Tasting Bodegas Atalaya Laya

Name: Bodegas Atalaya Laya

Variety: 70% Garnacha Tintorera (Alicante Bouschet) and 30% Monastrell

Region: Almansa

Country: Spain

Price: $8.95

Year: 2013

Shop Review: 88 Points – Stephen Tanzer. A blend of 70% Garnacha Tintorera, a.k.a. Alicante Bouschet, and 30% Monastrell; fermented in stainless steel, followed by four months in French oak.  Bright purple.  Cassis, blueberry, pungent herbs and mocha on the nose.  Smooth and open-knit on the palate, displaying fresh cherry and dark berry qualities and a hint of black pepper.  Finishes with gripping tannins and good length, leaving a subtle floral note behind.

My Review: I could tell it was going to be an intense wine by it's deep purple hue and on the nose, the mocha and earthy, herb like nature really overwhelmed me. I could kind of smell a blackberry smell, maybe cassis but I can't really tell the difference, and almost smelled a bit like espresso, burning my nose. The taste was really weird, but I could pick up on some dark fruits, like a black raspberry or unripe blueberry. The black pepper finish at the end was off putting since the smell was like coffee and at the end I felt like I ate something doused in pepper. I would definitely prefer this wine with food.

I would definitely prefer to match this wine with some food, as it was very strong and not a type of wine I would just sip on. I might try it with a steak or some other type of meat to offset it.