The powerful 2017 Alaya Tierra is 100% old-vine Garnacha Tintorera. It is a ripe, heady and dense red that hits the scale at 16% alcohol and close to six grams of residual sugar from very ripe grapes in a very dry and warm year. It fermented in stainless steel with neutral yeasts and matured for 15 months in brand-new French barriques, where it also underwent malolactic fermentation. It has notes of ripe and candied fruit, the grapes are so ripe that it's impossible to ferment it completely dry, so there's always a little sweetness here. It's a full-throttle, full-bodied, concentrated ripe and tannic red in need of a T-bone and/or years in bottle. There is a smoky and meaty touch here and in some of the other wines that somehow made me think of a Syrah from the Northern Rh?ne. It has a very specific profile, very good in its kind. 18,000 bottles produced. It was bottled in March 2019.

This rich red shows a Port-like character. Ripe, jammy fruit flavors of plum and currant are accented by coffee and cola notes, while an earthy undertone grounds the wine. Muscular tannins are a bit grippy, but lively acidity freshens the finish. Bold and distinctive. Best from 2021 through 2029. 1,500 cases made, 500 cases imported.??–TM??Region: Spain / Almansa Select to Add