Contino Gran Reserva
⏳ Drinking Window
Typically best enjoyed from 10 to 25+ years after the vintage, as its structured tannins and vibrant acidity allow it to age gracefully for decades.
🍽️ Food & Wine Pairings
Roasted rack of lamb, slow-cooked venison stew, and aged Manchego cheese.
✨ Technical Specifications
Viñedos del Contino, established in 1973 by CVNE, pioneered the single-estate 'château' concept in Rioja. Situated in a fertile bend of the Ebro River in Rioja Alavesa, the estate surrounds an ancient 16th-century manor house once guarded by the 'continos'—the royal bodyguards of the Spanish crown. The Contino Gran Reserva is a masterful expression of this unique microclimate, where alluvial soils, limestone, and Atlantic influences shape the vines. The wine is typically a blend dominated by Tempranillo, enriched with Graciano (a grape for which Contino is world-renowned), Mazuelo, and Garnacha. Following traditional Gran Reserva standards, it undergoes extensive aging in both oak casks and bottle, resulting in a complex, elegant wine that balances dark fruit, balsamic notes, leather, and refined spices.
🍾 About the Producer
Founded in 1879 by brothers Raimundo and Eusebio Real de Asúa, the Compañía Vinícola del Norte de España (CVNE) is one of Rioja's foundational and most prestigious historic bodegas, headquartered in the iconic Barrio de la Estación in Haro, Spain. Still under the stewardship of the founding family's descendants, CVNE harmoniously bridges traditional winemaking heritage with pioneering technical innovation across its distinct estates and cellars. The estate is celebrated for crafting world-renowned, age-worthy wines characterized by elegance, structure, and balance, predominantly driven by Tempranillo and native Riojan varieties. Among its celebrated portfolio are legendary classic benchmarks such as Imperial, Viña Real, and the single-estate icon Viñedos del Contino.
🍇 Grape Varieties
Tempranillo, Garnacha, Graciano, Mazuelo