Contino Garnacha
⏳ wine.drinking_window
Typically best enjoyed 3 to 10 years from the vintage date, though exceptional vintages can evolve beautifully for up to 15 years.
🍽️ wine.food_pairings
Roasted lamb chops with rosemary, pan-seared duck breast, or traditional Spanish tapas such as grilled chorizo and cured Manchego cheese.
✨ wine.spec_sheet
Viedos del Contino, established in 1973 as Rioja's first single-estate winery, sits in a historic loop of the Ebro River in Rioja Alavesa. While Rioja is historically famous for Tempranillo, Contino's Garnacha is a masterful tribute to a grape that once dominated the region. Sourced from old vines planted on the alluvial, stony soils of the San Gregorio plot—named after the patron saint of the estate whose ancient hermitage still overlooks the vines—this wine is crafted to highlight the elegant, floral, and vibrant side of the varietal. Fermented in oak vats and aged in seasoned French oak barrels, it avoids the heavy, over-extracted style of some warm-climate Garnachas, offering instead a refined expression of wild red berries, white pepper, and mineral depth that reflects the unique microclimate of the Laserna estate.
🍾 wine.about_producer
Founded in 1879 by the Real de Asúa brothers in the historic Barrio de la Estación of Haro, Compañía Vinícola del Norte de España (CVNE) is a cornerstone of Rioja winemaking. Still family-controlled today, the estate is celebrated for its harmonious blend of traditional craftsmanship and architectural innovation, featuring a legendary cellar designed by Alexandre Gustave Eiffel's studio. CVNE's philosophy centers on meticulous vineyard management across Rioja Alta and Rioja Alavesa, producing elegant, structurally complex wines aged in fine oak casks. The winery is globally renowned for its iconic labels, including the historic Imperial Gran Reserva, the fruit-forward Viña Real, and the single-estate expression Contino, which collectively define the pinnacle of classic Spanish Tempranillo.