
- Colour
- Red
- Producer
- Contino
- Region
- Rioja
- Grape
- Tempranillo / Garnacha / Graciano
- Drinking
- 2020 - 2024
- Case size
- 6x75cl
- Available Now
2015 CONTINO RIOJA RESERVA CVNE - 6x75cl
- Colour
- Red
- Producer
- Contino
- Region
- Rioja
- Grape
- Tempranillo / Garnacha / Graciano
- Drinking
- 2020 - 2024
- Case size
- 6x75cl
- Available Now
- Pricing
- Retail
- In Bond
- Pricing Info
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Tasting Notes
-
Goedhuis, April 2020
An astonishingly good value Reserve Rioja from the famous Contino in Rioja Alavesa. The 2015 is an explosion of dark berry fruits with seductive notes of sweet spices, cocoa and lavender. The rich, balanced palate is laced with vanilla thanks to beautifully integrated oak, and the finish is sumptuous and long.
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Wine Advocate, April 2020,
Score: 94The 2015 Reserva is a blend of 85% Tempranillo, 10% Graciano and 5% split between Mazuelo and Garnacha that wants to express the character of the Contino estate. It fermented in 12,000-liter stainless steel at 28 degrees to 30 degrees Cesius with 15 to 20 days of maceration and an élevage in 60% French and 40% American oak barrels for two years. It feels fresher than the 2014, and it also shows younger, with better integrated oak, subtle aromas and nice balance. It's medium-bodied, with very fine tannins and good freshness, integrated and balanced. I look forward to tasting the 2016 of this wine, because this 2015 is going in a direction that I like.
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James Suckling, April 2020,
Score: 96This shows so much intense dark berry such as blueberries and blackberries with hints of flowers. Lavender too. Full body, dense tannins with freshness and intensity. So tight and focused. A classic Rioja. Need five to six years of bottle age to come around.
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Producer Note, April 2020
Deep ruby red in colour, clear and bright. The nose is very expressive, with fruit expression and elegance standing out. Red fruits are well integrated with spicy notes adding to the finesse. On the palate, the wine is well balanced and very long.
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Wine Enthusiast, April 2020,
Score: 94Malty berry aromas are supported by cocoa, mocha and berry-fruit scents. This has a jammy plum and berry palate, with a ripe, slightly desiccated red-fruit-flavor profile. Depth and balance drive the finish, which is usually a good indication that aging will only help. Drink through 2040.
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Producer
Contino

CVNE’s Contino is one of Rioja’s flagship wineries and is widely regarded as one of the greatest. Founded in the 16th Century it sits on one of the best terroirs in Rioja Alavesa and since 1973 it has been pioneering single estate Riojas from specific plots on the property. This innovation has produced some outstanding results, the wines have received top awards and glowing reviews from the critics.
Region
Rioja
By the far the best known of Spain's wine regions is Rioja, which takes its name from the rio(river) Oja, a tributary of the river Ebro. Lying in the north of the country, along the Ebro valley, the area is sheltered from rain-bearing Atlantic winds by the dramatic Sierra de Cantabria to the north and west. The hilly vineyards are interspersed with orchards, poplars and eucalyptus trees. Rioja is further divided into three sub-regions - Rioja Alta, Rioja Alavesa and Rioja Baja. The first two are best regarded, with vines planted on cool slopes with clay and limestone soils. The permitted grape varieties for Rioja are tempranillo, which is grown extensively in Rioja Alta and Alavesa and will form the backbone of all the best wines, garnacha, widespread in Rioja Baja and used to add body to the blend, and mazuelo (carignan) and graciano, both grown in miniscule proportions. The key to understanding Rioja is the technique used to mature the wine. Unlike most other areas of Europe, American oak barrels are used which give the wines their characteristic soft vanilla, almost coconuty flavour. Historically the wines were aged for periods far longer than legally required, until all the fruit character had died down and the end result was a light, tawny-coloured wine dominated by oak flavours. Although there are still supporters of this classic style, far more producers are making wines in a more modern way, allowing the dark berry fruit flavours to burst through balanced by a more judicious use of oak ageing and often opting for French oak now.