Contino Vina del Olivo Rioja DOC 1.5 Litre Magnum

Description

Contino Vina del Olivo Rioja DOC presented in a 1.5 Litre Magnum (equivalent to 2 x 75cl bottles). The 2021 vintage was rated as “Possibly the finest Olivo to date,” by Wine Advocate.

Contino Wines are produced by the Compañía Vinícola del Norte de España (CVNE) at their pioneering 62 hectare Contino estate on the bank of the River Ebro. The Contino winery is one of three wineries the company owns, including CVNE and Vina Real.

The Contino estate was established as a single vineyard inspired by the concept of the “Bordeaux Chateau” and was the very first single-vineyard Rioja when it was first released in 1973. At Contino, only a handful of wines are produced, including this one, which is arguably one of the best Spanish red wines. Winemaker Jesus Madrazo, the son of the founder, aims to be at the vanguard of Rioja wine-making whilst preserving the established traditions. They were one of the few estates that persevered with, and helped to rescue, the Graciano grape from obscurity, for example.

All Contino wines are made from grapes exclusively grown on the 62 hectare estate located in Laserna, near the town of Laguardia in the Rioja Alavesa wine-making region. The vineyards are sheltered by the Cerro de la Mesa hill which gives them their characteristic mesoclimate. The vineyards are close to the winery and a short journey from vineyard to winery means the grapes arrive at the winery in perfect condition.

The grapes for the Contino Vina del Olivo Rioja come from a vineyard on the San Rafael estate which is situated next to an ancient olive tree which gives this wine its name. The vineyards here are planted on medium terraces on clay-calcareous soils with a medium level of stones. The vineyards is influenced by the nearby River Ebro producing superb, quality grapes which are excellent for making wines with a long ageing potential.

The grapes undergo a spontaneous fermentation in 100 hectolitre French oak vats. Malolactic fermentation takes place in concrete vats and, when finished, the wine is aged in 90% French and 10% American oak barrels (70% new, 30% second-fill) for 18 months. Finally the wine is rested in large wooden vats for three months prior to bottling.

Contino Vina del Olivo Rioja DOC 1.5 Litre Magnum –  the 2021 is blend of 80% Tempranillo, 15% Graciano and 5% Mazuelo.

Contino Vina del Olivo Rioja is suitable for vegetarians and vegans.