Contino 17 Barricas
⏳ Drinking Window
2025 - 2045
🍽️ Food & Wine Pairings
Slow-roasted milk-fed lamb, grilled prime ribeye steak, or mature Manchego cheese.
✨ Technical Specifications
Viñedos del Contino, established in 1973 as Rioja's first single-estate winery, is situated in a historic bend of the Ebro River in Rioja Alavesa. The estate's ancient manor house, dating back to the 16th century, overlooks stony, alluvial soils that yield grapes of exceptional concentration. '17 Barricas' represents a highly curated selection of exactly seventeen French oak barrels chosen by the winemaker for their outstanding harmony and expression. This limited-production red blend is typically dominated by Tempranillo and Graciano, showcasing a seamless fusion of dark fruit, mineral complexity, and refined spice born from the estate's unique microclimate.
🍾 About the Producer
Established in 1879 in Haro's iconic Barrio de la Estación by brothers Eusebio and Raimundo Real de Asúa, Compañía Vinícola del Norte de España (CVNE) stands as an architectural and viticultural pillar of DOCa Rioja. Still stewarded by fifth-generation descendants under CEO Víctor Urrutia, the historic house commands premier vineyard parcels across Rioja Alta and Rioja Alavesa, rooted primarily in calcareous clay and alluvial gravel under an Atlantic-moderated continental climate. CVNE has historically driven technical modernizations, incorporating gravity-flow winemaking, Eiffel-engineered cellars, and early concrete fermentation vats alongside classical oak maturation. Viticulture emphasizes environmental stewardship, evidenced by active membership in International Wineries for Climate Action (IWCA). The house crafts legendary expressions, from the flagship Imperial Gran Reserva and the singular Real de Asúa to pioneering whites such as Viña Real Blanco, Monopole Clásico, and the scarce Corona Gran Reserva, reflecting balance, age-worthiness, and traditional Spanish winemaking precision.
🍇 Grapes
Tempranillo, Garnacha, Graciano, Mazuelo