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Buy any 12 bottles and save 10% (excludes wines on offer). Free UK delivery on orders over £100. Tel: 02922 337454
Buy any 12 bottles and save 10% (excludes wines on offer). Free UK delivery on orders over £100. Tel: 02922 337454
2018 ‘As Bravas’ Malbec, Cordón El Cepillo, El Enemigo

2018 ‘As Bravas’ Malbec, Cordón El Cepillo, El Enemigo

Cordón El Cepillo, Uco Valley, Mendoza, Argentina

*En-Primeur offer, wines arrive November 2026*

Limestone Pulse

El Enemigo’s 2018 As Bravas Malbec is not just another grand Argentine red. It is a statement bottle from Cordón El Cepillo, a limestone-charged corner of the Uco Valley that gives Malbec a different register: darker, more savoury, more chiselled. The nose is deep and magnetic, with blackberry, black cherry, violet, dried herbs, liquorice, graphite, charcoal and a cool mineral shadow.

On the palate, it has density without heaviness, carrying dark fruit, spice, crushed stone and fine herbal complexity in a remarkably precise line. The tannins are polished but insistent, the acidity keeps everything alive, and the finish is long, savoury and quietly commanding. This is Malbec with altitude, intellect and drama, built for the cellar but already impossible to ignore.

For when
A serious table needs a bottle with presence, rarity and a little Argentine thunder.

Pairs with
Rib of beef, fire-grilled lamb, venison, slow-braised short rib, wild mushroom dishes, black garlic aubergine, aged hard cheeses or a proper asado.

El Enemigo is the cult project of Adrianna Catena and Alejandro Vigil, two of the most influential figures in Argentine wine. Launched in 2024, As Bravas is an homage to the female spirit; its name means “the brave ones” in Galician and “the angry ones” in Portuguese. It honours courage, brilliance and resilience, while recognising anger as a force that, when channelled with purpose, can break silence and drive meaningful change. From a tiny limestone parcel in Cordón El Cepillo, this is a profound and deeply personal expression of Malbec.

*En-Primeur offer, wines arrive November 2026*

Whats in the bottle
95% Malbec, 5% Sémillon

Notable Awards
100 points, The Wine Advocate

£89.95 - £89.95
£89.95
£89.95 - £89.95
£89.95
Availability:
12 in stock, ready to be shipped

El Enemigo is one of Argentina’s most admired modern wine projects, created by Adrianna Catena and Alejandro Vigil. Adrianna is the youngest daughter of Nicolás Catena Zapata and brings a rare mix of academic depth, historical curiosity and deep family wine heritage to the estate. Alejandro Vigil is one of South America’s most celebrated winemakers, chief winemaker at Catena Zapata since 2002 and a pioneering voice in the study of Mendoza’s soils, altitude and site expression.

The name El Enemigo speaks to an internal battle: the refusal to settle for ordinary, safe or conventional. That spirit runs through the wines, which often combine Argentine tradition with unusual blends, old vineyards, concrete fermentation and long ageing. The estate has become especially famous for Cabernet Franc, Chardonnay, Sémillon and high-definition Malbecs that show a more savoury, mineral and ageworthy side of Mendoza. As Bravas is one of its most serious achievements, proving that Malbec from the right limestone site can stand with the world’s great reds.

As Bravas 2018 comes from a tiny 1.7-hectare parcel of ungrafted vines in Cordón El Cepillo, San Carlos, in the Uco Valley. The soils are colluvial with a strong limestone influence, giving the wine its chalky grip, freshness and mineral definition. The blend is predominantly Malbec, with 5% co-planted Sémillon, an unusual detail that adds lift, aromatic nuance and a subtle textural difference.

The wine was fermented in concrete pools with 30% whole clusters, followed by a 23-day maceration. It was then aged for 64 months in a 100-year-old Italian foudre, a long and patient élevage that builds depth without masking the vineyard. The 2018 Mendoza vintage is widely regarded as a classic, with low rainfall and cool harvest conditions helping deliver optimal ripeness, smooth tannins and fresh natural acidity.