Gran Enemigo El Cepillo Single Vineyard 2018

The nose of the 2018 Gran Enemigo El Cepillo Single Vineyard, from a low-yielding and drier year, is full of curry, a note that was a constant across the three vintages I tasted together, but it tends to be stronger in low-yielding and dry years like this. It's also floral and comes through as aromatic and a little exotic, in a good way, with elegance, persistence and very pure flavors. It has fine-grained tannins, great acidity and balance. 7,200 bottles. All these single-vineyard bottlings mature in ancient 4,000-liter oak foudres for some 15 months.

Ripe plums, blackberries, dark cherries, pine cones, mint chocolate, cloves and dried herbs on the nose. Hints of black pepper, too. Medium-bodied with fine, well-integrated tannins. There’s a dark spiciness to this. Well structured and muscular with fantastic intensity. Try in 2024.

Pretty and inviting on the nose with gorgeous aromas of floral violet, cassis and completed with a lifted, delicate liquorice note. The palate is graced with deep herb, pepper, crunchy red fruit and graceful, silky tannins.