97pts from James Suckling, 93pts from Tim Atkin and Wine Advocate!

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For starters, Contino Reserva is definitely one of the best Spanish wines you can try. What does Reserva mean? In the case of Rioja, it means that it is produced only from the best grapes and that it has been aged for 3 years in total, with at least one being in oak barrels. Let's also mention the 97pts from James Suckling and the 93pts from Tim Atkin and Wine Advocate!

Contino Winery is the first chateau of La Rioja, founded in 1973 and it belongs to the Compañía Vinícola del Norte de España also known as CVNE. All its wines are produced from the privately-owned vineyards around the winery while his winemaking mentality roots from the mythical Imperial and Viña Real Gran Reservas produced by the legendary Ezequiel Garcia, CVNE's winemaker from the 1940s to the 1970s.

Contino Reserva is produced from a series of micro vineyards around the winery and its blend consists of 85% Tempranillo, 10% Graciano and 5% Mazuelo. A big part of its character is due to the the sandy loam and clay soil and the special microclimate of the Rioja Alavesa region that stands out for the very dry and hot summers and the very cold winters.

Besides that, the harvest is done manually, using small crates so that the stems do not break prematurely, while the strict selection following, ensures that only the best grapes will join fermentation in the 12,000 liter stainless steel tanks. Contino Reserva aged for 24 months in French (60%) and American (40%) oak barrels and then for another 12 months in the bottle. Probably the 24 months of oak aging sounds like a lot, but trust us, you will be grateful to the head winemaker Jorge Navascués when you try it.

Now or in the next 10 years, Contino Reserva will be an amazing Rioja that you will definitely enjoy.

COLOR

RED

AROMA

BODY

ACIDITY

Tastes Like

Contino Reserva has deep ruby color and an expressive nose full of black cherries, plum and vanilla. Raspberries, mushroom, nutmeg, tobacco and chocolate complete the set.

Medium (+) body in the mouth, with medium, very mellow tannins and vibrant acidity that gives freshness and emphasizes the fruity feeling. Plum, black cherry and nutmeg dominate amongst tones of chocolate and coffee, which remain in the long-lasting aftertaste.

Technical stuff

Color:	Red
Type:	Dry
Year:	2019
Alcohol:	14%
Origin:	Rioja, Spain
Variety:	Tempranillo, Mazuelo, Graciano
Aromas:	black cherries, plum, vanilla, raspberries, mushroom, nutmeg, tobacco, chocolate
Bottle Size:	750ml
Barrique:	24 months
Serving temperature:	16°C
Aging:	8 years
Closure:	Cork
Organic:	No

CONTINO RESERVA 2019 - CONTINO (CVNE)

PAIR IT

Pair it with lamb shank with red wine and mashed potatoes with herbs, dry-aged striploin, wild boar stew with plums

Beef stew with red wine

1 kg of boneless beef cut into bits
4 tbsps. flour
1 tsp. paprika
2 tbsps. olive oil
1 cup of dry red wine
1 cube beef broth
1/2 tsp. dry thyme
1 bay leaf
1 pack of small fresh mushrooms, whole
baby carrots
salt
pepper

Wipe the meat with kitchen paper to absorb excess moisture. Stir in a bowl 3 tablespoons of flour, 1 teaspoon of salt, paprika and pepper and sprinkle the meat with the flour mixture.

Sautee the meat in hot olive oil in moderate to strong heat, stirring frequently, for 4-6 minutes or until it acquires a golden brown color. Remove the meat from the pot. Add the red wine, stirring well to incorporate with the meat residues from the bottom of the pot.

Put the meat back in the pot and add the broth, thyme, bay leaf, and 1/2 teaspoon of salt.

Once it starts boiling, cover the pot, lower the heat in half and allow the meat to cook for about an hour, stirring occasionally. You can accompany your meat with wild rice.

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