Alaya Tierra 2021

Ink and petrol are none too often used for talking about wines, but this Alaya Tierra calls for them. Its opaqueness is total and its colour the closest you can get to black. The wine tinges the whole glass with dense, very dark tears and on swirling, it slowly and deliberately exudes a certain oiliness: only the odd violet glint disturbs the attractive visual presentation. On the nose it releases aromas of damp earth, very ripe black fruit, black olives and laurel. As soon as it touches the palate, it seems intent on immersing the tongue, weightily, and straightaway a captivating mouthfeel takes over, nothing short of magical. Its robust and silky, well mature and fresh; it appears to exist in a state of permanent contradiction, but it's precisely this which makes it so special. Balsamic, profound, disconcerting and almost eternal.