Quite the mix for this week’s reviews, each of which is a blend from the Iberian Peninsula: an eight-year-old and two-year-old red from Spain and a modern port cocktail.

Bodegas Atalaya Laya 2020 — Almansa, Spain ($16.95)
In a world with non-stop inflation, here’s a wine that has actually dropped $1 in price since I last reviewed it. Hitting shelves this past weekend at the LCBO, this is a consistently well-priced blend of 70% Garnacha Tintorera (a native grape to the region) and 30% Monastrell (a.k.a. Mourvèdre or Mataró) from Spain’s Almansa district. Grown in limestone-rich soils at an elevation of 2,300 to 3,300 feet, this 2020 vintage is a teenager of a wine: young, intense and not quite polished. Right now the nose is dense and complex: spicy blackberry, dried black cherry and plum fruit with espresso and licorice notes. In the glass it is syrupy smooth with a well-integrated 14.5% alcohol. But there’s an astringent clove attribute battling the taste of that dark fruit that I don’t recall from last year’s review. Worth decanting. I might have to review this one again in the coming weeks. 88

Monasterio de las Viñas Gran Reserva 2014 — Cariñena, Spain ($20.95)
A blend of Garnacha, Cariñena and Tempranillo, this wine has an almost port-like density to its colour and nose. Considering its age, there’s an awful lot of ripe dark fruit in here, with notes of blackberry, cherry, raspberry, coffee, leather and cigar box. Medium tannins. Nicely balanced. This vintage claimed a “Grand Gold” medal at the 2020 Selections Mondiales des Vins Canada. 90

Taylor Fladgate Chip Dry & Tonic — Douro, Portugal ($3.95)
Want to be the most sophisticated imbiber of wine coolers on the block? Taylor Fladgate’s “portonic” is your answer for upscale pre-mixed canned cocktails. One of the oldest founding port houses, Taylor Fladgate was the first to produce dry white aperitif port, an ideal blending mate for tonic water. Considering the 86 g/L of sugar (162 calories per can), this recipe doesn’t come across as sweet (making a great effort to find a very dry tonic to keep the sweetness down has certainly helped). Subtle citrus flavours here and a very smooth delivery. And the compact 250 ml cans make it easy to transport and safe around the patio. 5.5% alc. 90