La Atalaya del Camino 2022
The fullest expression of the Garnacha Tintorera grape
La Atalaya del Camino 2022 is a red made by the Gil family in the small D.O. Almansa, located between the Castilian plateau and the Mediterranean Sea. In this red the group, which produces some of the best wines in the country, such as El Nido, seeks to achieve the fullest expression of the native Garnacha Tintorera variety.
Consumption features
Serving temperature
General features
Type of wine
Region
Grape variety
Type of barrel
French oak barrels
Barrel aging time
12 months
Capacity (cl)
75
General Information
If there's one thing that’s characterised the Gil family over the past few decades, it's their unwavering commitment to quality. In Jumilla, their homeland, they've created some of the most sought-after wines in the country, such as El Nido. At the dawn of the twenty-first century, this dynasty founded the Viñas Familia Gil group and expanded into other D.Os, always focusing on native grapes. In 2007 they established Bodegas Atalaya (D.O. Almansa), where La Atalaya del Camino 2022 was made.
Bodegas Atalaya is located in the town of Almansa in Albacete, between the Castilian plateau and the Mediterranean Sea. The D.O. Almansa is relatively young (it was created in 1973) and small (it consists of just over 7,000 hectares spread over eight municipalities), but has grown remarkably in recent years, thanks in large part to the work of wine people such as the Gil family.
La Atalaya del Camino 2022 is made from the native Garnacha Tintorera grape (the only Spanish red grape whose must is coloured) enhanced with a touch of Monastrell. The grapes came from vineyards located at an altitude of between 700 and 1,000 metres, planted in sandy soils with a limestone base. This red wine, aged for 12 months in French oak barrels, is ideal with hearty meat dishes such as beef medallions in pepper sauce.
Creators' opinion
La Atalaya del Camino is deep, vivid red with violet hues. It has a potent, complex nose with aromas of red fruits and spices. Original and very interesting, it has great structure and is meaty and balanced with a long, very pleasant finish.
The winery
Bodegas Atalaya is part of Juan Gil Bodegas Familiares. Miguel Gil is the most prominent figure of this thriving group, managed by the fourth generation of a lineage of passionate winemakers and viticulturists. Since his great-grandfather Juan Gil Jiménez founded the family winery (Bodega Juan Gil) in the center of Jumilla, 100 years have passed. In 2001, Miguel Gil took charge of the relaunch and modernization of the family winery Juan Gil and founded the winery El Nido.
After the creation of the winery El Nido, the group Viñas Familia Gil (formerly known as Juan Gil Bodegas Familiares) began to grow significantly, expanding into other designations of origin and always focusing on native grape varieties. In 2007, the Gil family arrived at the small D.O. Almansa (Albacete) and founded Bodegas Atalaya.
Bodegas Atalaya is located in Paraje Atalaya, 3 km north of the town of Almansa. Its vineyards grow at an altitude of 700 m, on low-fertility calcareous soils and in a continental climate with scarce rainfall, ideal conditions for achieving low yields and high-quality grapes with great concentration of color and aromas in the wines.