Why do we love it?
For starters, Contino Reserva is definitely one of the best Spanish wines you can try. This will be confirmed by the 95pts from James Suckling, 94pts from Robert Parker and 91pts from Wine Spectator! But 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.
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.
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.
