fruit attains lush ripeness. That combination of New World richness with Old World minerality makes the finished wine simply irresistible.